Temperate climate - Definition and Overview

In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The north temperate zone extends from the Tropic of Cancer at about 23.5 degrees north latitude to the Arctic Circle at about 66.5 degrees north latitude. The south temperate zone extends from the Tropic of Capricorn at about 23.5 degrees south latitude to the Antarctic Circle at about 66.5 degrees south Latitude.

Regions with a temperate climate are usually characterized by having roughly equally long winters and summers. Temperature extremes are uncommon in temperate climates but do occur in regions also affected by continental climate.

Vegetation in temperate climates is varied, as some species adapted to colder, subarctic climates as well as those adapted to warmer, subtropical climates may survive here at the outer limit of their temperature tolerances. Leaf bearing trees dominate this climate close to the coastal regions and ferns dominate the northern region as well as some inland parts.

In virology, temperate refers to the life cycle a phage is able to perform. The phage ususually integrates its genome into its host chromosome, becoming a prophage. Antonym: virulent phage.