3.b. the pathways and processes which control the cycling of water vary over time

Question 1

short term changes to the water cycle

Answer 1

Diurnal-
Typically warmer + more sunlight during the day
-> more evapotranspiration -> atmospheric store

Convectional rainfall only occurs in the day

Seasonal-
Type of tree -> deciduous vs evergreen -> deciduous -> less transpiration in winter months

Amount of precipitation -> dry vs rainy seasons; less variation seasonally with places close to the equator

Summer -> higher temps -> more evapotranspiration -> higher humidity -> more cloud cover -> more convectional rainfall -> more surface run off -> more water stored in rivers/ groundwater (depending on geology)

Tundra -> summer -> permafrost thaws -> more flooding as the active layer melted

Question 2

long term (millennia) changes in the water cycle

Answer 2

Glacial period -> water stored in cryosphere -> little flows between stores
-> less storage in oceans

Cold -> Less evapotranspiration -> less atmospheric moisture -> less rainfall

Ice destroys vegetation -> less water stored in vegetation

Interglacial period -> cryosphere store melted -> more flows between stores
-> more storage in oceans

Question 3

the importance of research and monitoring techniques to identify and record changes in the global water cycle
and the reasons why this data is gathered