A - The Drainage Basin Flashcards
What is a drainage basin?
Area drained by a river and its tributaries.
What type of system is the drainage basin?
An open system.
What is the main input in a drainage basin?
Precipitation.
Name two outputs in a drainage basin.
Evaporation and transpiration.
What does infiltration refer to?
Water sinking into the ground.
Define infiltration capacity.
Amount of moisture soil can hold.
What does infiltration rate mean?
Speed at which water enters soil.
What is throughflow?
Lateral water movement in soil.
When does overland run-off occur?
When precipitation exceeds infiltration rate or soil is saturated.
What is percolation in hydrology?
Water moving into the groundwater zone.
What is baseflow?
Movement of groundwater to rivers.
What is an aquifer?
Rock that holds water.
What role do aquifers play in the hydrological cycle?
They regulate the cycle and maintain river flow.
What is soil moisture?
Water held in soil, affected by porosity and permeability.
Define cryosphere.
The largest freshwater store, in snow and ice.
What is vegetation’s role as a water store?
Trees store more water than grasses or crops.
What is precipitation?
Transfer of moisture to earth’s surface.
What does interception refer to?
Capture of raindrops by plant cover.
What happens after the interception capacity of leaves is exceeded?
Water drops to the ground (throughfall).
What is stemflow?
Water trickling along branches and stems.
Define evaporation.
Liquid water turning into gas.
List factors influencing evaporation.
Vapour pressure, air temperature, wind, and rock surface.
What is transpiration?
Loss of water from vegetation.
Define evapotranspiration.
Combined water loss from vegetation and water surfaces.
What is potential evapotranspiration?
Water loss rate with no water shortage.
Name two forms of precipitation.
Rain and snow.
What is the significance of soil porosity?
Determines soil’s water-holding capacity.
What is permeability in soils?
Ability of soil to transmit water.
Define the cryosphere’s storage duration.
Water can be stored for millennia.
How does vegetation affect soil moisture?
Through interception and transpiration.
