B2.4 climate, biomes and currents Flashcards
What is the difference between climate and weather?
Climate describes atmospheric conditions over long periods (about 30 years), while weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions such as temperature, humidity, air pressure, and wind speed.
What is weather?
Weather refers to the specific atmospheric conditions experienced at a particular time or over a short period, including factors like temperature, humidity, air pressure, and wind speed.
What is climate?
Climate is the long-term average of atmospheric conditions, usually measured over approximately 30 years.
What is a biome?
A biome is a group of comparable ecosystems that have developed in similar climatic conditions, regardless of location.
How can ecosystems in different locations be similar?
Ecosystems in similar climatic conditions can develop parallel features, even if they occur in different parts of the world.
What are the major factors influencing terrestrial biome distribution?
Precipitation, temperature, and insolation are the major influences on terrestrial biome distribution.
What determines the distribution of terrestrial biomes?
Abiotic factors such as temperature and rainfall determine which type of natural ecosystem is likely to develop in a given area.
What does a biome distribution graph show?
A biome distribution graph plots temperature on one axis and rainfall on the other, showing how different biomes develop under specific climate conditions.
How can climate data be visualized?
Climate graphs display annual precipitation and average temperature to represent different biomes.
What are the major biome categories?
Biomes are categorized into freshwater, marine, forest, grassland, desert, and tundra.
What are examples of subcategories within forest biomes?
Forest biomes include temperate forests, tropical rainforests, and boreal forests.
What are the characteristic abiotic limiting factors of biomes?
Abiotic limiting factors include temperature extremes, water availability, and soil quality.
How does productivity vary among biomes?
Biomes differ in productivity based on sunlight, precipitation, and nutrient availability, influencing plant growth and biodiversity.
What are the characteristics of tropical rainforests?
Tropical rainforests have high temperatures, high precipitation, high biodiversity, and high productivity.
What are the characteristics of hot deserts?
Hot deserts have low precipitation, high temperatures, low productivity, and low biodiversity.
What are the characteristics of tundra biomes?
Tundra biomes have low temperatures, low precipitation, low productivity, and low biodiversity.
What are the characteristics of temperate forests?
Temperate forests have moderate temperatures, moderate to high precipitation, and moderate biodiversity and productivity.
What are the characteristics of grassland biomes?
Grasslands have seasonal precipitation, moderate temperatures, moderate productivity, and biodiversity adapted to frequent disturbances like fire.
What does the tricellular model of atmospheric circulation explain?
It explains atmospheric system behavior, the distribution of precipitation and temperature at different latitudes, and how these factors influence biome structure and productivity.
What is latitude?
Latitude is the angular distance from the equator, measured in degrees from the Earth’s center.
What are the three cells in the tricellular model?
The Hadley cell, the Ferrel cell, and the Polar cell.
What is the Hadley cell?
A circulation cell near the equator where warm air rises, cools, and descends at around 30° latitude, creating low precipitation near the equator and dry conditions in subtropical regions.
What is the Ferrel cell?
A mid-latitude circulation cell (30°–60°) where air moves poleward at the surface and equatorward at higher altitudes, leading to temperate climates with variable weather.
What is the Polar cell?
A circulation cell at high latitudes (60°–90°) where cold air descends at the poles and moves toward lower latitudes, contributing to dry and cold conditions in polar regions.
How does the tricellular model explain the distribution of biomes?
It accounts for high precipitation in tropical rainforests (near the equator), dry conditions in deserts (around 30° latitude), and cold, dry conditions in polar regions.
How do oceans influence global climate?
Oceans absorb solar radiation and distribute heat through currents, affecting regional climates.
What is the general effect of global warming on biomes?
Biomes are shifting poleward and to higher altitudes as temperatures rise.
