Biophysical Enviroment Flashcards
Define Biophysical Interactions
Species connecting with their surrounding through the four spheres
Explain ONE case study for biophysical interactions and identify the spheres interacting
Loggers in Borneo (lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere)
- Chop down trees to sell for profit
- Carbon stored in trees are released
- Increased flooding
- Erosion occurs as the soil is no longer held by root system of trees and other vegitation
- Increased turbidity occurs in rivers (levels of sediment in water)
- Fish become diseased due to turbid waters, water lacks sunlight required for life
Define Insolation
(Incoming Solar Radiation)
Insolation refers to the incoming solar radiation that reaches the earths surface
Where is solar radiation highest?
The equator
Define Microclimate
A localised pattern of wather condition
Define Global Heat Budget
The balance between incoming and outgoing solar radiation
Define The Greenhouse Effect
Gases in the earth’s atmosphere absorbe some of the outgoing energy and return part of it to the earth’s surface. These gases act as a blanket trapping heat. The greater concentration of gases the more effectivly they return energy back to the earths surface. Traping even more heat and warming the earth like a greenhouse.
Define The Albedo Effect
The ratio of incoming radiation and the amount refected back into space
Expresses as a %
Defien Lapse Rate
As the altitude increases through the troposphere there is a decline in temprature
Define Weather
Local physical properties of the troposphere over a short period of time
Define Atmosphere
A thin, gaseous veil surrounding the Earth, held to the planet by the force of gravity
What is the atmosphere made up off?
A combination of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), carbon dioxide, argon, water vapour and other trace gases
List The Layers Of The Atmosphere
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
Define Current
A large movement of water in regular patterns or directions
Define The Global Conveyer Belt
A circuit that slowly moves water all around the world. Driven by differences in density - temperature and salinity.
Define Rip Current
Narrow channels of water that form when waves of different intensities break on the shoreline
How Are Waves Caused?
Wind transferring its energy to the water
Define Tsunamis
A giant underwater wave
Define Tides
The biggest type of waves, cause the sea to rise and fall along the shores around the world
What Causes The Change In Tides?
Gravitational pull of the moon and sun
Define The Hydrological Cycle
Process that involves the continuous circulation of water in the biophysical environment
What Are The 7 Stages Of The Water Cycle
Evaporation, Transpiration, Condensation, Precipitation, Infiltration, Percolation, Surface Runoff
Define Hydrosphere
Total amount of water on a planet. Includes water on the surface of the planet, underground, and in the air.
Define Water Scarcity
Occurs when the demand for water exceeds the available amount during a certain period of time
Define Weathering
The process that breaks down rocks
Define Erosion
The process of breaking down rocks further and then moving them. Water is key.
List The Layers Of Soil
Topsoil, Subsoil, Bedrock
List The Functions Of Soil
Biomass production, water and nurtient cycling, carbon storage, biodiversity, building, recreation, history
Define Biomass And Explain It’s Importance
Biomass is renewable plant materials used as sources of fuel
- The world’s soils enables growth of plants and agriculture
- Sources of fuel that produce heat or electricity
Explain Cyclyings Importance
Soil stores, filters, transforms nutrients and water
Explain Carbon Storage Importance
Soil is one of the biggest holders of organic matter.
- 3x more carbon in soil than in atmosphere
- 4x more than in living organisms
Explain Soil Biodiversity Importance
A large fraction of the Earth’s biodiversity can be found underground
Define Lithosphere
The solid, outer portion of the earth
List The Layers Of The Planet
Core: solid iron in the centre; molten iron in the outer core
Mantle: less dense, elastic rock
Crust: thin, brittle, low-density layer of rock
Explain Continental Drift
- 225 million years ago: the lithosphere was joined as one supercontinent, Pangaea
- 135 million years ago: Pangaea broke into two large continents, Laurasia and Gondwana
- 65 million years ago: these two large continents broke into smaller continents again, drifting/moving as a result of plate tectonics
List The Movement Of Plates From The Mantle
Convergent boundaries: when two plates collide
Divergent boundaries: when two plates move apart
Transform/Conservative boundaries: when plates slide past each other
Define Folding
When two or more of Earth’s tectonic plates are pushed together
Define Faulting
Faults or cracks form in the crust
Define Subduction
When one plate bends and slides underneath the other, curving down into the mantle
Define Aeolian Processes
The study of geology and weather
Give ONE example of a aeolian processes
Suspension
- The wind moves the finer sand particles, which travel thousands of kilometres before they land on Earth again
- When they land, it is often because they have combined with raindrops and fall with the rain
Define Biodiversity
The variety of living organisms on earth
Define Ecosystems
A system formed by the interactions of all living organisums within each other and the physical elements of the enviroment in which they live
List The Three Levels Of Biodiversity
Genetic diversity
Species diversity
Ecosystem Diversity
Explain Genetic Diversity
The variety of living organisms on earth
Explain Species Diversity
Species diversity is the variety of species within a habitat or region
Explain Ecosystem Diversity
Ecosystem diversity is the varitey of ecosystems in a given place
List Issues Effecting Biodiversity
Invasive species, migratory species, habitat loss and fragmentation
Explain The Issues Brought Around Invasive Species
A species occuring, as a result of human activities, beyond its acepted normal distribution and which threaten valued reasources by the damage it causes
Give Examples Of Some Invasive Species
Crown of thorns starfish, cane toads
Explain Migratory Species
Many animals migrate to Australia and its external territories, or pass through or over Australian waters during their annual migrations. As climatic conditions change, so does the migration activities of animals such as birds, whales, dolphins, turtles and sharks.
List Factors Affecting Global Patterns Of Vegetation
Climatic Factors: Precipitation, Temperature, Light, Winds
Topographic Factors: Altitude, Slope, Aspect
Biotic Factors: Plant competition, Plant and animal relationships, Human activities
Soil-related Factors
Precipitations Importance To Global Patterns Of Vegetation
Water is important for plant growth and development as it is important for processes such as photosynthesis, germination and nutrient transportation.
Temprature Importance To Global Patterns Of Vegetation
Each plant species there is an optimum temperature range. Most vegetation prefers temperatures between 10 and 35 degrees celsius.
Altitude’s Importance To Global Patterns Of Vegetation
As altitude (elevation) increases, there is a decrease in:
Number/variety of plant species
Height of plants
Density of plants
Growth rate of plants
Slope And Aspect Importance To Global Patterns Of Vegetation
Slope - influences the stability of surface material and water retention in the soil
Aspect - affect the amount of sunlight received
