Biophysical Interactions Flashcards
What is the atmosphere?
Combination of transparent,odourless gases and particles that surround the Earth
What are the 5 basic properties of the Atmosphere?
- Temperature
- Density
- Circulation
- Weather
- Climate variation
What is the role of the sun in the atmosphere?
It drives circulation
What are the 3 wave lengths that reach the Atmosphere?
Visible spectrum
Ultraviolet
Infrared
What is a cold front?
Dense,colder air that forces hot air to rise, leading to clouds, thunderstorms, intense rain and then returning to calm normal weather.
What are warm fronts?
Warm air that pushes cold air away. As a result rises over cold air creating weather to consist of lengthy periods of rain.
Define the following:
- biotic
- abiotic
Biotic- living
Abiotic- non living
What is the hydrosphere?
The interconnecting system of water storage on earth
What is the biosphere?
The earths surface zone and its adjacent atmosphere in which all organic life exists
What is the lithosphere?
Earths solid outer shell. The crust and upper mantle
What is costal management?
A fragile and dynamic environment that is under constant change due to forces of the biosphere. Eg. Waves, tides, currents and winds
How far do coasts extend?
As far as sea water and salt spray can reach. And goes as far into the ocean as where the waves and currents can move sediment.
List the Processes that shape the coastline.
Lithosphere: movements in the earths crust, forces of erosion and deposition
Biosphere: biotic processes such as plant and animal life and the way they interact
Hydrosphere: wave action, tides and ocean currents
Atmosphere: caused by elements such as temperature change, storms and force of wind.
List the processes that affect the Australian coastline.
Erosion Weathering Transportation Deposition Mass movement
What is longshore drift?
Main way in which sediment is moved along a coastline
Landforms are either…
Erosional: eg. Caves, stacks, headlands and rock platforms
Or
Depositional: eg. Spits and beaches
What is swash?
When waves break on a beach and produces turbulent body or water to surge up the beach
What is backwash?
When the water is making its way back to the ocean
What are two types of waves and what do they do?
Constructive: moves sand and other sediment up and down the beach
And
Destructive: erodes or scours the beach downwards and moves materials out to sea
What is long shore drift?
When a Coast is hit by strong on shore wind induced waves or swell there is an accumulation of excess water. This escapes as a current that runs parallel to the shore and away from the wind.
What is costal erosion?
Waves,tides, and winds that shape and erode the coast and create sediment.
What is hydraulic pressure?
Waves smash against headlands, small particles are trapped in cracks in the cliff face. Air becomes compressed, over time, break off pieces of rock. This creates erosion all landforms.
What is abrasion?
Breaking waves which hurl sand, fine rock particles or even boulders at the cliff face and rock plate form, wearing them down
What are the main four layers that make up the Atmosphere?
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
What is the Troposphere?
Contains all weather systems
What is the Stratosphere?
Where the Ozone is found
What is the Mesosphere?
No water vapour or dust cloud to absorb radiation making temperatures fall rapidly in this layer.
What is the Thermosphere?
The fourth and highest layer where space stations and satellites are found.
What determines how much solar radiation [isolation] is received within the atmosphere?
The distance from the sun, the latitude and how long the days and nights are.
What is an air mass?
A body of air with horizontally uniform levels of temperature, humidity, and pressure
What is a Synoptic chart?
Is a weather map which provides information on the distribution, movement and patterns of air pressure, rainfall, wind and temperature.
What are the consequences of human interactions with the atmosphere.
The release of gases and pollutants into the atmosphere disturbs the existing atmospheric balance and get moved around due to weather patterns. This can then lead to Air pollution which can cause acid rain and Smog, or poor air quality.
How is life sustained on earth?
Life on earth can only be created and sustained in the presence of moisture, sunlight and nutrients.
What is an ecosystem?
a complex network or interconnected system. Or a community of species and their non
living habitat.
What is a terrestrial ecosystem?
An ecosystem found only on landforms. Communities of plants and animals spread
broadly over the surface of the continent.
What is an aquatic ecosystem?
An ecosystem in a body of water. Ecosystems of marine and freshwater environments.
What is a biome? List the different types.
Very large ecosystems made up of specific vegetation types and their associated fauna.
Biomes recur on different continents in areas with similar climates.
List the factors affecting the global pattern of vegetation.
Climatic, such as water supplies, temperatures, light and aspect
- Topographical, such as altitude, angle of slope and aspect
- Edaphic (related to soils)
- Biotic (related to the living environment)
Explain how climatic factors affect the global pattern of vegetation.
Water is very important to plant growth and development because it is vital to processes
such as photosynthesis, germination and the transport of nutrients. Without water, light
and certain temperatures vegetation would not be able to survive.
Explain how topographic factors affect the global pattern of vegetation.
With rising elevation, there is a decrease in both soil depth and air temperature and an
increase in the exposure to wind. As altitude increases there is a noticeable decrease
in the:
1. Number of plant species
2. Height of plants
3. density of plants
4. growth rate of plants
5. length of the growing
As one moves up very high mountains a distinct vertical zoning of vegetation is
revealed.
Explain how edaphic factors affect the global pattern of vegetation.
Most plants are dependent on soils as a medium in which to grow because soils
provide them water, air and nutrients necessary for growth. Vegetation, in turn, has an
impact on a soil’s characteristics.
What is biodiversity?
the variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat, a high level of
which is usually considered to be important and desirable.
Why is biodiversity important?
Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all
have an important role to play.
How are human interactions threatening the biodiversity existing on earth?
humans alter ecosystems either by removing specific organisms. Humans are
destroying other species as a result of population growth, consumption, and technology.
Human destruction of habitats through direct harvesting, pollution, atmospheric changes, and other factors is especially threatening current global biodiversity.
