Climate and Ecosystems Flashcards
Why latitude is one of the factors that can impact temperature?
Places in the tropics are much warmer than places furthest away from the poles - because the sun is more overhead in areas nearest the equator
Why distance from sea is one of the factors that can impact temperature?
The sea takes longer to warm than land, so places near the sea are cooler in the summer because the sea cools them. However, the sea retains the heat better than the land so places near the sea are warmer in the winter because the sea warms them.
Why winds is one of the factors that can impact temperature?
If the prevailing wind is from the poles then the temperature will be lower, but if the prevailing wind is from the tropics then the temperature will be higher.
Why ocean currents is one of the factors that can impact temperature?
Ocean currents are classified as hot or cold. Hot ocean currents tends to warm winters and cold ones cool summers.
Why altitude is one of the factors that can impact temperature?
Temperatures on average decrease 1 degree Celsius for every 100 metres gained. This means that some places near the Equator e.g. the Andes in Ecuador can be covered in snow all year.
Define ecosystems
A biological environment consisting of all the living organisms within a particular area and the nonliving that interact with the organisms e.g. weather, soil, air and water.
Give the causes of deforestation
Cattle ranching: population gets bigger and richer, the demand for meat is increasing
Road building: urbanization
Mining: places like forests believed to have many resources beneath the soils
Describe the problems caused by deforestation
Flooding: less interception and transpiration
Landslides: soil less stable
Biodiversity loss:
Reduced rainfall: less water intercepted and transpired form vegetation.
Describe main characteristics of an equatorial climate
- Hot conditions: above 26C
- High levels of rainfall: over 2000m
- A lack of seasons - temperature are high throughout the year
- High level of humidity
Describe the main characteristics of hot dessert climates
- Very hot days and cold nights
- Low levels of humidity
- Warm dry winds
- Low and irregular amounts of rainfall
Why does most rain fall in the West?
- Highland areas receive more rain – many of these are in the west.
- Prevailing winds come from the south west carrying moisture from the Atlantic Ocean.
Describe the warm ocean currents
Warmer currents flow on the surface of the oceans. They bring warmer and wetter climates to the lands they pass by.
Describe the cold ocean currents
Colder currents are deeper in the ocean. They are heavier /denser and can bring drier but colder climate.
List out the weather instruments
Rain gauge, maximum-minimum thermometer, wet and dry bulb thermometer,
barometer,anemometer,wind vane, Stevenson’s screen.
Describe rain gauge
Is a fixed diameter so that they collect the same amount of water & so
comparisons can be made.
• Made of a hollow cylinder (C) containing:
• Funnel (A) to collect the water.
• A container to collect the water. . It is emptied once every 24hrs at the same time. Rain is
measured in millimetres.
• Is sunk into the ground, but not level with the surface so that splashes or surface
water cannot get into it.
Describe maximum-minimum thermometer
• Maximum thermometer contains mercury the minimum contains alcohol.
• As temperature rises mercury expands & pushes up a metal index when it
cools & mercury contracts the index is left in place at highest temp.
• As temperature falls alcohol contracts & pulls metal index with it, but as the
alcohol expands it flows passed the index leaving it in place at the lowest
temp.
• Both indexes are read once every 24hrs from the bottom of the index.
Describe barometer
Measure air pressure. . Air pressure is normally measured in millibars. Barometers are normally kept inside Stevenson screens to keep them safe. A barometer has a movable needle (pointer). The pointer can be moved to the current reading so that you can then make a comparison with the reading from the following day.
Describe wind vane
Wind vanes are used to check the direction of the wind. Compass points are used to give wind direction. Wind is measured in the direction that the wind is coming from
Describe anemometer
Anemometers measure wind speed. Wind speed is normally measured in mph or kph, but can also be measured in m/s (metres a second). Anemometers are normally placed on top of buildings so that they are not protected from the wind and so they don’t experience channeling of wind
Describe Stevenson’s screen
Contains the thermometers.
• Painted white to reflect the sun with a double lid for insulation.
• Slatted sides to let the air circulate, but slanted downwards to prevent
light getting in.
• Legs 1m long to
prevent heating from ground.
