Climate Change Flashcards
Definition of boreal forest
coniferous forests of the northern latitudes
Definition of climate
the pattern of weather including averages and extremes based on observations over a 30 year period or longer
Definition of Dendrochronology
the study of tree rings
Definition of eccentricity
variations in the Earth’s orbit around the Sun
Definition of ethanol
fuel produced from the fermentation of sugars
Definition of fossil fuels
ancient remains of plants and animals that are stored underground in the form of coal, oil and natural gas
Definition of glacial period
a cold era when ice advanced over a large part of the Earth’s surface
Definition of greenhouse effect
a natural process by which the atmosphere traps heat energy
Definition of greenhouse gases
gases in the atmosphere that absorb heat energy
Definition of interglacial period
a warm era when ice retreated
Definition of malaria
serious tropical disease spread by mosquitoes
Definition of meteorologist
a geographer who studies the weather
Definition of precession
the wobbling of the Earth on its axis
Definition of protocol
A set of formal rules
Definition of ratify
a country formally adopting an international treaty