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Ecology Final > Climates and Biomes > Flashcards

Climates and Biomes Flashcards

1
Q

Weather

A

Describes current conditions. Irregular and largely unpredictable

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2
Q

Climate

A

Describes long term patterns. Based on averages and variation based on decades.

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3
Q

Spatial Climate Patterns Depend On…

A

-Unequal heating with latitude and season
-Air circulation and Coriolis affect
-Ocean Currents
-Miscellaneous other impacts of land and water

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4
Q

Greenhouse Effect

A

Solar radiation, alone, not enough to warm earth. Earths thick atmosphere acts as an insulator. Makes temperatures on earth warmer and less variable. (ex. mars temperatures fluctuate between -90 and 20 degrees Celsius in a day)

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5
Q

Unequal Heating With Latitude

A

The equator is near a lower latitude. Lower latitudes experience more direct lighting than high latitudes because the light spreads out over higher latitudes.

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6
Q

Seasonal Variation is Caused by

A

The tilt of the earth on its axis (23.5 degrees)

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7
Q

March Equinox

A

Geographic Equator. Sun directly hits equator, making the sun directly above the equator at noon.

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8
Q

June Solstice

A

Tropic of Cancer. 23.5 degrees North.

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9
Q

September Equinox

A

Geographic equator. Same as March

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10
Q

December Solstice

A

Tropic of Capricorn. 23.5 degrees South

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11
Q

Adiabatic Cooling

A

When warm air rises it cools

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12
Q

Adiabatic Heating

A

When air cools it sinks because cold air is more dense

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13
Q

Convection cells

A

What do adiabatic heating and cooling create?

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14
Q

Coriolis Effect

A

Wind direction is affected by the speed of the earths rotation. This deflects air circulation in the convection cells. To the right in the north and the left in the south

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14
Q

Hadley cells

A

Convection cells near the equator. Between equator and 30 degrees North and 30 degrees South latitudes

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14
Q

Intertropical Convergence Zone (ICZ)

A

Where the Hadley cells meet. Determined by solar equator

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14
Q

Convection cells create

A

-Wet and dry regions. Wet tropics. Dry sub tropics (Around 30 degrees north and south)
-Wet and dry seasons. One wet season near tropics of cancer and Capricorn (NOT PART OF SUBTROPICS) . Two wet seasons near geographic equator

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14
Q

Polar Easterlies and Tradewinds

A

Northeast to southwest in North Hemisphere. Southeast to northwest in south hemisphere

14
Q

Polar Cells

A

Convections cells near the polar. 60-90 degree latitudes.

14
Q

Ferrell Cells

A

Less distinct. Between Hadley and Polar cells

15
Q

Westerlies

A

General mid latitude movement from west to east

16
Q

Gyres

A

Gravity pulling warmer water away from the equator. Clockwise circulation in N, counter clockwise in S due to trade winds in westerlies.

17
Q

Upwelling

A

Upward movement of ocean water. Where surface currents move away from western coastlines. Cold, nutrient high water brought to surface. High productivity areas.

18
Q

El nino/ Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

A

1891 Peruvian fisherman found that there was no cold water upwelling. There was just warm water and no fish harvest in December. Lots of rain in a coastal desert area.

-Trade winds usually cause upwellings in Peru. Every 3-7 years trade wings oscillate (reverse). Warm water starts to move in the opposite direction

-See saw relationship in pressure over asia vs south america.

19
Q

Water moderates land temperature so how does rainfall and variable temperatures differ in north and south climates

A

Southern hemisphere has more rainfall and less variable temperatures. Coasts have less variable maritime climates than continental interiors

20
Q

Biome

A

A geographic region that contains communities composed of organisms with similar adaptations. Group communities within biomes by dominant plant forms

20
Q

Convergent evolution

A

Unrelated species look similar due to evolving under similar circumstances. This leads to biomes

20
Q

The nine biomes

A

-Tropical rainforest, tropical seasonal forest/savanna

-Subtropical desert

-Woodland/Shrubland

-Temperate seasonal forest, temperate grassland/cold desert, temperate rainforest

-Boreal forest

-Tundra

-Polar Ice Cap

21
Q

Whitakers Climate Diagram

A

Links temperature precipitation and biome. Boundaries are fuzzy. There is variation within biomes.

22
Q

Climate diagrams

A

MEMORIZE

23
Q

Tropical Seasonal Forest/Savanna

A

Precipitation shifts a lot because of the movement of the intertropical convergence zone

24
Q

Tropical Rainforest

A

Found near the equator. Many locations all with similar dominant vegetation. Tall, dense canopy. Complex structure. Epiphytes and lianas. Long-lived leaves

25
Q

CLORPT stands for what in soil terms

A

Climate, Organisms, Relief, Parent Material, Time. Drives plant species distributions and primary productivity.

26
Q

Leaching

A

Moves soluble inorganic nutrients to lower layers.

Horizon (layers)

27
Q

Horizon (layers)

A

Layers of leaching in soil

28
Q

O level

A

Decaying organic matter, abundant microorganisms

29
Q

A level

A

Broken down organic material. Finely broken up rock

30
Q

E level

A

leached material

31
Q

B level

A

Weather rock, rich in inorganic nutrients

32
Q

C level

A

Less weathered, large rocks of parent material

33
Q

R level

A

Bedrock, unweathered parent

34
Q

Levels in order

A

OAEBCR

35
Q

Tropical rainforest soils

A

-Nutrient poor
-Old soils
-Wet conditions cause high rates of weathering and leaching
-Minerals from bedrock are too deep to access
-High productivity in rainforest depends on cycling of nutrients close to surface

36
Q

All factors that impact biome distribution

A

Climate, soils, fire, grazing

Ecology Final (18 decks)

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