Ecosystems of the Planet Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
The livng and Non Living Componets of an Environment and the interrelationships that exist between them
What is a biome?
A large scale ecosystem
How does Latitude affect temperature?
- Temperatures drop the further an area is from the equator (the higher the latitude). Due to the curvature of the earth. In areas closer to the poles, sunlight has a larger area of atmosphere to pass through and the sun is at a lower angle in the sky. As a result, more energy is lost and temperatures are cooler.
How does Prevailing wind affect climate?
The prevailing wind is the most frequent wind direction a location experiences. In Britain the prevailing wind is from the South West, which brings warm, moist air from the Atlantic Ocean. This contributes to the frequent rainfall. When prevailing winds blow over land areas it can contribute to creating desert climates.
How does Altitude affect climate?
Locations at a higher altitude have colder temperatures. Temperature usually decreases by 1°C for every 100 metres in altitude.
How does distance from the sea affect climate?
Oceans heat up and cool down much more slowly than land. This means that coastal locations tend to be cooler in summer and warmer in winter than places inland at the same latitude and altitude.
How does ocean currents affect climate?
Ocean currents act much like a conveyor belt, transporting warm water and precipitation from the equator toward the poles and cold water from the poles back to the tropics. Thus, ocean currents regulate global climate, helping to counteract the uneven distribution of solar radiation reaching Earth’s surface.
What is abiotic?
Non -living part of an ecosystem
What is biotic?
A living part of an ecosystem
What are Xerophytic plants?
Plants that are adapted to an environment with very little water.
How does a hadley cell play a role in the location of ecosytems?
At the equator, the ground is intensely heated by the sun. This causes the air to rise which creates a low-pressure zone on the Earth’s surface. As the air rises, it cools and forms thick cumulonimbus (storm) clouds. The air continues to rise up to the upper atmosphere, and the following then happens:
- The air separates and starts to move both north and south towards the poles.
- When it reaches about 30° north and south, the air cools and sinks towards the ground forming the subtropical high-pressure zone.
- As the air sinks, it becomes warmer and drier. This creates an area of little cloud and low rainfall, where deserts are found.
- The Hadley cell is then complete. The air completes the cycle and flows back towards the equator as the trade winds.
How does a hadley cell play a roll in the formation of a desert?
- Air around the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer is dry.
- This is a zone of high air pressure where the air sinks.
- Air at the equator rises and cools - condensation then forms rain. The air then moves north and south until it gets to about 30° north and south of the equator, where it sinks.
- This air is dry and no condensation can form, so there is no rain.
- This is known as the Hadley Cell.
- It shows how air moves around the atmosphere near the equator and tropics.
What is the Inter -Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
The ITCZ is a zone of convergence at the thermal equator where the trade winds meet. It is a low pressure belt and migrates with the changing position of the thermal equator.
What is a food web?
A diagram that shows all the linkages between producers and consumers in an ecosystem
What is a food chain?
A line of linkages between producers and consumers
