Exam 4 Flashcards
1
Q
rock flour
A
fine pulverized rock
2
Q
till
A
unconsolidated sediment
3
Q
abrasion
A
grinding by rock/ ice mixture
4
Q
plucking
A
lifting of rocks and associated movement
5
Q
moraine
A
debris of till at margins of the ice sheet (medial, terminal, recessional)
6
Q
arete
A
knife-like ridge produced by parallel intersecting glacial trough walls
7
Q
cirque
A
bowl shaped depression often near the glacial accumulation zone
8
Q
horn
A
three or more adjacent cirques leaving pointed peek
9
Q
col
A
gap or opening in the glacial trough wall
10
Q
glacial trough
A
u-shaped valley carved by the glacier
11
Q
hanging trough
A
where tributary glacier intersects primary alpine glacier
12
Q
tarn
A
lake left in a cirque after glacial retreat
13
Q
fiord
A
where a trough opens to the sea with glacial retreat
14
Q
landslides
A
when failure steep sided trough walls
15
Q
trough lake
A
elongated lakes left in glacial trough after glacial retreat
16
Q
What are the two continental ice sheets today?
A
Antarctica and Greenland
17
Q
Which continental ice sheet is the biggest?
A
Antarctica
18
Q
Iceberg
A
90% volume below the sea level. Hazardous to shipping
19
Q
Ice Shelf
A
A floating sheet of ice permanently attached to a landmass. These shelves are enormous and may be several hundred feet thick
20
Q
Pleistocene glaciation
A
- Occurred from approximately 2.5 million to 22,700 years ago
- First noted by Louis Agassiz in mid-1800’s. He was a Swiss naturalist
- There were over 20 glacial events occurring during this time period with periods of glacial retreat
21
Q
What are the impacts of Pleistocene Glaciation?
A
- Temperature change (5-10 degrees cooler)
- Isostatic adjustment (weight of ice forced continents down 300 meters; currently continents are rising at about 2 cm per year)
- Change in sea level (off Atlantic decreased 137 meters. Shoreline- 100 to 200 km from where it is today)
22
Q
What causes these cycles of glaciation?
A
- Variations in the earth’s tilt
- Variations in the earth’s eccentricity in its orbit about the sun
- Precession (wobble)
- Variations in the arrangement of the continents through plate tectonics
- Variation in the ocean (air systems)
23
Q
Drainage disruption
A
Soils that do not drain well in glaciated valleys. Gravelly with different size debris. ALSO POSSIBLY DERENGED DRANAGE SYSTEM where a drainage system has no coherent pattern. (tentative)
24
Q
Pluvial lakes
A
a formerly large lake created by excessive rain paired with little evaporation
25
Scabland
rough, barren, volcanic topography with thin soils and little vegetation
26
Loess
Wind transported sediment from glaciated areas or deserts
27
striations
abrasion marks- trend in direction of ice movement- see rocks in central park, NY
28
glacial erratics
rock derived from poleward locations but carried south by glacial ice
29
kettle
when block of stagnate ice melts leaving a pitted area (small depression)
30
drumlin
smooth elongated hills- inverted spoon
31
eskers
winding ridges composed of sand and gravel; remnants of streams beneath glacial ice
32
kame
steep sided hill; where sand and gravel accumulated in ice crack or fissure (small hill)
33
marginal glacial lakes
where elongated valleys were carved and lakes were left as remnants
34
Stratified drift/ till
glacially sorted debris at edge of glacier
35
What are landforms made by?
Waves and currents
36
__% of population live within 93 miles of coastline
44%
37
What is the primary source of wave energy?
Wind
38
What are "swells"?
large waves when there is stronger wind
39
What is wave structure?
wave length, height, period, trough
40
What is a breaker
collapse of wave crest as wave approaches a shoreline
41
What kind of pattern do waves have?
Oscillartory
42
Swash
waves that wash up on the beach after an incoming wave has broken (at an angle)
43
Backwash
waves that wash back into the body of water
44
Beach Drift
movement along the coast based off swash and backwash
45
Longshore Drift
the movement of material along the shore by wave action
46
Jetties
a landing stage or small pier at which boats can dock or be moored
47
Groins
smaller version of jetties along coastline to help slowdown beach drift and longshore drift
48
Artificial nourishment
dumping in sand on coastline to reduce erosion
49
Wave cut terraces
a narrow water ridge inclining gradually away from the bottom of an eroded sea cliff.
50
sea caves
a type of cave formed primarily by the wave action of the sea
51
Sea arches
natural opening in the shape of a cliff, it is developed when the waves collide with the rock
52
sea stack
rock formation made up of a steep or upright column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast.
53
beach
a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles
54
spit
A spit is a coastal landform connected to mainland
55
boymouth bar
a sandbank that partially or completely closes access to a bay.
56
tombolo
a bar of sand or shingle joining an island to the mainland.
57
_ high tide(s) and _ low tide(s) ever _ hours
2 HIGH and 2 LOW every 24 HOURS
58
ebb current
seaward
59
flood current
landward
60
spring tide
strong high tides twice per month
61
neap tide
lowest tides twice per month
62
Tidal variations
Depends on ocean size, coastline shape, orientation relative to sun and moon
63
salt marshes
an area of coastal grassland that is regularly flooded by seawater:
64
mud flats
coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers.
65
polders/fenlands
drained marshes
66
ria
coastlines where sea levels rise
67
fiord examples
o Rise of sea level or crustal sinking
o Ex: new England coast; coastal uk; coastal France and spain
68
barrier island examples
o Recently emerged coastal plain; very gradual slope
o Includes lagoons, tidal inlets, and is vulnerable to overwash
o Ex: us Atlantic and gulf coast
69
delta
o Where major river flows into an ocean
o Ex: nile, Mississippi, tiber
70
volcanic
o Created by lava flows; usually very rugged
o Ex: Hawai’i, California, Oregon coastlines
71
coral reef
o Coral-marine invertebrates- secrete calcium carbonates
o Create different patterns of coral deposits depending on coastal platform characteristics
o Ex in Pacific: east coast of Australia
o Form atolls, fringing reefs, and barrier reefs
72
coastlines are based on what?
o Geology
o Topography
o Waves and currents
73
What are the 3 reef coastlines?
Atoll: volcano that doesn’t break the water and coral builds island
Fringing: attached to mainland
Barrier: not attached to mainland
74
What are eolian landforms?
wind related landforms
75
Deflation
lifting and removal of particles. "rock desert"
76
Abrasion
sand blasting
77
Sand creep
When sand grains collide with other grains causing them to move
78
dustorms
a strong wind which carries clouds of fine dust, soil, and sand over a large area.
79
sandstorms
a strong wind carrying clouds of sand with it, especially in a desert.
80
Haboob
large dust storm
81
dune
Where accumulation of sand shaped by wind and capable of movement over underlying ground
82
What are the factors that influence dune characteristics?
- wind strength
- consistency
- direction
- surface shape
- sand supply
- wind velocity
-vegetative cover
83
Types of dunes
- Barchan
- Parabolic
- Transverse
- Longitudinal
- Star
- Foredune
84
Barchan dune
Crescent shape, constant wind direction, limited sand supply
85
Parabolic dune
Reverse shape of barchan; where sparse vegetative cover; creates blowout like dune in coastal areas
86
Transverse dune
Large supply sand; constant wind direction, sinuous ridges of sand
Ex: Sahara Desert; like a sand sea
87
Longitudinal Dune
- Seif "Sword" dune
- Converging winds; elongated in general direction
88
Star dune
High central point; multiple wind directions
89
Foredune
Narrow belt of sand landward of ocean beach
90
How many millions of acres of prime agriculture are lost per year?
3.9-8.1
91
What are the controls on soil formation?
- Climate
- Organic matter
- Slope
- Time
- Parent material
- Human
92
What is a soil profile?
Collective horizons
93
What is a horizon?
distinct horizontal layer
94
What are the characteristics of soil?
- Soil color
- Soil texture (from SMALLEST to LARGEST: clay, silt, sand)
- Soil structure (the way soil aggregates [granular, blocky, platy, massive])
- Soil acidity and alkalinity (Cations: POSITIVE. eg: calcium, sodium, potassium. MORE ALKALINE. W/O Cations: MORE ACIDIC eg: aluminum and hydrogen)
95
Soil temperature
Influence chemical processes. Usually needs to be above 41 d F.
96
Soil orders
- Alfisols
- Andisols
- Aridisols
- Entisols
- Gelisols
- Inceptisols
- Vertisols
- Ultisols
- Spodosols
- Oxisols
- Mollisols
- Histosols
97
What is the dominate soil order in Ohio?
Alfisols
98
What are biotic communities?
Local association of plants and animals
99
What is the principle of limiting factors?
Plants and animals can only tolerate a limited range of conditions (temp, food sources)
100
What are the factors that influence distribution?
o Solar radiation
o Temperature
o Water
o Wind
o Altitude
o Fire
o Insects/parasites
o Animals
o Humans
101
What is the impact of the bark beetle?
Significant destruction in forests out west
102
What are krummholz?
stunted windblown trees growing near the tree line on mountains.
103
What are the impacts of fire?
70,000 forest fires on average per year
104
Where are more than half of the fires in the US?
The southeast
105
What is ecological succession?
Sequence of biotic communities moving toward ecosystem stability
106
What are sere-series?
Communities that follow one another in succession
107
What are seral stages?
Each one of the temporary communities
108
What is the pioneer stage?
first stage e.g. after a fire, flood, or clearing, generally hardy species which are first to colonize
109
What is the climax stage
final stage in ecological succession- brings stability
110
Structural dimensions
o Lifeform: tree vs shrub vs vine or herb size and stratification
o Coverage
o Periodicity: response to annual temp and ppt
o Leaf shape
o Leaf texture
111
What are the major biomes?
- Forest: at least 75% tree cover (under natural conditions)
- Savanna
- Shrubland (Mediterranean vegetation, drought tolerant)
- Grassland
- Desert
- Taiga
- Tundra
112
Why is the tropical rainforest important?
- Carbon sink
- Diversity
- Medicines
113
Why are temperate forests important?
- Carbon sink
- Diversity
- Sustainable
- Importannt nitro/ carbon cycles
114
Why are coniferous forests important?
- Wildlife
- Lumber products
- Snowpack insolation
115
Why are savannas important?
- Biodiversity
- Exotic animals
- Migration corridor
- Large watersheds
116
Why are shrublands important?
- Drought tolerant
- Protects erosion
- Slides
- Stores carbon
117
Why are grasslands important?
- Bison
- Agriculture
- Biochemical cycles
- Biodiversity
118
Why are deserts important?
- Saguaro
- Minerals (gypsum, potassium, copper, bauxite, diamonds)
119
Why are taigas important?
- Lumber
- Resins
- Carbon storage
120
Why are tundras important?
- Lumber
- Resins
- Carbon storage
121
What is energy?
the ability to do work. can change states.
122
What are the different types of energy?
o Thermal
o Light
o Sound
o Gravitational
o Kinetic
o Electrical
o Chemical
o Nuclear
123
What is renewable energy?
Energy resources will not run out because they can easily be regenerated (Wind, solar, water)
124
What is nonrenewable energy?
finite amount on earth and they will eventually run out (Oil, coal, natural gas)
125
Do we still use fossil fuels?
Yes, largely
126
What two countries heavily consume energy?
China and the US
127
What is the US's % of wind and solar use?
Wind: 10%
Solar: ~5%
128
Which country is the top oil country?
Venezuela
129
Largest fossil fuel reserve
Coal
130
Who are the top energy consuming countries PER CAPITA?
Canada, Russia, Saudi Arabia
131
What are the producers of CO2?
- Coal
- Oil
- Biomass
132
How many barrels of oil does the US use per day?
18 million
133
Which countries have natural gas reserves?
- Russia
- Iran
- Qatar
- US
134
Globally, what is the % of solar and wind use?
Wind: 6%
Solar: 3%
135
What countries have lithium reserves?
- Chile
- Australia
136
What is the expected world population by 2050?
10 billion. Ag lands will become more marginal
137
What is BRICS and its importance?
- Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa
- Will become major energy users
138
How many degrees will the global temperature increase?
3 degree C by 2100
139
What are the other impacts of climate change?
- Biodiversity will decrease by 10% by 2050 (sig. in Asia, Europe, and S Africa)
- Mature forests to shrink by 13%
- Water demand is to increase by 55%
- App 1.4 billion people will be without basic sanitation
- Pollution in Asia
140
According to the UN's 2022 report, what will happen if we do not mitigate climate change?
More fires, droughts, and severe storms
141
According to the UN's 2022 report, what will happen if we do not mitigate climate change?
More fires, droughts, and severe storms
