Inputs, Flows and Outputs in The River Basin Hydrological cycle Flashcards
What are the three main triggers for rainfall to develop?
Uplift, cooling and condensation
What are the 6 factors influencing variation in rainfall as an input to the river basin hydrological cycle?
Amount of precipitation, type of precipitation, seasonality, intensity of precipitation, variability and distribution of precipitation
What are the 3 ways in which rainfall can vary?
Secular variability [long term - climate change], periodic variability [annual, seasonal, monthly, diurnal] and stochastic variability [random factors - e.g. thunderstorms]
What are the differences in % interception loss in a deciduous woodland between winter and summer?
40% interception loss in summer and under 20% interception loss in winter
Why is percolation considered to be the continuation of the infiltration process?
This is because it involves the downward movement of water in deep transfer of water into permeable rocks
How does water flow through permeable rock?
The water moves through joints in pervious rock such as limestone and pores in permeable rocks such as chalk and sandstone.
What are some of the factors influencing rates of evaporation from river drainage basins? [Go for 9!]
Temperature, hours of sunshine, humidity, wind speed, size of water body, depth of water, type of vegetation cover and colour of the water surface
What are the average hourly rates of infiltration into sandy soils?
3-12 mm per hour
What kind of average hourly rates of infiltration do forests allow?
Around 50 mm per hour
What is the range of average hourly infiltration rates for permanent pasture?
Between 12-23 mm per hour
How much average annual rainfall can coniferous forests intercept?
25 -35% of average annual rainfall
What are percolines?
They are lines of concentrated water flow between soil horizons to the river channel
