Lecture 14 Flashcards
T/F species have a range of tolerance along environmental gradients
true
they can only tolerant so much temp, pH, salinity
they only perform best at a certain tolerance
what are lethal zones
the extremes of the environmental gradients
- species cant survive, performance = 0
what are the optimal conditions
species have the best suitable conditions for growth, reproduction - reproduction = more strict
performance = the best
what is an ecological niche
all of the environmental factors that determine where it can live
what climate it prefers, what it eats
what is the Hutchinsonian niche
the optimal values of 2 different environmental gradients = in the middle
EX: scarlet Macaw - parrot - graph shows precipitation and average temps –> shows that they are the most optimal in warm wetlands
what is the temperature a function of
latitude (up and down)
- high latitude = colder - seasonality shows different temperatures - summer to winter function)
- smaller latitude = warmer - seasonality is function of rainfall - dry to wet seasons
what is rainfall dependent on
atmospheric circulation, ocean currents and rain shadows
- these factors determine biomes
T/F is light shines on the earth in a higher angle (close to 90) it will cover a greater area
false
high angle = heat spreading at a smaller area
lower angle = heat spreading at a higher area
- at the equator the sun = closest to perpendicular (90 degrees) this is why it has the strongest and hottest heat
explain Hadley cells and what they create
they make regions near the equator rain
moves in cycles 30 degrees to the North and back towards the equator - again
- they are placed at +/-30* latitude on both the top and bottom hemispheres
- as the heat rises from the sun and moves further from Earth, it cools down (low pressure) and condenses into vapour –> causing rain near the equator, the rest of the cool air = dries and moves towards the +/-30* latitude (away from the equator) and when it falls back down = very dry and high pressured- this makes very dry deserts in these areas
explain Ferrell cells
**creates temperature climate zones
- the movement is driven by the Hadley and Polar cells - not by the direct solar heating
1. the dry air from the Hadley cells that are sinking between +/-30 and 60 latitudes = high-pressure zones - they become warm
2. this warm air rises towards the +/-60* latitudes (towards the poles)
3. the air cools as it rises but also comes in contact with the very cool air coming from the poles = the polar front where they interact
4. when the relatively warm and cold air interact, the warm is forced to rise above the cold bc warm has a lower density (lighter, floats) - the warm rises to 60 lat
5. this causes low-pressure zones, very cloudy and precipitation
6. as the warm air moves above the cold polar air at 60 lat, it cools down as it cycles back and sinks towards the equator (30 lat)
7. sinks and causes a high pressure zone and cycle is complete
what do high pressure and low pressure mean in terms of the weather
high pressure = air sinking = deserts
lower pressure = air rising = rain, wet climates
warm = less dense = floats better than cold
cold = more dense and heavy = sinks easier
explain polar cells
- poles = very cold air (90 lat), minimal sunlight, cold temps - this cold air from the lack of sun sinks towards the surface of the poles = high-pressure zones = dry cold climate
- this very cold, heavy air moves towards the equator - it may slightly become room temperature as it is is close to the warm ground temps - it moves southward until 60* lat
- The room-temperature air comes into contact with the ferrel warm air - ferrel air rises - less dense, cooler air is below. this interaction at the polar front = low pressure zone = cloudy and rain
- a mixture of this air is sent back into the Ferrel cell and back to the polar cell - towards the poles to become very cold
what is the intertropical convergence zone
a narrow belt near the equator where the trade winds that move from east to west come in contact with the winds from the northern and southern hemisphere
- The belt shifts to the Northern Hemisphere during summer and the Southern Hemisphere in winter.
- the winds coming from the northeast (NH) and the southeast (SH) meet at the ITCZ - it carries warm moist air from the oceans
- this ocean air and regular surface air that is being heated up from the equator = warm and less dense = rise - as rise = cold = heavy clouds = lots of rainfall = tropical rainforests
why it the ITCZ important
major role in the global weather patterns + water cycle
- controls the rainfall near the equator - rainforests and keeps the monsoon seasons in the Asian, African and American regions (summer –> winter)
- when the ITCZ is further from the equator - monsoon
- when it is closer to the equator = rainfall
what is the Coriolis effect
the rotation of the earth and how it deflects winds in different directions
- moving away from equator = deflected E ward
- moving towards equator = deflected W ward
westerlies wind
in the NH and SH (40* lat)
- the wind moving away from the equator is actually pushed to the east (right)
the 40* lat in the SH = lots of ocean = roaring 40s - strong winds)
easterlies winds
in the NH and SH = 60* lats
- movement of air in the poles
- moves to the west
* east winds move west
what are doldrums
low wind areas near the equator
where does vegetation grow in terms of climate
grows with the increase in moisture and temperature
- regions with certain combos of moisture and temperature develop certain types of vegetation
- seasonality is important
what are biomes
rainforests
deserts
grasslands
tundras
T/F plants grow better in wet and dry climates
false
wet and warm
what are maritime climates
a type of climate that is found near the oceans
- moderate temp
what is continental climates
climates are extreme
- regions away from oceans
what does oceans having thermal inertia mean
oceans heat up and cool down more slowly than land. This is because water has a high heat capacity
- water = absorb and store large amounts of heat = inertia
what is orographic precipitation
warm moist air rising up mountain side = condensing vapor cloud = precipitation
on other side = rain shadow = dry cool air moving down and warming up as it sinks
what is a rain shadow
created from the shadow of a mountain = cool air sinks = warm air as it sinks
T/F the latitudinal patterns are complicated by distribution of landmasses thus temperatures vary more when they are away from oceans
true
- landmasses = less oceans = NH = temps vary more
where do the driest deserts occur
where large bodies of water push air inward to the landmasses - on the edges of the continents near oceans
what are other factor that animals are limited by
mostly climate and vegetation but sometimes ecological versatility (wide range of climate adaptions), limited dispersal, limited by other organisms
what is ecological niche modelling
also called species distribution modelling
- uses the data from where a species presently lives and predicts where it can live
- useful to know how species will react when faced with challenging environments
what direction are species moving as a result of climate change
towards the poles
equator = too hot