lecture 20 Flashcards
what is the scale of ecological organization from smallest to biggest
organisms, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere
what drives global climate?
sunlight, movement of plants, atmospheric and ocean circulation
solar energy at high latitudes
south/north pole gets less solar energy
solar energy at equator
gets the most solar energy
why do the polars get less solar energy
- they get shallow angles 2. sunlight is spread over a larger surface area & must pass though more atmosphere
seasonality is a consequence of
tilt and movement
where is sun at spring equinox
equator
where is sun at summer solstice
T of cancer
where is sun at fall equinox
equator
where is sun at winter solstice
T of capricorn
sunlight is more intense at tropical latitudes causing what
air to rise and cool
as air rises and cools what happens
it loses moisture so it rains a lot
air moving upward at the equator creates
inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ)
dry cold air is dense and begins to fall which causes
deserts to occur at these 30 zones because descending dry air absorbs moisture (causes hadley cells)
hadley cell
a large-scale atmospheric convection cell in which air rises at the equator and sinks at medium latitudes, typically about 30° north or south.
cell at 60 N/S degrees are called
polar cells
cells between 30 and 60 are called
ferrel cells
cells between 30 and the equator are called
hadley cells
trade winds between 60 N and up moves
down left
trade winds between 30 N and 60 N moves
up right
trade winds between 0 and 30 N moves
down left
trade winds between 0 and 30 S moves
up left
trade winds between 30 S and 60 S moves
down right
trade winds between 60 S and up moves
up left
