Ocean currents Flashcards
Earth’s rotation
the positions of landmasses and the shapes of ocean basisn influences their movement
water expands as it warms, sea level is 8cm higher the equator than at the poles.
surface water moves in response to gravity.
Trade winds and temperature westerlies
contribute to mass flow of wate ra the ocean surface
Surface water flows in the direction of prevailing winds forming major currents.
Biomes of the world
Tundra
Tropical rainforests
Deserts
savannah
Temperate grasslands
Temperate deciduous forests
Taiga-Evergreen Coniferous forests
Climograph
NAyure biomes divided into different areas according to temperature and rainfall.
Tropical forests
Grow where annual rainfall exceeds 250cm HIgh humidity 80%
Tropical deciduous forests;
Where winter droughts reduce photosynthesis and trees drop leaves
Tropical montane forests:
Cloud forests
At high altitudes in the tropics
Limited productivity due to low temps, high humidity, and sunlight-blocking clouds.
What are the different types of tropical forests and where can they be found?
Africa = Drier rainforests, monkies and mamals
Asia - Immagants, trees grow out of water, no epiphytes , flying species found here.
CLoud forest - Asia, evergreen dominating epiphytes above 2500m
Southern Neotropic - South of Mexico Aminals fill similar niches.
Tropical deciduous forests -
Savannah
Grasslands with few trees
Area adjacent to tropical deciduous forests
Grasses grow in rainy season and die during dry season.
Sustain large herbivorous animals (elephants, giraffes) and their predators (lions)
Seasonal rainfall 50-200cm
Dus generated by savannas is deposited in rainforests which increase the humidity.
Deserts
Less than 25cm rain per year Infrequent rainfall, heavy, brief - run-off erodes top soil
Hot deserts close to 30 latitude
Cool deserts form in rain shadows at high altitudes on W coasts with cool currents
Topsoil is high in minerals and low in organic matter
Sparse vegetation water-conserving adaptions
Tress with long taproots, short-lived annuals
Abundant small animals, many live in burrows and are nocturnal.
Mediterranean
Scrubby mix of short trees and low shrubs, tough evergreen leaves
Dominates narrow sections of coastal land
Cool and wet winters; Hot and dry summers
Plants are dormant during hot , dry summers
Fire adaptions
Some species release seeds from fire-resistant cones or pods
Temperate grasslands
CArbon sinks
Prairies of North America, steppes of central Asia, and the pampas of South America, and the veldt of South Africa
Cold and snowy winters; warm and dry summers
Temperate deciduous forests
Low to mid altitudes with warm summers, cold winters, and annual precipitation of 75-250cm
Plants shed leaves in winter and grow new ones in spring
Trees form a canopy over shrubs, plants mosses and liverworts
Farmers, insects, and introduced diseases have nearly eliminated some dominant species.
Large mammal populations have declined, and small animals predominate.
Taiga-Evergreen coniferous forests
Boreal forests - circumpolar expanse of evergreen coniferous trees in Europe, Asia, and North America
Extreme cold winter, rainy summers
White spruce and balsam fir dominate - fallen needles form acidic soil through leaching.
Peat mosses, shrubs, and stunted trees dominate acidic bogs = muskegs.
Native animals are large herbivores, birds, mammals, migratory species like fix and polar bears
Fires every 70-100 years
Tundra
Arctic tundra stretch from boreal forests to polar ice caps in Europe, Asia, and North America.
Top most soil layer thaws
Permafrost is impermeable and permanently waterlogged, which forms bogs.
Anaerobic conditions and low temps slows down decomposition
Plants are lichens, mosses, grasses, herbs, dwarf shrubs, and stunted trees.
Small mammals and birds are permanent residents; larger birds and mammals are migratory. Temps lower than -40, trees cannot grow.
Alpin tundra
High mountain tops
Plants form mats that withstand strong wind
Winer temps are below freezing, snow patches persist in summer
Thin soil, fast draining and nutrient-poor
Photosynthetic activity is low.
