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biodiversity & biogeographhy > pleistocene glaciation > Flashcards

pleistocene glaciation Flashcards

1
Q

what determines terrestrial biomes

A

temperature and precipitation

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2
Q

patterns of biome distribution are along what gradient?

A

latitude

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3
Q

what determines aquatic biomes

A

water temp, salinity, depth (light and pressure)

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4
Q

spatial autocorrelation

A

“distance decay”
- distance increases = increase difference b/w environments

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5
Q

geographic gradients

A

patterns of variation
- elevation, temperature, latitude/longitude

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6
Q

geographic template

A

nonrandom patterns of spatial variation
- determines geographic patterns of populations, species, communities

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7
Q

ecosystem engineers

A

species that can modify their geographic template

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8
Q

solar radiation and latitude

A
  • warms temp
  • converted to chemical energy
  • varies by location
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9
Q

3 mechanisms of heat transfer (higher to lower temp)

A

conduction, convection, radiation

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10
Q

conduction

A

direct heat transfer (solids)

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11
Q

convection

A

heat transfer through gas or liquid

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12
Q

radiation

A

waves pass through space
- sun –> earth
- heats matter depending on type

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13
Q

radiation is a function of ?

A

latitude

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14
Q

elevation

A
  • cooling and decreased air as inc.
  • decreased density of air above = cooler (less molecules) and thinning air
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15
Q

adiabatic cooling

A

expanding gases lose heat as molecules move apart

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16
Q

greenhouse effect

A

H2O vapor and CO2 absorb radiant heat
- inc. radiation = inc. reflection = dec. absorption

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17
Q

which side of continents is cooler?

A

wind-ward side (bc of rain shadow effect)

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18
Q

wind patterns at the equator

A

air heated –> expands –> less dense = rises –> reduced pressure = SURFACE WINDS

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19
Q

Coriolis effect

A

winds blow E –> W = slower bc they go against earth’s W –> E rotation

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20
Q

3 wind belts

A

polar easterlies, prevailing westerlies, tropical easterlies

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21
Q

westerlies

A

winds blowing toward poles deflected east
- important for trade (boat) routes

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22
Q

what drives major ocean currents?

A

surface winds and Coriolis effect

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23
Q

Mediterranean climate

A

dry/hot summers, mild/rainy winters

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24
Q

rain shadow effect

A

causes warm/dry climates on leeward side of temperate mountains

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25
Q

el nino year

A

no Humboldt current = increase in water temps and rain = warmer years
- ~4-7 years

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26
Q

la nina year

A

Humboldt current = brings cooler water from poles –> equator = cooler years

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27
Q

humboldt current

A

drives cooler water poles –> equator

28
Q

enzo effects

A

el nino/la nina cycles; from current patterns

29
Q

milankovitch cycles

A

cyclical changes in earth’s orbit around the sun

30
Q

eccentricity

A

how E’s shape orbit ≠ perfect
- ellipses (not circle)
- effects heat budget and distribution

31
Q

precession

A

orientation of earth’s axis on the solar system
- solstice = most s. radiation

32
Q

what drives glacial periods?

A

milankovitch cycles

33
Q

how many major ice ages?

A

5

34
Q

first glacial period

A

huronian

35
Q

cryogenian ice age

A

most intense
- “snowball earth”
- earth = completely frozen

36
Q

Phanerozoic ice ages

A

3 glacial periods:
- andean/sahavan
- Karoo
- cenozoic

37
Q

pleistocene glaciation

A
  • ice = 1-2 miles thick
  • glaciers melt
38
Q

pleistocene epoch notable event

A
  • epic ice age ends; glaciar melt –> great lakes
39
Q

cycle of glaciation

A

~40,000-100,000 year cycle of glacial and interglacial periods

40
Q

how many peak glacial periods?

A

~5 in last 400,000-500,000 years

41
Q

how do milankovitch cycles drive glacial cycles?

A
  • inc. eccentricity = inc. distance from sun = dec. temp
  • inc. obliquity = dec. temp
42
Q

precesion

A

amount of sun/earth tilt

43
Q

inc. glaciation cause what feedback loop?

A

inc. snow/ice = inc. reflection of sun (inc. albedo) = dec. absorption of sun heat = drives continued glaciation

44
Q

how do glacial fluctuations effect the planet in non-glaciated regions?

A
  • dec. temp
  • inc. snow at lower elevation
45
Q

why was the Sahara desert huge during glaciation?

A

lack of water (in glaciers not in air) = inc. drieness

46
Q

importance of the Pleistocene glaciation

A
  • Pleistocene = last epoch (before current)
  • important major glaciations
  • created the great lakes
47
Q

LGM (last glacial maximum) =

A

Wisconsin Glaciation
- 20,000 years ago
- melting = Great Lakes!

48
Q

driftless area

A

small portion of Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois w/o any historic glaciers
- glaciers always surround area (in each 5 glaciation periods)
- created rock formations and deep river valleys

49
Q

formation of the great lakes

A
  • glacial retreat after Pleistocene
  • ice melts = largest freshwater body
50
Q

the Great Lakes make up __ of all of earth’s freshwater

A

1/5

51
Q

the land under the Great Lakes is still recoiling/rising from…

A

the Pleistocene glaciations; 1-2 miles of ice

52
Q

beringia

A

land bridge b/w Asia and North America exposed during sea level fall

53
Q

bering strait

A

land that connects asia/North America

54
Q

what was important about beringia/bering strait?

A

allowed for exchange of life b/w previously isolated continents
- plant/animal migrations –> human migrations

55
Q

epeiric sea/epicontinental sea

A

sea level rise/fall exposes or floods portions of continental plates

56
Q

megafauna

A

very large animals (mostly mammals); previously dominated
- ex: mammoths

57
Q

megafaunal extinctions

A

humans and climate = mass micro-extinction of megafauna

58
Q

we are currently in a ___ period

A

interglacial

59
Q

biological evolution

A

changes in heritable characteristics of a population over generations

60
Q

4 important points of biological evolution

A
  1. heritable (descent w/ modification)
  2. random genetic changes (common ancestry and mutations)
  3. population level
  4. over time (generations)
61
Q

natural selection is an example of…

A

a mechanism for biological evolution

62
Q

5 types of biological evolution

A
  1. genetic drift (bottleneck and founder effects)
  2. sexual selection
  3. random mating
  4. horizontal gene transfer
  5. natural selection
63
Q

genotypes

A

genetic changes: mutations

64
Q

phenotypes

A

physical changes (appearance)

65
Q

biological fitness

A

ability to reproduce and pass on genes to future generations
- new traits that increase survival = adaptations

66
Q

5 components of natural selection (VISTA)

A

V: Variation by non-random mutations
I: Inheritable
S: Selection (environmental pressures)
T: Time
A: Adaptation (@ population level)

biodiversity & biogeographhy (12 decks)

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