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
el nino year
no Humboldt current = increase in water temps and rain = warmer years - ~4-7 years
26
la nina year
Humboldt current = brings cooler water from poles --> equator = cooler years
27
humboldt current
drives cooler water poles --> equator
28
enzo effects
el nino/la nina cycles; from current patterns
29
milankovitch cycles
cyclical changes in earth's orbit around the sun
30
eccentricity
how E's shape orbit ≠ perfect - ellipses (not circle) - effects heat budget and distribution
31
precession
orientation of earth's axis on the solar system - solstice = most s. radiation
32
what drives glacial periods?
milankovitch cycles
33
how many major ice ages?
5
34
first glacial period
huronian
35
cryogenian ice age
most intense - "snowball earth" - earth = completely frozen
36
Phanerozoic ice ages
3 glacial periods: - andean/sahavan - Karoo - cenozoic
37
pleistocene glaciation
- ice = 1-2 miles thick - glaciers melt
38
pleistocene epoch notable event
- epic ice age ends; glaciar melt --> great lakes
39
cycle of glaciation
~40,000-100,000 year cycle of glacial and interglacial periods
40
how many peak glacial periods?
~5 in last 400,000-500,000 years
41
how do milankovitch cycles drive glacial cycles?
- inc. eccentricity = inc. distance from sun = dec. temp - inc. obliquity = dec. temp
42
precesion
amount of sun/earth tilt
43
inc. glaciation cause what feedback loop?
inc. snow/ice = inc. reflection of sun (inc. albedo) = dec. absorption of sun heat = drives continued glaciation
44
how do glacial fluctuations effect the planet in non-glaciated regions?
- dec. temp - inc. snow at lower elevation
45
why was the Sahara desert huge during glaciation?
lack of water (in glaciers not in air) = inc. drieness
46
importance of the Pleistocene glaciation
- Pleistocene = last epoch (before current) - important major glaciations - created the great lakes
47
LGM (last glacial maximum) =
Wisconsin Glaciation - 20,000 years ago - melting = Great Lakes!
48
driftless area
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
formation of the great lakes
- glacial retreat after Pleistocene - ice melts = largest freshwater body
50
the Great Lakes make up __ of all of earth's freshwater
1/5
51
the land under the Great Lakes is still recoiling/rising from...
the Pleistocene glaciations; 1-2 miles of ice
52
beringia
land bridge b/w Asia and North America exposed during sea level fall
53
bering strait
land that connects asia/North America
54
what was important about beringia/bering strait?
allowed for exchange of life b/w previously isolated continents - plant/animal migrations --> human migrations
55
epeiric sea/epicontinental sea
sea level rise/fall exposes or floods portions of continental plates
56
megafauna
very large animals (mostly mammals); previously dominated - ex: mammoths
57
megafaunal extinctions
humans and climate = mass micro-extinction of megafauna
58
we are currently in a ___ period
interglacial
59
biological evolution
changes in heritable characteristics of a population over generations
60
4 important points of biological evolution
1. heritable (descent w/ modification) 2. random genetic changes (common ancestry and mutations) 3. population level 4. over time (generations)
61
natural selection is an example of...
a mechanism for biological evolution
62
5 types of biological evolution
1. genetic drift (bottleneck and founder effects) 2. sexual selection 3. random mating 4. horizontal gene transfer 5. natural selection
63
genotypes
genetic changes: mutations
64
phenotypes
physical changes (appearance)
65
biological fitness
ability to reproduce and pass on genes to future generations - new traits that increase survival = adaptations
66
5 components of natural selection (VISTA)
V: Variation by non-random mutations I: Inheritable S: Selection (environmental pressures) T: Time A: Adaptation (@ population level)