Unit 1: Climate Flashcards
What is the unit for the individual
survival and reproduction - the unit of natural selection
what is the unit for population
population dynamics - the unit of evolution
what is community
interactions among species
what is an ecosystem
flow of energy and cycling of matter
living things and the abiotic things they depend on
what is a landscape
interactions among ecosystems
what are the inputs and outputs for the individual?
inputs = food
outputs = energy expended; waste
what are the inputs and outputs for the population
inputs = births; immigration
outputs = deaths; emigration
what are the inputs and outputs for community
inputs = colonization by new species
outputs = extinction of species
what are the inputs and outputs for the ecosystem
inputs = solar energy and matter entering ecosystem
outputs = energy and matter leaving ecosystem
what are the inputs and outputs for the landscape
inputs = energy and matter entering from other ecosystems
outputs = energy and matter leaving to other ecosystems
what are the inputs and outputs for the biospehere
inputs = solar energy entering system
outputs = energy re-radiated to space
what is weather
short-term variation in temperature and precipitation
ex) the rain bomb
what is climate
annual patterns
what is a “rain bomb”
- wet microburst
- when a column of air hits the ground rapidly during a thunderstorm, larger amounts of rain can fall in a small area
what causes the greenhouse effect
clouds and surface structures absorb solar radiation and reflect it back
steps of greenhouse effect
- about 1/3 of incoming solar radiation - composed of visible and ultraviolet light - is reflected back into space by the atmosphere, clouds, and Earth’s surface
- the remaining solar radiation is absorbed by clouds and Earth’s surface, which becomes wamer and emits infrared radiation
- much of the emitted infrared radiation from earth if absorbed by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
- warmed greenhouse gases re-emit infared radiation. some goes out to space but most returns to earth
the energy that maintains earth’s climate is primarily [–]
solar
the sun strikes the thermal [–] directly at a [–] angle causing warm air to [–]
the sun strikes the thermal equator directly at a 90 degree angle causing warm air to rise
What is the firebox?
the fact that the sun strikes the earth’s equator at 90 degrees and that hot air rises
What creates currents of air and rain
the firebox
what are hadley cells
- circulation cells
- air uprising at equator
- air falling at north or south
what does the range of daylength with changing latitudes affect?
growing seasons and plant community structures
the farther you get away from the equator, [–] sun time
the farther you get away for the equation, longer sun time
the tilt of the earth relative to the sun determines
the intensity of sunlight and the seasons
what angle is the earth tilted at?
23.5 degress
autumnal equinox
september 22-23
winter solstice
december 21-22
vernal equinox
march 20-21
summer solstice
june 20-22
leaning away from the sun = [–]
longer angle of incidence = less intensity of sunlight
where are the greatest extremes in daylight found?
at the polar (90 degrees) latitude
hadley and ferrell cells create [–] and [–]
hadley and ferrell cells create predictable precipitation and temperature zones
hadley cells rise and fall where?
- rise form the equator (0 degrees)
- fall at ~30 degrees latitude
hadley cells
as warm air rises = [–]
it cools
its dewpoint lowers
rain falls
rainforests
hadley cells
hot air = [–]
moist = holds onto water = rain when cooled
hadley cells
cool air = [–]
falls back toward surface
absorbs moisture creating dry zones
deserts
ferrell cells rise and fall at?
rise at ~60 degrees
fall at 30 degrees
ferrell cells
humidity and temperature change are [–]
not as well delineated or extreme
polar cells circulate at?
60 degrees latitude
ITCZ
- inter-tropical convergence zone
- location shifts above and below the equaotr depending on the time of year
- areas where the winds become inconsistent
hot air rises at [–] creating a [–]
hot air rises at the equator creating a circulation cell
sun creates [–] for [–] to move [–]
the sun creates an engine for hot air to move up
as the air condenses = water [–] = [–]
as the air condenses = water falls = rain
where are the major dessert conditions found?
30 degrees north
30 degrees south
what is the coriolis effect
- causes a deflection in air movement because of the Earth’s rotation
- when something rises from the surface of the earth, it does not come back down in the same place
- deflection = west
Earth rotates to the
east
the insulating effect of large bodies of water does what?
mitigates seasonal temperature changes
it take [–] energy to move water [–] degree
it take more energy to move water up 1 degree
water has a high specific heat
why don’t the oceans freeze?
- they can absorb a lot of heat
- the salt provides a protective thermal blanket
prevailing winds are the result of
- atmospheric currents from ciruclation cells
- coriolis effect
what creates ocean currents
- wind patterns
- unequal heating
- coriolis effects
- topography
what creates rain shadows
mountain ranges perpendicular to prevailing winds
this determines species distribution within communities
rain shadows
as the winds go up and hit the mountain range what happens
the wind cools and drop the water they are carrying, so at the top/far side of the mountain the air is dry
maximum humidity and dew point vary with [–]
air temperature
