Short-term properties of the troposphere at a given place and time
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Climate
the average long-term weather of an area
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Important factors in climate
average temperature and average precipitation of an area
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1st factor of a climate factor
uneven heating of the earth’s surface (air is heated at the equator and cooled at the poles)
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2nd factor of a climate factor
seasonal changes (the earth’s axis is tilted to create opposite seasons in the northern and southern hemispheres
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3rd factor of a climate factor
Coriolis effect (deflection of winds to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere due to the rotation of the earth)
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4th factor of a climate factor
long-term variations in the amount of solar energy striking the earth (due to orbital changes)
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5th factor of a climate factor
properties of air and water (evaporation of heated water creates low pressure systems at the surface)
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Greenhouse effect
natural trapping of heat in the troposphere
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greenhouse gasses
allow light, infrared radiation and some ultraviolet radiation fro the sun to pass through the troposphere. The Earth’s surface absorbs this energy and radiates it back out as heat. The heat is then absorbed by the ______ or radiated back toward earth, heating the atmosphere.
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composition of greenhouse gasses
water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons
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El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
a periodic climate change that can trigger extreme weather changes over two-thirds of the globe. The prevailing westerly winds weaken or cease in the Pacific Ocean which makes the surface water warmer along the North and South American coasts.
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Biomes
terrestrial regions with characteristic types of natural, undisturbed ecological communities adapted to the climate of the region
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desert
a biome where evaporation exceeds precipitation; precipitation is typically less than 25 cm per year
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desert coverage
30% of the earth’s surface, mainly between 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south lattitude
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Desert Plant Adaptations
include small or no leaves, wax-coated leave, tap roots, and spines
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Desert Animal Adaptations
include nocturnal lifestyle, thick outer coverings, and dry/concentrated waste
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Desert Habitat Destruction
particularly harmful because of slow plant growth, low species diversity, slow nutrient cycling and water shortage
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Salinization
buildup of salt in soil due to evaporation of water for irrigation
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Aquifer depletion
causes some deserts to subside (sink)
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Desert extraction of natural resources
oil, iron ore, copper, gold, silver, diamonds, and sand
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Grassland
Biome with enough average precipitation to allow grass to prosper, but with precipitation so erratic that drought and fire prevent large stands of tree from growing
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Human impact of mining
drilling for oil, natural gas and other natural resources
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Human impact of grazing
of domesticated animals on grasslands support 50 million people, mostly in Africa and Asia
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Human impact of conversion of grassland
into cropland due to fertile soils
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Tropical Grassland
found in areas with high average temperature, low to moderate precipitation, and prolonged dry season
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savannas
tropical and subtropical grasslands that are warm all year with alternating wet and dry seasons
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temperate grasslands
have large temperature differences from season to season and little rain that is unevenly distributed through the year
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types of temperate grasslands
tall-grass prairies, short-grass prairies, pampas, veldt, and steppes
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polar grasslands/arctic tundra/alpine tundra
very cold with the small amount of precipitation falling as snow
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permafrost
perennially frozen layer of the soil
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chaparral (temperate shrubland)
occurs along coastal areas where the winters are mild and moderately rainy and summers are long, hot, and dry
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dominators of chaparral
dense growth of spiny evergreen shrubs
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three main types of forests
tropical, temperate, and boreal
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tropical rainforests
broadleaf evergreen forests with a warm annual mean temperature, high humidity, and heavy rainfall almost daily
have a dry and cold climate with long winters and short summers
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logging of forests
dramatically decreases biodiversity of these areas (particularly tropical rain forests)
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clear-cutting of forests
for use as cropland or grazing areas (particularly temperate deciduous forests)
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hunting
of large predators
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mining
of boreal forests for peat, iron ore, diamonds and other mineral
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destruction
by air pollution and acid deposition
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mountain regions
make up about 20% of the earth’s land surface and are important because of their dramatic changes in altitude, climate, soil and vegetation within short distances
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mountains contain
majority of the world’s forests
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100-meter gain in elevation
is equivalent to 100-meter kilometer change in latitude
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extraction of
timber and mineral resources
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growing number of
hydroelectric dams and reservoirs altering local ecosystems
Studied by 2 people
