Chapter 47: Climate and Biomes

What is the definition of climate?

the long term average weather in a particular area

what is the definition of weather?

the short term patterns of atmospheric conditions such as temperature, precipitation, and sunlight/cloud coverage

what are the four main factors that influence the weather/climate in a given area?

1. Solar Radiation

2. Air currents/wind

3. Ocean currents

4. Topography

what is solar radiation?

energy from the sun

how is the earth's surface hotter at the equator than areas of higher latitude/areas near the poles?

At the equator, solar energy strikes earth directly, resulting in high influx of energy per unit area. at high latitude, incoming solar radiation strikes the earth at and angle, distributing the same amount of energy over a larger area. (received solar density is higher at equator therefore is hotter).

What causes the seasons on Earth?

Because of the earth's 23.5 degree tilt. The northern hemisphere receives more solar energy per unit are in july than at other times of the year.

why are there no seasons in the tropics?

the equator is not affected by the earth's tilt, and receives the same amount of solar radiation year round, therefore the distance and temp remain equal.

what is the temperature cycle of air starting at the ground?

solar radiation heats up air that is close to the surface, as air becomes hotter, it rises (holdings water and moisture). As the hot air rises, it begins to cool as its elevation increases. The air cools, becomes less dense, and can no longer retain water, causing it to rain. The cool air then sinks, reaches the surface again, is warmed, sequesters water, and the cycle repeats itself.

what is the cycle of air on earth?

Air near the equator warms and rises, as it rises, it cools and eventually releases precipitation. the cold air then descends and warms around 23-30 degrees latitude, sequestering humidity, creating arid and desert like climates at these 30 degree latitudes

what causes wind?

as warm air moves upward, cool air moves in to replace it, creating wind

which direction does the earth rotate?

counterclockwise/west to east

What is the Coriolis Effect?

points move faster at the equator than at the poles

how does the coriolis effect influence wind coming from the equator?

Because the equator moves faster than points of greater latitude, wind coming from the equator moves faster than the ground and wind below it, therefore it moves ahead to the "right/east" at greater latitudes.

how does the coriolis effect influence wind coming from the poles, to the equator?

Because the poles move slower than points at the equator, wind coming from the poles lags behind the ground and wind below it, therefore it lags behind and moves to the "left/west" as it moves towards the equator

what five factors drive ocean currents?

wind, tides, earth's rotation, water density, and topography of the ocean floor

how does the degree of water mixing in lakes changes by season?

in the summer, the temp in the air is much grater than the temp at the bottom of the water. this creates a large temperature and therefore density gradient between the surface and bottom levels. therefore there is low water mixing in the summer. In the winter, there's a lower gradient therefore more equal densities, and more mixing

how do do ocean currents affect climate?

the ocean transports heat towards the poles, and cold towards the equator. This creates different climate patterns along similar latitudes.

how does topography and mountains influence climate?

as air rises over the mountain, it cools and rains. Once it descends the other side, the air warms, and sequesters water. this creates regions on one side of the mountain that receives constant rainfall, and regions on the other that receive almost zero rainfall.

what is potential evapotranspiration?

a ratio of demand and supply of water for plants, high potential evapotranspiration indicates the demand for water is high, but the supply is low.

what is the precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, temperature, and seasonal changes in solar radiation for tropical rainforest?

1. very high

2. medium-high (a lot of water supply, but the demand is massive due to all the species)

3. high

4. constant

what is the precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, temperature, and seasonal changes in solar radiation for deserts?

1. very low

2. very high (even tho there is a small demand, there is literally zero water supply)

3. fluctuates, very hot during day, very cold at night

4. low

what is the precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, temperature, and seasonal changes in solar radiation for tundra?

1. very low (everything freezes)

2. Low (even tho almost no rain, there are almost no plant species)

3. very low

4. drastic (very far from equator therefore affected by earth's tilt)

what is the precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, temperature, and seasonal changes in solar radiation for the deciduous forest?

1. middle range

2. middle range

3. cold winters, hot summers

4. present but not extreme

why is there such a large temperature fluctuation in deserts?

there is no vegetation on the surface to act as a buffer

how does biome affect animal biodiversity?

tropical regions have massive diversity of both animals and plants, the poles have few mammal species, mostly rodents, their predators, seals and whales