Climate Classification, Biogeography, and Ecological Communities

These flashcards cover vocabulary and key concepts related to climate classification, biogeography, and ecological communities as discussed in the lecture.

Köppen Climate Classification

A system used to classify the world's climates based on long-term temperature and precipitation patterns.

Biogeography

The study of where plants and animals live and the reasons for those distribution patterns.

Buffon’s Law

States that regions with similar climates can have different plants and animals because species evolve independently.

Biotic Factors

Living influences on species distribution, such as competition and predation.

Abiotic Factors

Nonliving environmental conditions affecting species, including climate and soil type.

Climate Classification

The organization of climates into categories to understand ecosystem patterns.

Biome

A large ecological region characterized by its climate, plant life, and animal communities.

Tropical Climates

Climates near the equator, characterized by consistently warm temperatures and high precipitation.

Desert Climates

Extremely dry climates due to high-pressure systems; characterized by moisture deficit.

Mild Latitude Climates

Climates with moderate temperatures and variable rainfall patterns.

High-Latitude Climates

Climates with large temperature differences between summer and winter, primarily in the Northern Hemisphere.

Polar Climates

The coldest climates with very little vegetation, mostly occurring in high latitudes.

Ecosystem

The interaction between living organisms and their nonliving environment.

Photosynthesis

The process by which organisms use sunlight to produce energy-rich sugars.

Primary Producers

Organisms that create their own energy, forming the base of the food web.

Trophic Levels

The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, defined by how energy is acquired.

Biomagnification

The increase in concentration of toxins in organisms higher up the food chain.

Ecological Succession

The process by which ecosystems change and develop over time, through primary and secondary succession.

Climax Community

The final, stable community achieved after ecological succession.

Carbon Cycle

The movement of carbon through the atmosphere, biosphere, oceans, and geosphere.

Nitrogen Fixation

The conversion of nitrogen gas into ammonia, a usable form for organisms.

Denitrification

The conversion of nitrate back into atmospheric nitrogen, occurring in anaerobic conditions.