Introduction to Ecology & Climate

ecology

study of how life interacts with each other and their environment

biotic factors

parts of environment that are living

ex. plant, bacteria, animals

abiotic factors

parts of environment that are not living

ex. air, water, light

ecosystem

a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment; all the living and nonliving things in an area; everything affects each other; unique emergent beahviours

individual

one organism

population

Members of the same species that live in the same area/habitat; has to be defined

community

all the living things in the area

biosphere

contains many ecosytems

ex. Earth

wind

moving air

Sun’s impact on wind

heats up air directly at the equator - warm; indirectly heats air at the poles - coolh

wind and precipitation

1. hot, moist air rises - low pressure

2. air cools and precipitates

3. cold air sinks - high pressure

   1. repeat

convection cell

a cycle of high and low pressures that circulates air/wind

Corliolis effect

earth spins, moving air east to west; clockwise in North, counterclockwise in South

hadley cells

convection cells closest to the equator, up to 30 degree lat

ferrel cells

30 and 60 deg lat

polar cells

at the poles; 60 deg lat and up

northeast/south east trade winds

hadley cells, east to west; from poles to equator

westerlies

ferrel cells; west to east; 30 → 60 deg lat

easterlies

polar cells; east to west; pole → 60 deg lat

ocean currents

warm water moves away from equator; clockwise in North, counterclockwise in South; redistributes heat around the world

lake effect

large water bodies alter climate patterns by heating/cooling coastal landb

biomes

terrestrial regions based on the types of vegetation that grow there because of the climate regions, often in latitudinal bands

climograph / climatogram

summarizes annual average precipitation and temperature of biomese

ecotones

transition zones where biomes meet