global temp is influenced by
solar radiation, greenhouse gases, ocean currents, topography
keeling curve
graph that shows the ongoing changes in the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere
keeling curve drivers (cause CO2 increases)
aerosols, ozone, solar, volcanoes
positive feedback mechanism
climate feedback in which some initial change in the climate causes a secondary change that amplifies the initial change (example: ice-albedo feedback)
ice-albedo feedback
melting of ice corresponds with decrease in albedo (sun melts ice, reveals low albedo ground that absorbs more heat)
albedo effect
ability of surfaces to reflect sunlight (low albedo, darker surfaces absorb heat and high albedo, lighter surfaces reflect heat)
NPP
net primary productivity, amount in carbon retained in an ecosystem (amount of plant material left over for consumption by detrivores and herbivores)
GPP
gross primary production, total amount fo carbon produced by photosynthesis of plants
sea level rise primary contributors
melting ice/glaciers, thermal expansion (heating of water)
food chain length limited by
energy transfer proficiency, nutrient content of levels below, base NPP in web
hockey stick graph
represents mean global temp, which has spiked (resulting in linear growth followed by sudden, rapid growth)
hockey stick graph driver
greenhouse gases (least affected by aerosols)
primary production
chemical energy generated by autotrophs during photosynthesis
GPP controlled by
climate, leaf area index
NEE
net ecosystem exchange, total amount of energy fixed by autotrophs, results in increase in living plant matter minus heterotrophic respiration
biome distribution
varies with climate
NPP varies with
biome distribution, plant size and age
NPP limited by
nitrogen levels
NPP consumption
more consumed in aquatic systems than terrestrial
trophic dynamics
determines how energy and nutrients move through an ecosystem, by determining what an organism eats and what eats them
energy consumption in the trophic pyramid
about 90% of energy consumed at one trophic level is lost as heat in the transfer to the next level (2nd rule thermodynamics)
terrestrial trophic pyramid
energy and biomass pyramids similar as they are closely related
marine trophic pyramid
biomass pyramid inverted from energy pyramid, as lifespan increases going up trophic levels
trophic efficiency components
consumption efficiency, assimilation efficiency, production efficiency (NPP n / NPP n-1)
assimilation efficiency
proportion of digested food assimilated
productive efficiency
proportion of assimilated food that goes into new consumer biomass
consumption efficiency
proportion of available energy ingested
bioaccumulation
when chemical aren't metabolized or excreted and become more concentrated in tissues over a lifetime
biomagnification
concentration increases in animals at higher trophic levels, as they consume prey with higher concentrations
nitrogen sources
plants, atmospheric inputs (fixation, deposition)
nitrogen cycle
plants absorb soluble N, heterotrophs consume plants and obtain N, decomposition releases N
mechanical weathering
physical breakdown through physical disturbance, freezing/thawing, plant roots
chemical weathering
chemical reactions release soluble forms of mineral elements
nitrogen resorption
breakdown of chlorophyll and re/uptake of N (in leaves, greater change in leaf colors [yellow], greater N resorption)
greenhouse effect
gases trapping heat in the atmosphere (CO2, NO, CH4, fluorinated gases)
how greenhouse gases control temperature
absorb and re-emit infrared radiation in all directions
Moore's law
computing power tends to double every 2 years
grain
size of smallest homogenous unit of study (ex. a pixel in a digital image); determines resolution
extent
boundary of the area or time period encompasses by the study (spatial or temporal)
ecosystem processing scale
shrub cover change - 3m pixels forest expansion - 10m pixels agricultural productivity - 250m pixels sea surface temperature - 1,000m pixels
(NOT AREA)
rain shadow effect
inward slope facing prevailing winds has high precipation and lush vegetation, while the leeward slopes suffers
topography effect on climate
when air masses meet mountains, they are forced up, cooling and releasing precipitation
uplift
air molecules expand and become less dense when warmers (rise), air molecules contract and become more dense when cold (falls)
(HOT AIR BALLOON)
energy balance patterns
as solar energy leaves sun, some is absorbed and some is reflected
upwelling
when deep ocean nutrients rise to surface
thermohaline circulation
circulation driven by temperature and salt
ocean currents affect
regional climate
subsidence
prevailing winds approaching dip in earths surface create high pressure zone (creates arid biome)
climate determinants
solar radiation intensity and distribution
high vs low pressure zones and precipitation
high pressure= low precipitation low pressure= high precipitation
ecological question requirements:
location, time, situation, possible solution
why is the earth warmer at the equator?
due to the curvature of earth, sun rays are most direct at the equator
nitrogen fixation
process of converting N2 to biologically useful form
how atmospheric circulation cells influence global precipitation patterns
as air is heated and cooled, it allows for a higher or lower water holding capacity. when warm air rises in the atmosphere, the temperature drops and releases moisture as precipitation. as cool, dry air falls to the surface, high pressure zones are created that give rise to arid biomes.