ESS 2.4 Climate and biomes - new syllabus

climate (2.4.1)

Average atmospheric conditions over ~30 years including temperature, rainfall, humidity, and air pressure. Examples: tropical rainforest climate, temperate maritime climate, polar tundra climate

weather (2.4.1)

State of atmosphere at a specific moment or short period, including temperature, humidity, air pressure. Examples: sunny day, rainstorm, heat wave

biome (2.4.2)

Group of comparable ecosystems developed in similar climatic conditions. Examples: tropical rainforest, temperate grassland, tundra

insolation (2.4.2)

Solar radiation received by Earth's surface. Examples: high insolation at equator, reduced insolation at poles, seasonal variation at mid-latitudes

tricellular model (2.4.5)

System of three atmospheric circulation cells explaining global wind patterns and heat distribution. Examples: Hadley cell, Ferrel cell, polar cell

Hadley cell (2.4.5)

Atmospheric circulation cell near equator creating tropical rainfall patterns. Examples: rising air at equator, descending air at 30° N/S

Ferrel cell (2.4.5)

Mid-latitude atmospheric circulation cell between Hadley and polar cells. Examples: rising air at 60° N/S, descending air at 30° N/S

polar cell (2.4.5)

Atmospheric circulation cell at high latitudes creating polar climate patterns. Examples: rising air at 60° N/S, descending air at poles

global warming (2.4.7)

Long-term increase in Earth's average temperature affecting biome distribution. Examples: northward shift of biomes, altitudinal shifts in mountains

tropical climate (2.4.8)

High temperatures and rainfall near equator between Tropics. Examples: Amazon rainforest, Congo Basin, Southeast Asian islands

temperate climate (2.4.8)

Moderate temperatures with seasonal changes in mid-latitudes. Examples: Western Europe, Eastern USA, Southern Australia

polar climate (2.4.8)

Cold regions where water is frozen and average temperature below 10°C. Examples: Arctic tundra, Antarctic ice sheet, Greenland

El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) (2.4.10)

Natural climate pattern of fluctuating ocean temperatures in tropical Pacific. Examples: El Niño events, La Niña events

El Niño (2.4.10, 2.4.11)

Warming of eastern Pacific disrupting normal Walker circulation. Examples: Peru coast warming, Indonesian drought, Pacific storms

La Niña (2.4.10, 2.4.11)

Cooling of eastern Pacific intensifying normal Walker circulation. Examples: Australian floods, South American upwelling, Western Pacific warmth

Walker circulation (2.4.11)

Normal east-west atmospheric circulation across tropical Pacific Ocean. Examples: easterly trade winds, western Pacific rainfall, eastern Pacific upwelling

upwelling (2.4.11)

Rising of deep cold water to surface bringing nutrients. Examples: Peruvian coast, Galápagos Islands, equatorial Pacific

tropical cyclone (2.4.12)

Large rotating storm system with low-pressure center in tropics. Examples: Hurricane Sandy, Typhoon Haiyan, Cyclone Idai

hurricane (2.4.12, 2.4.13)

Tropical cyclone in Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans. Examples: Caribbean hurricanes, Gulf Coast storms, East Coast impacts

typhoon (2.4.12, 2.4.13)

Tropical cyclone in northwest Pacific Ocean. Examples: Philippine typhoons, Japanese storms, South China Sea systems