Module 7: Climate and Biodiversity

Midterm topic

Incoming Solar Energy, Earth’s rotation, Global patterns of air and water circulation, Gases in the atmosphere, The earth’s surface features (topography)

• The 4 factors that influence Climate

Weather

• Short range (daily) changes in precipitation, humidity, wind speed, cloud cover

Climate

• Long term pattern of atmospheric conditions over hundreds or thousands of years

Air Circulation Patterns and Ocean Currents

• They both distribute heat and precipitation unevenly over the earth, causing climatic variation

Coriolis Effect

• Rotation of the earth on its axis

TRUE

• The Oceans and the Atmosphere are strongly linked

• Prevailing winds and the Coriolis effect drive ocean currents in circular patterns

El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

• When prevailing winds in the tropical Pacific Ocean weaken and change direction, altering large scale weather patterns for one or two years over at least two-thirds of the planet

TRUE

• Greenhouse gases warm the lower atmosphere

• Solar energy flows back to earth; some is reflected back to space and some is absorbed by greenhouse gases which warm the lower atmosphere (greenhouse effect)

TRUE

• Mountains can interrupt the flow of winds and affect storms - the rain shadow effect

TRUE

• Cities can also have microclimates as they absorb heat

TRUE

• The formation of specific ecosystems (deserts, grasslands, and forests) is due to:
  - Differences in average annual precipitation and temperature
  - Air circulation patterns and ocean currents

• Climate and vegetation vary both in latitude and elevation

Tropical. Temperate, Cold deserts

• The 3 major types of deserts

• Desert ecosystems are fragile because they have low rainfall and slow plant growth

Tropic, Temperate, Cold grasslands

• 3 major types of grasslands

Tropical (near equator), Temperate (deciduous and coastal coniferous forests), and Cold (northern coniferous forests in the higher latitudes)

• 3 major types of forests

TRUE

• Much of the world’s population depends on mountains for fresh water

• Mountains can be islands of biodiversity that are surrounded by areas of less diversity
  - They often have endemic species found nowhere else on earth

TRUE

• About 60% of terrestrial ecosystems are degraded or used unsustainably

• Humans have disturbed much of earth’s land

Oceans, estuaries, coastal wetlands, coral reefs

• These are marine life zones

Lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands

• These are freshwater life zones

TRUE

• Water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and the availability of food, light, and nutrients determine the abundance and location (water depth) marine organisms

Euphotic Zone

• Zone in the ocean that is brightly lit with photoplankton that carry out photosynthesis, large fish

Bathyal Zone

• Zone in the ocean that is dimly lit, no photosynthesis, producers, smaller animals

Abyssal Zone

• Zone in the ocean where it is very dark and very cold

Oligotrophic lakes

• These are lakes that are typically deep and steep sided with small nutrient suppy

Eutrophic lakes

• These are lakes that are typically shallow and murky with a large supply of nutrients

Cultural Eutrophication

• Process that adds human generated pollution and agricultural runoff (Excess nutrients and sediments) to these water systems

TRUE

• Streams that flow downhill shape the land by erosion
  - Cutting valleys, creating sand, gravel, and soil

Deltas

• These form at the mouth of the river from sediment the river has carried from upstream, from which wetlands form