Video Notes: Climate and Evolution Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the video notes.

Climate

The average weather that occurs in a given area over a long period of time.

Weather

The short-term atmospheric conditions in a local area, including temperature, humidity, clouds, precipitation, and wind speed.

Albedo

The percentage of incoming sunlight reflected from a surface.

Saturation point

The maximum amount of water vapor the air can hold at a given temperature.

Adiabatic cooling

Cooling of rising air due to expansion as air pressure decreases with altitude.

Adiabatic heating

Heating of sinking air due to compression as air pressure increases near the surface.

Latent heat release

Energy released when water vapor condenses into liquid water.

Coriolis effect

Deflection of moving objects (air, water) due to Earth's rotation.

Rain shadow

A dry region on the leeward side of a mountain caused by rain falling on the windward side.

Gyre

A large-scale circular ocean current pattern; clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

Upwelling

Upward movement of deeper, nutrient-rich water toward the surface due to diverging currents.

Thermohaline circulation

Global ocean circulation driven by density differences from temperature and salinity, mixing surface and deep water.

Oligotrophic

Describes a lake that is relatively low in plant nutrients and high in dissolved oxygen, especially in deeper parts.

Coral bleaching

Algae living in corals die or leave, causing corals to turn white.

Photic zone

The upper layer of ocean water that receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis.

Aphotic zone

The deeper layer of ocean water that lacks sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis.

Species evenness

The relative abundance of individuals among the different species in a given area.

Species richness

The number of species present in a given area.

Phylogeny

The branching pattern of evolutionary relationships among species.

Evolution

A change in the genetic composition of a population over time.

Mutation

A random change in the genetic code caused by copying errors.

Evolution by artificial selection

Humans determine which individuals reproduce to emphasize desired traits.

Evolution by natural selection

The environment determines which individuals survive and reproduce.

Fitness

An individual's ability to survive and reproduce.

Adaptation

A heritable trait that improves an individual's fitness in a given environment.

Extinction

The death of the last member of a species.

Geographic isolation

Physical separation of a population from others of the same species.

Reproductive isolation

Barriers that evolve between populations, preventing interbreeding and producing viable offspring.

Genetically modified organism (GMO)

An organism produced by inserting genes from a desirable trait from one species into another.

Mass extinction

A large extinction of species occurring in a relatively short period of time.