23: Climate and the Distribution of Communities Flashcards
Module 4, Lesson 5 (133 cards)
1
Q
List three things that affect how much energy from the sun reaches a given area of Earth’s surface.
A
- Earth’s atmosphere
- Earth’s curvature
- Earth’s tilt
2
Q
The Earth’s atmosphere reflects or absorbs about ____ of the sun’s energy.
A
Half
3
Q
Solar energy that reaches the Earth’s surface is absorbed and radiated as…
A
Heat
(infrared radiation)
4
Q
Heat is trapped in the lower atmosphere by…
A
Atmospheric gases
5
Q
By trapping heat in the atmosphere, atmospheric gases warm the earth via the…
A
Greenhouse effect
6
Q
Earth’s ____ results in energy from the sun striking the surface at different angles of incidence.
A
Curvature
7
Q
Solar rays striking higher latitudes are spread over a ____ area compared to rays striking the equator.
A
Larger
8
Q
The equator is warmer than higher latitudes because…
A
It is being struck by more solar rays per unit area
9
Q
Solar rays strike the equator at about a ____ angle.
A
Perpendicular
(90 degree)
10
Q
The combination of Earth’s tilt on its axis and its rotation around the sun produces…
A
Seasons
11
Q
Seasonal changes are more pronounced at…
A
Higher latitudes
12
Q
A hemisphere experiences summer when it is…
A
Tilted towards the sun
13
Q
During summer, a hemisphere receives more solar energy, resulting in…
A
Longer days and warmer weather
14
Q
A hemisphere experiences winter when it is…
A
Tilted away from the sun
15
Q
During winter, a hemisphere receives less solar energy, resulting in…
A
Shorter days and cooler weather
16
Q
The ____ has the highest mean annual temperature and the least variation in temperature.
A
Equator
17
Q
As latitude increases, mean annual temperature…
A
Decreases
18
Q
At higher latitudes, the variation in temperature is…
A
Greater
19
Q
True or false:
The southern hemisphere experiences greater variation in temperature than the northern hemisphere.
A
False
i think its cuz theres more oceans there or smth
20
Q
The uneven heating of the surface results in…
A
Global air circulation patterns
21
Q
List the three concepts critical to understanding global air circulation patterns.
A
- Hot air rises
- Air cools as it rises
- Warm air holds more moisture than cold air
22
Q
What happens in the circulation cells near the equator?
(three)
A
- Warm, moist air rises to high in the atmosphere
- As the air rises, it cools and the moisture condenses
- The high levels of condensed moisture lead to high precipitation
23
Q
Air from the equator spreads north and south before descending back to the surface at about…
A
30 degrees latitude
24
Q
Areas at about 30 degrees latitude experience less precipitation because…
A
The air has lost most of its moisture
25
Many deserts are located at 30 degrees latitude because...
| (two reasons)
1. The air is very dry
2. Because the air is dry, it has great potential to evaporate moisture from the surface
26
At 30 degrees latitude, the air mass may either...
Circulate back to the equator or to higher latitudes
27
At about 60 degrees N/S, air rises again, creating another...
Precipitation zone
28
# True or false:
The air rising at 60 degrees latitude has less moisture than air at the equator.
True
29
At 60 degrees latitude, air masses may either...
Move north to the poles or south to 30 degrees latitude
30
Air that travels north to the poles sinks back to the surface at around...
90 degrees N/S
31
There are ____ air circulation cells in each hemisphere.
Three
32
Air circulation at the surface causes...
Surface winds
33
The ____ occurs when surface winds blow in a curved pattern due to the shape of the Earth's surface.
Coriolis effect
34
The major surface ocean currents are caused by...
Surface winds
| (and thus indirectly by solar energy)
35
____ are giant closed ocean circulation cells.
Gyres
36
Water movements affect ____ on adjacent landmasses.
Productivity and climate
37
____ describes the process by which cold, nutrient-rich deep water rises to the surface.
Upwelling
38
The ____ occurs when each side of a mountain range has a vastly different climate.
Rain shadow effect
39
In the rain shadow effect, moist air masses cool and condense as they rise up a mountain range, resulting in precipitation on the...
Windward slopes
40
In the rain shadow effect, air masses become warm and dry as they move down a mountain, causing evaporation from the ____ surface.
Leeward
41
The rain shadow effect results in a dry region on one side of a mountain range, called a...
Rain shadow
42
At any particular latitude, air temperature decreases by ____ for every 1000 meter increase in elevation.
6 degrees Celsius
43
The biome changes caused by elevation mirror those caused by...
Latitude
44
The rain shadow effect and the effects of elevation on biomes are examples of...
Regional effects
45
A ____ refers to one of the major types of terrestrial ecosystems.
Biome
46
Biomes are named based on the...
Structure of the dominant vegetation
47
A biome is distributed over a region of land defined by sets of...
Climate conditions
48
# True or false:
Even in the same biome, the species that make up communities will vary.
True
49
A ____ represents a vegetation type with structures and adaptations for a particular climate.
Biome
50
The two best predictors of biome distribution are...
Temperature and precipitation
51
Temperature and precipitation influence biome distribution so strongly because...
They are strongly correlated with primary productivity
52
Other factors like ____ and ____ may also influence biome distribution.
Soil type and history of disturbances
53
List the eight major types of terrestrial biomes discussed in the lecture.
1. Tropical rainforest
2. Savanna
3. Desert
4. Temperate grassland
5. Temperate deciduous forest
6. Temperate evergreen forest
7. Taiga
8. Tundra
54
____ are characterized by warm temperatures and high precipitation year-round.
Tropical rainforests
55
Tropical rainforests are located mostly in...
Equatorial regions
56
____ have the highest NPP of all terrestrial ecosystems.
Tropical rainforests
57
The biome with the highest animal diversity is...
Tropical rainforests
58
The dominant vegetation in tropical rainforests is...
Tall, broad-leaved evergreen trees with buttresses for support in shallow soil
59
In tropical rainforests, nutrients are recycled quickly so that...
They aren't leached from the soil by the frequent rains
60
# True or false:
We can still find tropical rainforests far from the equator.
False
There are other types of tropical forests that we can find there, however.
61
____ are transitional ecosystems between tropical dry forests and deserts.
Savannas
62
Savannas are often found at which latitudes?
Between 10 and 20 degrees north
63
In ____, the terrain is flat and dissected by rivers.
Savannas
64
The dominant vegetation in savannas are...
Grasses
| (due to seasonal rainfall and fires)
65
In savannas, ____ animals are abundant.
Grazing
66
Grazing animals in savannas frequently migrate to locations that...
Have adequate water
67
A ____ is a biome where water loss exceeds precipitation for most of the year.
Desert
68
# True or false:
Depending on latitude, a desert can be hot or cold.
True
69
In ____, vegetation is sparse and soil tends to lack an organic layer.
Deserts
70
The dominant plants and animals in deserts are...
Adapted for drought tolerance or become dormant during the driest seasons
71
Desert plants may become dormant as seeds, then germinate when...
It rains
72
____ are wetter than deserts, but drought is still common.
Temperate grasslands
73
There aren't trees in temperate grasslands because...
There isn't enough precipitation to support woody plant growth
74
Temperate grasslands are typically located...
In the centers of continents
75
The location of ____ results in these biomes having hot summers and cold winters.
Temperate grasslands
76
____ animals are abundant in temperate grasslands.
Grazing
77
The dominant vegetation in temperate grasslands are...
Herbaceous plants
| (they are adapted for fire and grazing)
78
Temperate grasslands may experience seasonal fires as a result of...
Summer drought and high temperatures
79
____ have fertile soil that has resulted in much of these biomes being developed for agriculture.
Temperate grasslands
80
____ experience warm summers, cold winters, and plentiful rainfall.
Temperate deciduous forests
81
____ support high diversity and provide a variety of niches.
Temperate deciduous forests
82
In ____, plants and animals may go dormant during the winter.
Temperate deciduous forests
83
____ have a moist growing season that lasts around 4 months.
Temperate deciduous forests
84
____ are located along coastlines with temperate climates.
Temperate evergreen forests
85
The dominant vegetation in temperate evergreen forests are...
Large, evergreen needle-leafed species
86
Temperate evergreen forests receive the most rainfall in...
Fall, winter, and spring
87
The ____ stretches across North America and Eurasia between 50 and 65 degrees latitude.
Taiga / boreal forest
88
____ have harsh winters and short growing seasons.
Taigas
89
The dominant vegetation in taiga biomes is...
Evergreen conifers
90
Taigas have many lakes and bogs as a result of...
Past glacial activity
91
____ have low vegetation diversity on the surface.
Taigas
92
Taiga that extend down into the western US are called...
Montane coniferous forests
93
The ____ has the shortest growing season of all terrestrial biomes.
Arctic tundra
94
Arctic tundras receive little precipitation, but have soggy soil because...
Permafrost is persistent throughout the year
95
Biological activity in tundra soils is inhibited by...
Permafrost
96
The dominant vegetation in tundras is...
Perennial herbaceous vegetation
| (grasses, mosses, lichens, sedges)
97
# True or false:
Arctic tundras have abundant animal and insect populations.
True
98
____ is a similar biome to the Arctic tundra that exists near the tops of mountains.
Alpine tundra
99
____ only cover a very small percentage of Earth's surface.
Freshwater habitats
100
____ are large, still bodies of water.
Lakes
101
____ are smaller, still bodies of water.
Ponds
102
Most organisms in lakes in ponds require oxygen, which they obtain...
Directly from the water
103
How is oxygen added to water?
| (two)
1. Photosynthesis
2. Diffusion from the atmosphere
104
in bodies of water, oxygen is most plentiful near the...
Surface
105
The ____ is a region with adequate light for photosynthesis.
Photic zone
106
The depth of the photic zone varies depending on...
The amount of particulate matter in the water
107
In open water, ____ are the primary photosynthetic organisms.
Phytoplankton
108
Water temperature varies with depth because...
Water is heated by sunlight
109
Depending on the lake's size and location, ____ may occur.
Thermal stratification / layering
110
Where freshwater meets land, ____ occur.
Freshwater wetlands
111
____ have high NPP and serve as buffers between land and water.
Freshwater wetlands
112
The ____ of lakes can vary, which impacts productivity and water quality.
Nutrient status
113
____ lakes are those that are low in nutrients and algal density.
Oligotrophic
114
In ____ lakes, the clear water allows for light penetration.
Oligotrophic
115
Oligotrophic lakes can be transformed to eutrophic status via a process called...
Eutrophication
116
# True or false:
If nutrient enrichment is stopped, eutrophication can be reversed.
True
117
____ lakes are high in nutrients, which promotes algal growth.
Eutrophic
118
A dense algal growth, called an ____, may stop sunlight from penetrating in eutrophic lakes.
Algal bloom
119
In ____ lakes, dead organic matter reduces water clarity and contributes to high levels of decomposition on the lake bottom.
Eutrophic
120
In ____ lakes, high rates of decomposition may deplete the oxygen in deeper waters.
Eutrophic
121
List the four basic types of ocean ecosystems.
1. Open ocean
2. Continental shelf
3. Upwelling regions
4. Deep sea
122
The ____ is located in deep waters away from continents.
Open ocean
123
The ____ has low NPP due to limiting nutrients.
Open ocean
124
The ____ includes estuaries, bays, and coral reefs; and has higher NPP due to higher nutrient status.
Continental shelf
125
____ have high productivity and animal life because phytoplankton respond to the higher nutrient status.
Upwelling regions
126
The largest habitat on earth is the...
Deep sea
127
Communities in the ____ are food poor, but support a wide variety of animal life.
Deep sea
128
Habitats in the ____ are seasonless, cold, dark, and under high pressure.
Deep sea
129
____ are warming events that occur when cold, nutrient-rich water upwelling along the coast of Peru is replaced with warm, nutrient-poor water.
El Niño southern oscillations
130
El Niño events cause a change in productivity throughout...
All trophic levels
131
El Niño events are caused by...
Weakening of trade winds
132
During El Niño events, the surface temperature of the Pacific...
Increases
133
____ cause widespread changes in temperature and precipitation across multiple continents.
El Niño events
