Quiz 2 - Unit Test 1 Flashcards
everything between quiz 2 and unit test 1
Hadley Cells?
describe how they work
Convection currents that cycle between 0 and 30 N/S
operate in tropics!
Warm moist air in the equator rises, cools down as pressure decreases, condenses and precipitates, and the colder drier air circulates to the 30 N/S latitudes and comes back to the middle.
what is the word for cooling due to pressure decreases?
adiabatic cooling
what is the word for heating due to pressure increases?
adiabatic heating
Intertropical convergence zone?
area of earth that receives most intense sunlight, where ascending boundaries of Hadley cells converge. Not exactly at equator. Changes seasonally.
Polar cells?
how do they operate
convection currents that cycle between 60 n/s and 90 n/s
operate in polar regions
reversed direction compared to Hadley cells:
warm moist air rises at 60N/S and pushes cooler air towards 90 N/S and the cold air sinks and moves towards 60 warming along the way
Ferrel cells
how do they operate
why are they helpful
Operate between 30 and 60 N/S
operate in temperate regions
help redistribute air between tropics and polar regions
describe flow of all 3 cell types and visualize it….
…
Coriolis effect
since earth is spinning on its axis, wind and water currents move faster at the equator than at the higher or lower latitudes.
Easterly vs. Westerly winds
Easterly: wind or water currents moving towards equator fall back causing them to deflect east–> west
Westerly: moving away from equator jump ahead, moving from west to east
Prevailing winds and 3 types
the combined effects of convection currents and Coriolis effect create these winds
Tradewinds: aka easterlies move east to west at tropics
westerlies: mid latitudes, move west to east
polar easterlies: poles, move east to west, also have a radiating effect
El Nino:
-describe normal conditions and effects
-Describe El Nino conditions and effects
-Describe La Nina conditions and effects
Normal: easterly trade winds push warm surface water from W coast of SA to Australia. Cold water off of Australia coast sinks and circulates to w. coast of SA. This causes an upwelling of deep nutrient rich water which supports phytoplankton and fish growth
El Nino: Easterly winds stall and sometimes reverse. The warm surface waters no longer upwell on coast of SA. Phytoplankton and fish populations decrease. Basically reverse of normal.
La Nina: Sometimes after El Nino normal conditions get mirrored but stronger as an overcorrection. Huge upwelling and crazy fishing times.
How do large bodies of freshwater affect climate?
Can contribute to higher humidity, resulting in a stabilizing effect and increased precipitation.
How do ocean currents affect climate?
the help explain…
Direction, strength, and temperature of currents can impact the air temp, humidity (and therefore temperature stability) and precipitation patterns in coasts.
they help explain why locations at the same latitude can have notable climate differences.
Explain what a rain shadow is and what it does…
Warm, moist air rises on WINDWARD side. As it ascends and cools, rainfall occurs. Latent heat release pushes air over crest of mountain. Dry air warms as it descends the LEEWARD side.
So, what all influences climate relating to geography?
4 things…
explain how each one affects the climate
Latitude has the most significant globalized effects.
Regionally, ocean currents and to a lesser extent freshwater bodies
Regionally, topography
locally, landcover type
Biome: Tundra
Temps:
Precipitation:
Vegetation:
Soil:
Threats:
Side notes (what is special about the B horizon of soil?):
Biome: Tundra
Temps: subfreezing to freezing
Precipitation: low
Vegetation: low growing (heat originates from ground) and sparse
Soil: limited detritus and slow decomposition - poor.
Threats: global warming
Side notes (what is special about the soil B layer): Subsoil consists of permafrost
Biome: Boreal Forest/Taiga
Temps:
Precipitation:
Vegetation:
Soil:
Threats:
Side notes ():
Biome: Boreal Forest/Taiga
Temps: cold with notable seasonal variation
Precipitation: low to moderate
Vegetation: dominated by coniferous evergreen trees
Soil: lots of detritus but slow decomposition. Lots of OM but low nutrients. This is due to resistant leaves found in the dominant trees.
Threats: logging and Mining
Side notes ():
Biome: Temperate grassland and Cold Desert
Temps:
Precipitation:
Vegetation:
Soil:
Threats:
Side notes ():
Biome: Temperate grassland and Cold Desert
Temps: Cold, harsh winters and hot summers
Precipitation: low to moderate
Vegetation: dominated by fire-adapted grasses and nonwoody flowering plants
Soil: limited detritus and slow decomposition (poor)
Threats: agriculture and grazing
Side notes ():
Biome: Shrublands and Woodlands (Temperate)
Temps:
Precipitation:
Vegetation:
Soil:
Threats:
Side notes (what is special about the plants?):
Biome: Shrublands and Woodlands (Temperate)
Temps: mild winters w hot summers
Precipitation: moderately rainy winters with dry summers
Vegetation: fire resistant and drought resistant shrubs
Soil: moderate detritus and slow –> moderate decomposition (somewhat fertile)
Threats: human development and increased fire frequency
Side notes (): Summer deciduous meaning they lose leaves in summer
Biome: Temperate Seasonal Forest
Temps:
Precipitation:
Vegetation:
Soil:
Threats:
Side notes (what is special about it relation to us?):
Biome: Temperate Seasonal Forest
Temps: warm summers and cold winters
Precipitation: moderate throughout the year
Vegetation: dominated by deciduous trees and coniferous evergreens
Soil: lots of detritus and decomp! fertile af
Threats: agriculture, logging, and human development
Side notes (what is special about it relation to us?): its where we live!
Biome: Temperate Rainforest
Temps:
Precipitation:
Vegetation:
Soil:
Threats:
Side notes (what makes this biome special?):
Biome: Temperate Rainforest
Temps: Moderate w reduced seasonal variation
Precipitation: seasonally higher in winter
Vegetation: very large trees, mostly evergreen, ferns, and mosses
Soil: lots of detritus but slow decomp, high OM low nutrients
Threats: logging
Side notes (what makes this biome special?): rarest biome
Biome: Subtropical Desert
Temps:
Precipitation:
Vegetation:
Soil:
Threats:
Side notes ():
Biome: Subtropical Desert
Temps: consistently hot
Precipitation: extremely dry (almost none)
Vegetation: dominated by sparse drought resistant plants: cacti, euphorbs, succulents.
Soil: Limited detritus and slow decomp: poor
Threats: human water usage (taking water flow from rivers that flow to desert)
Side notes ():
Biome: Savanna and Tropical Seasonal Forest
Temps:
Precipitation:
savanna:
tropical seasonal forest:
Vegetation:
savanna:
tropical seasonal forest:
Soil:
Threats:
Side notes ():
Biome: Savanna and Tropical Seasonal Forest
Temps: Hot
Precipitation: very distinct wet and dry season
savanna: Less rain
tropical seasonal forest: more rain
Vegetation:
savanna: grasses and sparse trees
tropical seasonal forest: shrubs and trees
Soil: moderate detritus, good decomp. ok fertility
Threats: agriculture and grazing
Side notes ():
Biome: tropical rainforest
Temps:
Precipitation:
Vegetation:
Soil:
Threats:
Side notes ():
Biome: tropical rainforest
Temps: hot
Precipitation: extremely high rainfall and humidity
Vegetation: highly productive and layered canopies, most biodiverse
Soil: tons of OM and rapid decomp, but nutrients and OM are quickly depleted by plants so no visible O layer!
Threats: logging and agriculture.
Side notes ():
