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156 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Hydrologic Cycle
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Model of the flow of water (liquid), ice (solid), and water vapor (gas) from place to place
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Interception
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occurs when the precipitation strikes vegetation or other ground cover.
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Infiltration
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when water soaks into the subsurface and penetrates the soil surface.
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Percolation
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permeates soil or rock through vertical movement
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Soil-water Budget
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measured w/ precipitation input and the output of various water demands in the area considered.
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Precipitation
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the moisture supply to Earth's surface that arrives as rain, sleet, snow and hail. Measured with a rain gauge.
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Evaporation
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the net movement of free water molecules away from a wet surface into air.
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Transpiration
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the movement of water through plants and back into the atmosphere. It is a cooling mechanism for plants.
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Evapotranspiration
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the merging of the two terms
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Potential Evapotranspiration
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the ultimate demand for moisture – the amount of water that would evaporate and transpire under optimum moisture conditions (adequate precipitation and soil moisture).
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Lysimeter/Evaporation Pan
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measures Evapotranspiration
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Deficit
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unsatisfied POTET
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ACTET or Actual Evapotranspiration
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subtracting DEFIC from POTET
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Surplus
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if POTET is satisfied and the soil is full of moisture, then additional water input becomes surplus.
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Overland Flow
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goes to streams and includes precipitation and ground water flows into river channels to make up the total runoff from the area.
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Soil Moisture Storage (STRGE)
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a "savings account" of water that receives deposits and provides withdrawals as water-balance conditions change.
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Hydroscopic Water
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in soil, it is inaccessible because it is a molecule-thin layer that is tightly bound to each soil particle by hydrogen bonding.
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Wilting Point
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as available water is utilized, this point is reached.
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Capillary Water
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generally accessible to plant roots because it is held in the soil by surface tension and hydrogen bonding between water and soil.
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Availible Water
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almost all capillary water that remains in the soil is available in soil-moisture storage.
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Field Capacity
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the available water remaining after water drains from the larger pore spaces.
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Gravitational Water
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what surplus water in the soil becomes when soil is saturated after a precipitation event.
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Soil-moisture Utilization
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removes soil water, causing plants to work harder to extract the same amount of moisture.
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Soil-moisture Recharge
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the rate at which needed moisture enters the soil.
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Porosity
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The texture and the structure of the soil dictate available pore spaces.
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Permeability
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the degree to which water can flow through the soil. Depends on particle sizes and the shape of the packing of soil grains.
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Groundwater
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part of the hydrologic cycle, but it lies beneath the surface beyond the soil-moisture root zone.
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Zone of Aeration
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where soil and rock are less than saturated and where excess surface water moves through.
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Zone of Saturation
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the water reaches this zone where the pores are completely filled with water.
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Aquifer
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a rock layer that is permeable to ground water flow in usable amounts.
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Aquiclude
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a body of rock that does not conduct water in usable amounts.
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Water Table
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upper limit of the water that collects in the zone of saturation. Contact surface between zones of saturation and aeration.
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Confined Aquifer
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bounded above and below by impermeable layers of rock or sediment.
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Unconfined Aquifer
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has a permeable layer on top and an unpermeable one beneath.
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Aquifer Recharge Area
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extends over an entire unconfined aquifier.
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Potentiometric Surface
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Water in a confined aquifier is under the pressure of its own weight, creating a pressure level to which the water can rise on it own. Can be above ground level.
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Artesian Water
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groundwater confined under pressure
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Drawdown
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as water is pumped from a well, the surrounding water table within an unconfined aquifer will experience this or become lower if the rate of pumping exceeds the horizontal flow of water in the aquifer around the well.
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Cone of Depression
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excessive pumping.
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Groundwater Mining
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a condition that occurs as aquifers are frequently pumped beyond their flow and air charge capacities.
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Withdrawl/Nonconsumptive Uses/Offstream
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Use removes water from the supply, uses it, and then returns it to the stream.
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Consumptive Uses
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removes water from a stream but does not return it, so the water will not be available for a 2nd or 3rd use.
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Desalination
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a water resource that involves the removal of organics, debris, and salinity from seawater through reverse osmosis.
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Climatology
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the study of climate and attempts to discern similar weather statistics and identify climatic regions.
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Climatic Regions
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an area of homogenous climate that features characteristics regional weather and air mass patterns.
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Climatic Inputs
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insolation, temperature, precipitation, air pressure and air masses.
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Climate
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basic element in ecosystem, the natural, self-regulating communities of plants and animals that thrive in specific environments
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Classification
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the process of ordering or grouping data in related categories.
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Genetic Classification
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based on causative factors, such as the interaction of air masses.
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Empirical Classification
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based on statistical data, such as temperature or precipitation.
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Climograph
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plots data to display the characteristics of the climate.
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How many basic climate categories?
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6
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Tropical
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equatorial and tropical latitudes - rain forests, monsoons, savanna
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Mesothermal
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mid-latitudes, mild winters - humid subtropical, marine west coast, Mediterranean
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Microthermal
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mid and high latitudes, cold winters - humid continental, subarctic
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Polar
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high latitudes and polar regions - tundra, ice caps and ice sheets
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Highland
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have lower temperatures
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Desert
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permanment moisture defecits
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Dry and Semiarid climates are described by
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percipitation rather then temperature.
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The most extensive climate over Earth
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arid and semi arid climates (35%).
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Americans withdraw ___ of the available surplus runoff for irrigation
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industry and municipal uses,1/3
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Permeability of surface rocks depends on
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whether they conduct water readily (higher permeability) or tend to obstruct its flow (lower permeability). They can even be impermeable.
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Drought can occur through the 4 forms of
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meteorological drought, agricultural drought, hydrologic drought, and/or a socioeconomic drought.
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Surplus may puddle on
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the surface, flow across the surface toward stream channels or percolate underground through soil.
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To have sufficient water
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ideally _____ and ACTET are about the _____,POTET, same
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Streams represent ___ of all the water we use
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4/5
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Groundwater is the largest __________ _______ ________ of the hydrologic cycle and is tied to surface supplies
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largest potential freshwater source.
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Water resources represent
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the ultimate output of Earth's water system.
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The flow of water links (3)
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through,the atmosphere, ocean and land through energy and matter exchanges.
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Paleoclimatology
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natural climatic variability over the span over the span of Earth's history.
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General Circulation model
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used to forecast climate patterns.
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Ecosystems
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self-sustaining associations of living plants and animals and their nonliving environments.
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Ecology
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the study of the relationships between organisms and their environments.
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Biogeography
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study of the distribution of plants and animals and the diverse spacial patterns they create.
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Niche
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the function or operation of a life form within a given community.
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Vascular Plants
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as plants evolved, these plants developed conductive tissues.
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Stomata
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on the underside of leaves where the portals through which the plant participates with the atmosphere and hydrosphere.
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Photosynthesis
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what plants perform as sunlight stimulates a light-sensitive pigment called chlorophyll. It produces food sugars and oxygen to drive biological processes.
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Respiration
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the reverse of photosynthesis and is the way the plant derives energy by oxidizing carbohydrates.
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Net Primary Productivity
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the net photosynthesis of an entire community.
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Biomass
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stored chemical energy that the community generates, or the net dry weight of organic material.
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Jet stream (geostrophic winds)
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From west to east, Stronger during winter, Temperature contrast (north vs. south) is greater in winter
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During the daytime (sea breeze)
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Land heats up faster than water, Warm air = less dense -> rises, Onshore flow of cooler marine air
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The equatorial and tropical rainforest biome is undergoing rapid ___________
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deforestation
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Specific conditions of humidity
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stability, and cloud coverage occur in a regional, homogenous ________,air mass
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The longer an air mass remains stationary over a region
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the more _____ its physical attributes become,definite
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The homogeneity of temperature and humidity in air mass sometimes extends through the
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lower half of the troposphere.
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M
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maritime (wetter)
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C
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continental (drier)
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A
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P, T, E, AA,artic, polar, tropical, equatorial, Antarctic
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Convergent lifting
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airflows conflict, forcing some of the air to lift.
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Convectional Lifting
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air passing over warm surfaces gains buoyancy.
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Orographic Lifting
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passage over a topographic barrier (mountain)
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Chinook Winds
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warm, downslope airflows characteristic of the leeward side of mountains.
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Orographic lifting creates _____ windward slopes and ____ leeward slopes
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wetter, drier
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Squall line
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turbulent and wildly changing wind patterns and intense precipitation.
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A mountain acts as
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a topographic barrier to migrating air masses.
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An Orographic barrier enhances ________ activity and causes additional lifting during the passage of weather fronts extracting ____ ______ from passing air masses
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conventional, more moisture
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Midlatitude/Wave cyclone
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a vast, low pressure system that migrates across the continent, pulling air masses into conflict along fronts.
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Cyclogenesis
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the birth of the lower pressure circulation.
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A _____ has a life cycle with birth
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maturity, old age and dissolution,midlatitude cyclone
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Occluded front
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produced when a cold front overtakes a warm front in the maturing cyclone.
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Stationary Front
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developed between conflicting air masses, where airflow is parallel to the front on both sides.
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Derechos
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strong linear winds that can cause crop losses.
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Mesocyclone
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a spinning cyclonic column rising to midtrophosphere level.
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A ________ forms when a tornado circulation occurs over water
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waterspout
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Great damage occurs to coastal lands when hurricanes make landfall and when winds drive ocean water inland in ___________ _______
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storm surges.
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Ecosystem
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Association of biotic components and their abiotic physical environment.
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Ecology
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Study of the relationships between organisms and their environment and among various ecosystems
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Biogeography
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Spatial distribution of plants and animals, and the physical and biological processes, past and present that produce Earth's species richness
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Community
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biotic subdivision within an ecosystem
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Net Primary Productivity
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Net photosynthesis for an entire plant community
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Limiting Factors
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Physical or chemical abiotic component that most inhibits biotic operations
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Carbon Cycles
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Biogeochemcial cycles – key chemical cycles in nature
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Ecosystem Stability and Diversity
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The greater the biodiversity in an ecosystem results in greater stability and greater productivity.
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Biodiversity
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______ the functioning of ecosystems,influences
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Ecological Succession
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When newer communities (greater complexity) replace older communities
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Climax Community
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A stable, self-sustaining, and functioning community with balanced birth, growth, and death
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Biogeographic Realms
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A geographic region where a group of plant and animal species evolved. Transition boundaries known as ecotones
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Biomes
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Large terrestrial ecosystem characterized by specific plant and animal communities. Defined mainly by dominant vegetation. Also climate and soil.
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Deciduousness
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cold water or temperature. Waxy coating like leather.
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Where did all the water on earth come from?
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Volcanoes and comets, Outgasing
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Water
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Known as "universal solvent"—dissolves many solids and gasses
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Both water existing as a liquid on Earth and its high specific heat are due to
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hydrogen bonds
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Changes in heat accompanying water phase changes are very important for
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atmospheric circulation
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Latent heat of vaporization/evaporation
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the energy required to convert liquid water to water vapor
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Latent heat of condensation
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the energy released when water vapor condenses to liquid water
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Latent heat of sublimation
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the energy required to convert solid water to water vapor
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Latent heat of freezing/melting
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the energy required/released when water goes from solid to liquid or back
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Humidity
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refers generally to water vapor in air
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Relative humidity
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ratio of the water vapor content of air to the maximum water vapor content of air at that temperature
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Specific humidity
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the mass of water vapor (g) divided by the mass of air (kg)—this measure of humidity is independent of changes in pressure, volume, and temperature
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Dew point temperature
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the temperature at which air is saturated with water vapor
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Even though the water vapor content is higher in the summer than winter
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the air temperature is much,greater
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Clouds
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aggregations of suspended microscopic water droplets and ice crystals
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Cloud formation
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the air must be saturated with water vapor (RH = 100%) and there must be microscopic nuclei for the vapor to condense onto
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Clouds are flat
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stratus
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Clouds are puffy
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cumulus
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Clouds are wispy
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cirrus
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Horizontal
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layered clouds are,stratiform
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Vertically developed clouds are
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cumuliform
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High
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wispy clouds are,cirroform
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Fog
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a layer of clouds in contact with the surface
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Advection Fog
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advection is simply horizontal mixing of air in response to pressure gradients - especially common type of fog along the CA coast
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Evaporation Fog
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this fog forms when cold air overlies a warm body of water
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Radiation Fog
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this kind of fog forms over land that undergoes nighttime radiative cooling, bringing the overlying air to its dew point
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Air mass
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A large volume of air (covering many hundreds or thousands of square miles). Characterized by its temperature and water vapor content (the surface below them) – slow movement of air
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As air masses migrate away from source regions
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their characteristics are ______ by the characteristics of the land over which they travel,modified
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For condensation and precipitation to occur
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a parcel of air must either be,1) be brought to its dew point or 2) be injected with new water vapor
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What is the easiest/most likely way to cool an air mass to its dew point temperature?
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Lifting up the air mass aloft
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Move air to its dew point by expansion/cooling (adiabatic process) and then ______ occurs
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condensation
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Convergent
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air converges from all points to low pressure zones and the displaced air is lofted
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Orographic
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Air cools as it ascends - Dry air warms as it descends
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Convectional
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Unequal surface heating produces hotspots where 'bubbles' of air will rise
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Orographic Precipitation
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The moisture in the cloud gets squeezed out by condensation
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Cold Fronts
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Leading edge of cold air (denser) forces warm air (less dense) aloft
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