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71 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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define weather:
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specific atmosphere conditions at a given time and place
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define climate:
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weather conditions continued over a period of time
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What are major influences on weather and climate?
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Solar radiation, rotational effects, regional effects
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How does solar radiation effect climate?
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The amount of light effects photosynthesis rates, and the heat could be a benefit or detriment.
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How does humidity influence weather?
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atmospheric pressure
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How does albedo influence weather?
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reflectivity of the surface.
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how does solar radiation recieved by earth vary by latitude?
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there is 25% reflected
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what are rotational effects on weather and climate?
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coriolis force, movement of air masses, ocean currents
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what is coriolis force?
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apparent force caused by the rotation of earth on its axis
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what are the coriolois force's effects on weather?
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responsible for major patterns of wind conditions
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how do air masses affect weather?
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air at equator warms and rises, as the air rises it cools (adiabatically), as the air cools it moves away from equator, then it falls creating high pressure
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How are air masses effects related to solar radiation?
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They both have the adiabatic process in common.
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What are regional effects on weather and climate?
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topography, north Vs. south facing slopes, inversions
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describe a rain shadow:
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a dry area on a mountain facing away from the wind
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describe the formation of a rain shadow:
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as the air gains elevation, it must release the moisture, therefore having far less when it reaches the side of the mountain away from the wind.
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describe windward
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the direction the wind is blowing from at the time of question
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describe leeward
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direction downwind from point of reference
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describe adiabatic processes
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is gas compresses its warm, it cools as it expands
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why is aspect important to local conditions?
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the position the slope has effects how much energy it receives
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what is an inversion?
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when warm air becomes trapped under a layer or colder
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What is a biome?
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Major ecological community types. Large plant formations, and associated animals
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What are the types of terrestrial biomes? (11)
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Grassland, Savannah, Shrubland, Desert, Tropical Rainforest, Tropical Seasonal Forest, Temperate Deciduous Forest, Temperate Evergreen Forest, Taiga (Boreal), Tundra, Alpine
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Describe Grassland
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high evaporation, periodic severe drough, grazing and burrowing animals, carbon below ground,
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Describe Savannah
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open grasslands, wide spaces trees, determined by rainfall and soil texture, often created by human disturbance
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Describe shrubland
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dominated by woody persistant vegetation, resistant to fire
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Describe Desert
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evaporation exceeds rainfall
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Tropical Rainforest
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Low latitude forest, high temperature and precipitation
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Tropical Seasonal Forest
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Marked wet and dry periods
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Temperate Deciduous Forest
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cooler, more seasonal, broad leaf forest
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Temperate Evergreen Forest
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Cool, seasonal forest, cone-bearing gymnosperms
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Boreal (Taiga)
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Colder, drier, high latitude evergreen forest
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Tundra
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Cold, desertlike conditions (permafrost)
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Alpine
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high elevation transition from coniferous forest to tundra like vegetation.
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What are the freshwater ecosytems?
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Lentic, Lotic, Wetlands, and watershed
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Describe Lentic
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standing bodies of water
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Describe Lotic
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free-flowing bodies of water
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Describe Wetlands
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defined by vegetation, hydrological conditions, and soils
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Describe Watershed
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all of the area of land that drains into a particular stream
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What are the saltwater ecosystems?
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Stratification (Pelagic and Benthic), Intertidal Zones, Coral Reefs, Estuaries, Tidal Marshes, Mangrove Swamps
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Describe Pelagic:
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whole body of water
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Describe Benthic:
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bottom
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Descirbe Intertidal Zones:
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interface between ocean and land
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Describe Coral Reefs:
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accumulation of calcareous skeletal remains
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mangrove swamps:
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replace marshes in tropics, tolerate seawater.
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Describe the border between biomes:
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No sharp borders, usually they are gradual, and intermix.
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Describe Estuaries:
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where freshwater and saltwater join.
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Tidal Marshes:
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associated with Estuaries; effected by tides.
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What defines where biomes exist?
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Temperature, amount of precipitation, presence of seasons
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Describe the border between biomes:
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No sharp borders, usually they are gradual, and intermix.
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Describe temperature budget
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energy in = energy out
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Define radiation:
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energy transfer from warmer body to cooler body
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Define conduction:
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energy transfer through contact
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Define Convection:
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Moving body (air)
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Define evaporation:
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from cooler to hotter
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Describe Metabolism:
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heat produced as by-product
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Describe thermoregulator:
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Tolerates it
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What are physiological characteristics?
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Metabolic, Blood flow, Shivering, Acclimation
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What are behavioral charecteristics?
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Migrate, Excavate, Hibernate, Thermoregulate, Aggregate, Propagate, Tolerate, Terminate
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Sources of water gain:
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drinking, root uptake, food, skin absorption, absorption air
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Sources of water loss:
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urine, food waste, biosynthesis, lactation, evaporation, mucus/tears, fruit production
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Write the equation for cellular respiration:
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C6H12O6 + 6 O2 ---> chemical energy + 6 CO2 + 6 H2O
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Write the equation for photosynthesis:
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Light energy + 6 CO2 + 6 H2O ---> C6H12O6 + 6 O2
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What is the difference between C3, C4, and CAM Plants
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leaf stomata close to prevent H2O loss, O2 builds up; CO2 is depleted; O2 competes for rubisco, C4 & CAM plants use CO2 pumping cycle to increase CO2 in cells, C4 plants (corn, crabgrass, sugarcane) produce a 4 C compound, CAM plants (succulents, some cacti) fix CO2 at night; use in day
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What is an oscillation?
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a single swing from one extreme limit to the other
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What are some biological important fluctuations and their period?
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Day:night, seasons, ENSO, NAO, Milankovitch, density cycles
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Circadian and Circannual produce:
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some of the most important ecological adaptations (internal clocks, photoperiodism)
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What is the red queen hypothesis:
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organisms have to evolve (adapt) as fast as they can just to keep up with environmental fluctuations
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what is evolution:
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Over generations, traits that are relatively better at enhancing survival and reproduction tend to
become more abundant in populations |
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What is natural selection:
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process where heritable make an organism more likely to survive and successfully reproduce
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what is genetic drift:
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soemthing that alters the genetic composition, but is completely random.
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what are adaptations:
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characteristics that
enhance their survival and reproduction in particular environments |
