Term
| What causes climate variation? |
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Definition
1.uneven heating of Earth by sun
a.Earth’s spherical shape
b.Earth’s tilt (23.5o)
with respect to plane of orbit around sun;maintained throughout orbit. |
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Term
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Definition
| pattern of temp. & precipitation |
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Term
| If latitudes have less direct sun and more atmosphere, the equator has... |
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Definition
| equator has more direct sun(solar equator);less atmosphere |
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Term
| What causes seasonal variation? |
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Definition
a.caused by tilt (23.5o)
b.opp. in N. vs. S. Hemisphere
c.seasonal ranges in temp. increase with latitude. |
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Term
| What is seasonal variation like at the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn? |
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Definition
| There is little variation in temp and have marked variation in precipitation. |
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Term
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Definition
| When day length equals night length. |
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Term
| What is equinox? When do Fall and Spring begin? |
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Definition
| Equinox is when day length is the same as night length. Spring is May 21st, Fall is September 23rd, and |
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Term
| What is solstice? When does Summer and Winter solstice begin? |
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Definition
| Solstice is when we have the longest day or night. Summer begins June 21st, and Winter begins December 21st |
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Term
| If it's spring in the N.Hemisphere what is the weather like in the S. Hemisphere? |
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Definition
| It is fall in the S.Hemisphere. |
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Term
| What influences atmospheric circulation? |
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Definition
| mostly by angle of incident radiation. |
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Term
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Definition
1.air circulation patterns
2.driven by warm air at solar equator; moves upward, then N.& S. |
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Term
| What is the force behind Hadley Cells? |
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Definition
| they are driven by solar radiation & evaporation at equator |
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Term
| List four characteristics of Equilateral Hadley's. |
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Definition
a.between 0o & 30o N. & S. latitudes
b.warm, moist air rises at 0o
c.cool, dry, & dense air sinks at 30o
d.drive secondary Hadleys. |
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Term
| What are two characteristics of secondary hadley's? |
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Definition
a.between 30o & 60o N & S latitudes
b.drive polar Hadleys (> 60o ). |
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Term
| Where are majority of the world's great deserts located and why are they located there? |
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Definition
| at 30o N & S of the equator. Because the cool air returning to the equator sucks the moister up? |
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Term
| What influences surface air patterns? |
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Definition
| The earth's rotation and caused by the Coriolis effect. |
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Term
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Definition
| winds are deflected with respect to their path at Earth’s surface |
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Term
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Definition
| Winds coming in from the west. example: NC |
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Term
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Definition
| Wind's mostly coming Mexico |
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Term
| How does the Ocean effect climate in coastal zones? |
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Definition
a.moderated by ocean’s heat
b.less fluctuation in temp. as compared with interior regions. |
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Term
| Which hemisphere has the greatest precipitation? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which country is surrounded by the most water? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which country is surrounded by the most water? |
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Definition
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Term
| List five aspects that drive the oceans current. |
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Definition
| Winds, Topography of ocean floor, different water densities (due to salinity & temp), Earth's rotation deflects currents away from continents, and continent shapes. |
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Term
| Give examples of two currents. |
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Definition
| Humboldt gives cool, dry climate of S. America, and Gulf Stream along mild climate to British Isles and W. Europe. |
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Term
| What is Adiabatic cooling and where does it occur? |
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Definition
| it's when air temp decreases by 6-10 degrees C for every 1000m climb in elevation. Mountains. |
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Term
| What causes Adiabatic cooling? |
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Definition
| by the expansion of air as atmospheric pressure declines at higher elevations. |
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Term
| What are Rain shadows and where do they occur? |
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Definition
| are arid environments in the shadow of the mountain. On the leeward side of the mountain? |
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Term
| Where are the N & S. American mtn ranges, and how do they run? |
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Definition
| Concentrated on the Western part of the continent and generally run North and South. |
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Term
| What is ENSO? and give three features. |
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Definition
El Nino-Southern Oscillation
1.affects global climate
2.large-scale atmospheric, oceanic phenomenon
3. Weakens the southwest trade winds and last's roughly a year. |
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Term
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Definition
triggered in Pacific Ocean by reversal of
a.air (surface) pressure areas
b.westward-moving winds
4.occurs every 2-10 yr. |
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Term
| How does ENSO effect the Humboldt current in Peru? |
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Definition
a.normally moves N. along W. Coast of S. America; veers offshore (W.) at Ecuador
b.brings upwellings of nutrients for phytoplankton
c.during ENSO, westward flow weakens or stops. |
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Term
| How does ENSO effect the climate? |
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Definition
1.eastern tropical Pacific Ocean
a.surface H2O warmer than ave.
b.barometric pressure lower than ave.
2. opp. effects in W. Pacific
3. precipn & air temp. increase in N. & S. America
4. drought over western Pacific. |
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Term
| How does ENSO effect the climate in the US? |
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Definition
Wetter than normal in West and S.E.
Warmer than normal in North |
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Term
| When did Ecology become a household name? |
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Definition
| During the 1960's (environmental movement) |
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Term
| When did scientist begin to call themselves ecologist? |
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Definition
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Term
| Who is Rachel Carson and what book did she write? |
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Definition
| Rachel Carson brought environmental issues to the forefront, and she wrote the book "Silent Spring" in 1962 |
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Term
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Definition
| Coined the term Ecology in 1866 |
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Term
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Definition
"Oikos" household
"logos" the study of |
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Term
| Levels of Ecology (Smallest to Largest) |
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Definition
| Individuals-Population-Interactions-Community-Ecosystem-Landscape-Region-Biosphere |
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Term
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Definition
| all individuals of same species that occupy a given area. |
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Term
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Definition
| group of organisms that share morphological characters, capable of interbreeding to produce fertile offspring and are reproductively isolated from other groups, and share genetic characters. |
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Term
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Definition
| populations of different species that interact and occupy the same area. |
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Term
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Definition
| interactions of community with it's physical and chemical environments, includes energy transfer, and nutrient cycle. |
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Term
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Definition
| major regional complex of similar communities. Associates with a particular climate and named and recognized by the dominant vegetation and it's structure. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| What are the major steps in the scientific method? |
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Definition
| Observe nature, ask questions,hypothesis, Collect Data, and analyze data, draw conclusions, report your results. |
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Term
| In what three ways may data (or observations) be collected? |
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Definition
| Field or laboratory experiments, systematic field or laboratory observations, mathematical or phenomenological models |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| How did McArthur collect data? |
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Definition
| Systematic Field Research: he mapped the forest tree via vertical and horizontal zones. Then recorded the time each species spend in each zone. |
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Term
| At what level of complexity did Bernd Heinrich do his work on bumblebees? |
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Definition
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Term
| At what level of complexity did Bormann and Likens work? |
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Definition
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Term
| At what level of complexity did Robert McArthurs work on warblers? |
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Definition
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Term
| List three general principles of ecology |
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Definition
| Ecological systems must conform to the law of thermodynamics. Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only change forms |
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