Eco chapter 2- physical enviroment

includes climate, chemical, soil

long-term trends in temperature wind and percipitation

salinity, acidity, concentration of gas

medium of life

current temp, humidity, percipitation, wind, and cloud cover

• seasonal changes, large-scale changes, gas changes
• global energy that drives climate is derived from solar radiation

heat loss due to evaporation

exchange of energy by direct contact

energy transfer through currents of air and water

energy transfer on Earth by convection and conduction

atmospheric gasses that are radiactively active gasses

rise in a pocket of warm air because of the cold air around it

force exerted on a pocket of air by the air molecules above it, decreases with increase in altitude

atmospheric layer above Earth surface

layer above troposphere

• air decends down to Earth once reaches similar temp
• creates regions of high atmospheric pressure and inhibits cloud formation

lower in temp with increase in height

• coastal terrestrial regions, little variations in daily/ seasonal temp, higher humidity
• can occur in all climate zones

• area in middle of large continential land masses has greater variation in temp
• temperate zones

• loss of moisture, warming of air as it moves down the leeward slope, influences types and amount of vegatation on mountain range
• lush on windward
• sparse, drought resistant on leeward

• capacity of a land surface to reflect solar radiation, influenced by presence and type of vegetation, soil, topography
• light colored surface have highest

• sum of water loss through transpiration and evaporation, increases with the area of leave surface per unit of ground surface area
• transfers energy and water into atmosphere

zone of maximum solar radiation between the Northern and Southern hemispheres as Earth orbits the sun

• layering of water in oceans and lakes
• determines the movement of nutrients and oxygen

surface layer, warmest cotains most active populations of phyto and zooplakton

• underneath epilimnion
• zone of rapid temperature decline

• layer underneath thermocline
• densest and coldest water in the lake

• during fall and spring all layers become same temp causeing layers to mix
• recycle of nutrients that were lost from top layer during summer
• replenish oxygen supply to bottom

• upwelling of deep water off coast of south america ceases as easternly winds weaken
• occurs at intervals of 3-8 years
• associated with unusually dry conditions in Indoneasia, other parts of South American and Australia- increase in fires
• in southern US and mexico increase in percipitation

• included in ENSO
• stronger than average phases of normal pattern
• high pressure of coast of South America and low pressure in western pacific
• drought conditions to US and mexico- intensify fires

affect climate variation in Europe, northern Asia, and east coast of North America

• North Pacific
• affect climate similar to ENSO and can modify or intensify effects of ENSO

movement of land masses across the surface of Earth as they float on mantle beneath crust

peaks of glacial advancement

periods of glacial melting and retreat

combination of regular changes in shape of Earth's orbit and tilt of axis changed the intensity of solar radiation at high latitudes cause glacial-interglacial cycles

• concentration of dissolved salts in water
• Salts: ionic compounds composed of anions and cations that disassociate when in water
• can inhibit metabolic activity if concentrations are too high or low

high rates of evapotraspiration result in build up of salts at the surface soil

• acidity: compounds that give up protons into water when disassociated
• alkalinity: bases take up protons
• pH influences terrestrial and fresh water systems, oceans have buffers