Chapter 4

“lUnit 2: ch 4 Variety is the Spice of Life – Biomes and Biodiversity Description: Scientists have discovered over 2 million species on earth, and there may be millions more left to discover – yet this is just 1% of the total number of species that have ever lived on earth! Why are there so many species of life, and how do they change over time? In this unit, we will examine the characteristics of the major types of biomes on earth and how species are adapted to live in each of them. We will also trace the history of life over time, focusing on how species are constantly affected by environmental changes. Synthesis Question: Why is there such great diversity in climates and lifeforms on Earth, both today and throughout history? Packet Contents: Assignment Due: Reading Questions 4A, Video Questions 4A 9/29 Reading Questions 4B 9/29 Schedule:Chapter 4 Vocabulary List Climate the average weather that occurs in a given region over a long period of time Troposphere a layer of the atmosphere closest to the surface of Earth, extending up to approximately 16 km and containing most of the atmosphere’s nitrogen, oxygen, and water vapor Stratosphere the layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere, extending roughly 16 to 50 km above Earth’s surface Albedo the percentage of incoming sunlight reflected from a surface Saturation Point the maximum amount of water vapor that can be in the air at a given temperature Adiabatic Cooling the cooling effect of reduced pressure on air as it rises higher in the atmosphere and expands Adiabatic Heating the heating effect of increased pressure on air as it sinks toward the surface of Earth and decreases in volume Latent Heat Release the release of energy when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid water Hadley Cell convection currents in the atmosphere that cycle between the equator and 30 degrees N and S Intertropical Convergence Zone an area of Earth that receives the most intense sunlight; where the ascending branches of the two Hadley cells converge Polar Cells part of a three-cell movement involving Hadley cells and Ferrel cells which show atmospheric circulation and surface winds Coriolis Effect the deflection of an object’s path due to the rotation of the earth Gyres large scale patterns of water circulation that moves clockwise in the North and counterclockwise in the South Upwelling the upward movement of ocean water toward the surface as a result of diverging currents Thermohaline Circulation an oceanic circulation pattern that drives the mixing of surface water and deep water El Nino (ENSO) the periodic changes in winds and ocean currents, causing cooler and wetter conditions in the southeastern US and unusually dry in southern Africa Rain Shadow a region with dry conditions found on the leeward side of a mountain range as a result of humid winds from the ocean causing precipitation on the windward side Biomes geographic regions categorized by a particular combination of average annual temperature, annual precipitation, and distinctive plant growth Tundra a cold and treeless biome with low growing vegetation Permafrost an impermeable, permanently frozen layer of soil Boreal Forest a forest made up primarily of coniferous evergreen trees that can tolerate cold winters and short growing seasons Temperate Rainforest a coastal biome typified by moderate temperatures and high precipitation Temp Seasonal Forest a biome with warmer summers and colder winters than temperate rain forests and dominated by deciduous trees Shrubland (Chaparral) a biome characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters Temperate Grassland a biome characterized by cold, harsh winters, and hot, dry summers Tropical Rainforests a warm and wet biome found between 20 degrees N and S of the equator, with little seasonal temperature variation and high percipitation Tropical Seasonal Forests (Savannahs) a biome marked by warm temperatures and instinct wet and dry seasons Subtropical Deserts a biome prevailing at approximately 30 degrees N and S, with hot temperatures, extremely dry conditions, and sparse vegetation Littoral Zone the shallow zone of soil and water in lakes and ponds where most algae and emergent plants grow Limnetic Zone a zone of open water in lakes and ponds where rooted plants can no longer survive Phytoplankton floating algae Profundal Zone a region of water where sunlight does not reach, below the Limnetic zone in very deep lakes Benthic Zone the muddy bottom of a lake or pond beneath the limnetic and profundal zones Freshwater Wetlands aquatic biomes that are submerged or saturated by water for at least part of each year, but shallow enough to support emergent vegetation Salt Marsh marshes containing non woody emergent vegetation, found along the coast in temperate climates Mangrove Swamps swamps that occur along tropical and subtropical coasts, and contain salt – tolerant trees with roots submerged in water Intertidal Zone the narrow band of coastline between the levels of high tide and low tide Coral Reefs a phenomenon in which algae inside corals die, causing the corals to turn white Coral Bleaching a process whereby the coral colonies lose their colour Photic Zone the upper layer of water in the ocean that receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis Aphotic Zone the layer of ocean water that lacks sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis Chemosynthesis a process used by some bacteria in the ocean to generate energy with methane and hydrogen sulfide Reading Questions 4A Opening Story: Floods, Droughts, and Famines Global processes determine weather and climate. How can floods in one place and droughts in another be connected, such as in Kenya in 2003? The reason for this is global processes drive rainfall patterns. Rainfall in the tropics is closely tied to seasonal position of the sun, which means where the sun hits thats where the water evaporates from and create heavy rain. Weather happens on timescales from seconds to days and climate is the average weather that occurs in a given region over a long period (decades) What is the difference between weather and climate? Differences in temperature and precipitation. There are 7 major components to the distribution of heat and precipitation (and thus climates) on Earth: Earth’s Atmosphere Explain why atmospheric pressure decreases as altitude increases. Given to weaker gravitational pull of molecules at the furthest distances from earth the atmospheric pressure and density decreases as it extends out into space. Identify which of the 5 layers of Earth’s atmosphere fit each description in the table: thermosphere Aurora Borealis (northern lights) occurs here mesosphere. Atmospheric pressure is highest here Troposphere All weather occurs here stratosphere. Atmospheric pressure is lowest here mesosphere. Atmospheric temperatures are highest here Stratosphere Contains the ozone layer troposphere Layer closest to the surface exosphere. Densest layer of the atmosphere Exosphere Outermost layer of the atmosphere mesosphere Temperature is around 20° at this layer’s lowest point stratosphere. The lowest pressure is found in this layer The chemical formula for ozone is O3 and its function is to form a layer within the stratosphere. Unequal Heating of Earth Explain how each of the following factors creates unequal heating of Earth’s surfaces: Angle of sun to surface: The sun strikes perpendicular in the mid latitude and polar regions the sun strikes at a more oblique angle. Solar rays per unit area: Albedo: the percentage of incoming sunlight that reflected from a surface. How will the melting of polar ice from global warming alter Earth’s albedo? Generally speaking, the __mosphere_______ regions of Earth receive the most light/heat in a year and the _ exosphere________ regions receive the least light/heat in a year. Atmospheric Convection Currents Explain why warm air rises and cool air sinks. The molecules in hot air are move faster than the molecules in cold air, and the molecules in hot air are further apart, which concludes that hot air has a lower density. Why is rising air associated with precipitation? Because rising air is like the different climates. What types of atmospheric conditions are found where air sinks back to the surface? It tends to be hot and dry. such as weather that is tropical. Draw each of the following on the diagram below: Earth’s atmospheric convection cells, with direction of air movement The general level of precipitation found at each latitude belt: 0/30/60/90) Why does the ITCZ move throughout the year in a regular pattern? its typified by dense clouds and intense thunderstorms activity. The latitude along the itcz is not fixed. Earth’s Rotation and the Coriolis Effect The Coriolis Effect deflects moving objects (such as wind) in a _ north_______ direction in the northern hemisphere and a ____south_________ direction in the southern hemisphere Draw arrows indicating the general direction of wind movement between latitudes : ^^^^^^^^^ or >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Earth’s Tilt and Seasons In Los Angeles, the longest day of the year occurs in the month of __June _________ because ________________________ the sun is directly above the trophic of cancer at 25.5 N latitude Why does the northern hemisphere’s summer come during the southern hemisphere’s winter, and vice versa?The sun shines on one side of the hemisphere while there is shade on the other hemisphere Ocean Currents What are gyers, and how are they created? warm water from tropics move along the east coast of continents and transports the warm air from immediately above these waters Explain how oceanic gyers and atmospheric convection currents redistribute heat around Earth. Upwelling is a process in which _________________________ water is brought to the surface along a coast. It is caused by ____________________________ and is important to humans because _______________________________________________________. Describe what thermohaline circulation is, and how it transports heat. drives the mixing of surface water and deep water. The ENSO is a disruption to _________________________________ in which warm water and increased precipitation build up in the region of _________________________ while drought and cold water occur in the region of _______________________________ Rain Shadows What is the difference between the windward and the leeward sides of a mountain range? windward faces the wind while leeward faces the opposite side of the mountain Summary The Earth’s atmosphere and oceans can be thought of as a single “heat engine” system that transfers heat around the globe. Explain how the atmospheric/oceanic system circulates heat, including where heat is distributed from and to. The sun hits the earth and warms it up, it hits it in a latitude direction. Summarize why latitude is so important in determining climate: s important because it won’t be hitting it directly. APES Video Questions 4A Watch “Climate Controls – Regional Variations” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGFCIgDvHyQ) Read the Focus Questions in advance to help you catch key information. Take notes while watching, then summarize and answer the questions when you finish. Take Notes as you watch: Summarize Main Ideas Focus Questions: List the 5 “controls” on local climate and how each one affects climate. Control mechanism Effect on climate Respond with your own thoughts, questions, connections, and conclusions: Reading Questions 4B Variations in climate determine the dominant plant growth forms of terrestrial biomes. Aquatic biomes are characterized by salinity, depth, and water flow Working Toward Sustainability: Is Your Coffee Made in the Shade? What are climatograms and what do they show? they are climate graphs that study the climates in time. What are the main constraints for the growing season for plants in a given biome? annual temperature and annual precipitation they change over time. Complete the following biome chart for terrestrial biomes: Terrestrial Biomes: General Global Location Annual Weather Patterns Notable Soil Characteristics Distinguishing Species Tundra northern hemispohere dry permafrost permafrost frozen soil shrubs, mosses, heaths, lichens Boreal Forest europe russia north america short growing seasons poor nutrients, thick layer of organic materials evergreen trees Temperate Rainforest california to alaska, chile, new zealand coastal biome low in nutrients fir spruce hemlock Temperate Seasonal Forest us china japan 1 m of percipitation more nutrients beech maple oak Shrubland (Chaparral) southern california hot dry summers, mild rainy winters dry heated soil yucca shrub oak Temperate Grassland great plains of north america lowest annual percipitation fires cacti euphorbs Tropical Rainforest central and south america warm and wet percipitation lush vegetation few nutrients woody vines Tropical Season Forest central america atlantic coast of south america warm and wet intense sunlight warm and wet intense sunlight acacia and baobab trees Subtropical Desert mojave desert sahara desert extremely dry conditions not good soil cacti euphorbs and suculent plants Complete the following biome chart for aquatic biomes: Aquatic Biomes: Defining characteristics Ecological importance: Streams & Rivers flowing fresh water that may originate from underground springs or as a runoff from rain or melting snow. biological communities change as water flows. Lakes & Ponds contain standing water. lakes are larger than ponds. No point where pond is large enough to be considered a lake. they are divided into different zones Freshwater Wetlands aquatic biomes that are submerged or saturated by water for at least part of each year include swamps marshes and bogs Salt Marshes found along the coast in temperature climates. Contain nonwoody emergent vegetation. provide important habitat for spawning fish and shellfish. Mangrove Swamps along tropical and subtropical coast, contain trees with submerged roots in the water. produce nutrient rich environment. Intertidal Zone narrow band of coastline that exist between the levels of high tide and low tide. home to wide variety of organisms Coral Reefs found in warm shallow waters beyond the shoreline found in warm shallow waters beyond the shoreline Open Ocean away from the shoreline in deeper water 2 different zones Is Your Coffee Made in the Shade? Why is shade-grown coffee better for the environment? becuase its not made from wastes How has coffee production changed to help minimize the problems with pest control? they pest do not enjoy the coffee so they go the other way “