Terms : Hide Images
| 219849767 | Weather | current atmospheric conditions; ex: precipitation, temperature, humidity, wind speed, pressure, etc. | |
| 219849768 | Climate | average weather in an area over a long period of time | |
| 219849769 | Latitude | lines run horizontal (east to west) and measure the distance north or south of the equator. | |
| 219849770 | Elevation / altitude | measure of height above or below sea level; higher altitude usually means cooler and drier conditions | |
| 219849771 | Coriolis effect | equator spins faster than polar regions and earth's rotation makes winds in the Northern Hemisphere curve to the right and winds in the Southern Hemisphere curve to the left | |
| 219849772 | Convection cell / Hadley cell | warm moist air near equator/tropics rises and is then drops as it cools and loses moisture; 3 large cells or conveyor belts form above the equator and 3 form below the equator; gives rise to major deserts near 30 degrees north and south of the equator | |
| 219849773 | Greenhouse gases | any molecule with 3 or more atoms; can trap infrared radiation (heat) causing the greenhouse effect; ex: water vapor, methane, carbon dioxide, etc. | |
| 219849774 | Greenhouse effect | visible light enters atmosphere and is absorbed by lithosphere and objects on land, light is converted into less intense infrared radiation (heat) that cannot then escape back through the atmosphere due to greenhouse gases that trap the heat in the atmosphere | |
| 219849775 | Monsoons | seasonal wind patterns that cause wet and dry seasons; common in areas that border warm bodies of water; ex: India | |
| 219849776 | Microclimates | small regions with unique climatic characteristics; ex: mountains and skyscrapers may influence wind patterns in an area, large amounts of pavement and concrete can cause microclimates that are hotter than surrounding areas; ex: heat island effect in cities | |
| 219849777 | Heat island | area in which the air temperature is generally higher in urban areas than the temperature of surrounding rural areas due to increased amounts of heat trapping surfaces like asphalt, concrete, buildings, etc. | |
| 219849778 | Windward | side of a mountain or island that faces the oncoming wind; typically have higher precipitation | |
| 219849779 | Leeward | side of mountain or island that is opposite of oncoming wind; typically warmer and drier and causes the rain shadow effect or rain shadow deserts to form | |
| 219849780 | Rain Shadow Effect | low precipitation on the far side (leeward side) of a mountain or island when prevailing winds flow up and over a high mountain or range of high mountains; creates semiarid and arid conditions on the leeward side of a high mountain range or island | |
| 219849781 | Biomes | terrestrial areas of similar ecosystems; identified by similar climate (average temperature and precipitation) as well as common vegetation patters | |
| 219849782 | Desert | average temp - 80; precip - less than 10 inches; many plants flower quickly when water is available and store water (cacti); many animals active at night an have long extremities to radiate body heat; fragile soils; example locations: Mojave, Gobi, Sahara | |
| 219849783 | Tropical Grassland | average temp - 80; precip - around 15 - 30 inches (distinct wet and dry seasons); many plants have deep extensive root systems go dormant during dry season or in event of fire; any large herbivore herd populations (giraffe, elephants, gazelle, impala, etc); soils are being overcultivated by humans and turning into desert like soils; only biome not found naturally occuring somewhere in the U.S.; ex location: Lion King Movie, much of the central and eastern African continent | |
| 219849784 | Temperate Grassland | average temp - 65; precip - around 15 - 30 inches; many plants have deep extensive root systems, can withstand drought and fire; many animals burrow for shelter / protection and many large herbivore populations (elk, bison, antelope, deer); soils have deep A-horizon rich in nutrients; overgrazing and overcultivation of soils can lead to desert-like conditions and the Dust Bowl of the 1930's; ex location: mid-west prairies | |
| 219849785 | Arctic Tundra | average temp - 30; precip - less than 10 inches; many plants live close to ground and have waxy coatings to avoid wind/frost/dehydration; many animals have colorings that change and allow to blend with land and snow as well as thick fur and shorter extremities to conserve body heat; characterized by permanently frozen layer of soil called "permafrost"; soils very fragile and damaged by human impacts (logging, mining, ATV's, etc.); example location: ANWR; sometimes called cold desert or polar grasslands | |
| 219849786 | Chaparral | average temp - 65; precip - around 15 - 30 inches (distinct dry season in summer and wet season in winter); many shrub species that are adapted to drought and fire, roots store nutrients to regrow when periodic fires burn; very prone to wildfires; example locations: coastal areas of Southern California, Mediterranean; sometimes called temperate shrublands | |
| 219849787 | Tropical Rainforest | average temp - 80; precip - over 100 inches; many plants compete for light and vegetation is stratified (ground cover, understory, canopy, emergent); some plants live on other plants - called epiphytes; many animals have developed very specific niches to avoid competition since climate is so hospitable to life; negatively impacting these biomes by clearing large portions for crop and grazing land (mainly in developing countries); soils are nutrient poor due to high cycling rate (warm and moist climate); example location: Amazon, Brazil, much of Central and South America, some areas of Hawaii in the U.S. | |
| 219849788 | Temperate Deciduous Forest | average temp - 65; precip - around 45 inches (mix of rain, sleet, snow); distinct 4 seasons; many plants shed leaves (deciduous) to go dormant during dry/cold winter months; many animals hibernate and/or develop thicker fur for winter and then shed thicker fur in spring; many areas being deforested due to population growth and suburban sprawl; example location: U.S. East Coast (Calvert County, MD) | |
| 219849789 | Coniferous Forest / Taiga / Boreal Forest | average temp - 35; precip - around 30 inches (much in the form of snow); mostly evergreen or coniferous trees/vegetation that have modified leaves (called needles) to conserve heat/water in winter; many animals burrow under snow or blend in with snow to avoid predation; negatively impacting due to logging/mining; example location: Northern Canada forests | |
| 219849790 | Temperate Rainforest | average temp - 65; precip - over 100 inches; many evergreen and coniferous tree/vegetation that grow very large and very dense; many animals have refined senses/tools to navigate dense forests (eye sight, hearing, claws, flight, etc.); negative impact from logging and habitat destruction; example location: N. California, Coastal Oregon and Washington State | |
| 219875421 | permafrost | layer of soil found in tundra that is permanently frozen year round | |
| 219875422 | epiphyte | general category of plant that grows on some other organisms; in tropical rainforest biome often called "air plants" since they are not rooted in ground but rather gain moisture and nutrients from air through specialized/adapted roots; ex: orchids, bromeliads |
