Uniqueness and Diversity of the Earth
What are the 4 worldviews?
Egocentric, Biocentric, Anthropocentric & Ecocentric
What does LACOS stand for?
Latitude, Altitude, Continentality, Oceanity and Seasonality
Hadley, Polar and Ferrel
What percentage of Earth surface is water?
70%
Explain how a mountain is created.
Colliding continental plate boundary forcing the plates uplift/ fold/ move upwards due to pressure
Animal Migration is a wonder of the world! Name 3 species that migrate. (for 50 extra points give 3 reasons why they may migrate)
Sea Turtles, Bees, Monarch Butterfly, Humpback Whales, Salmon, Bison
Define differential heating.
Uneven warming of Earth's surface caused by the sun's rays striking the sphere at different angles and varying absorption rates of land, water, and materials
Which layer is the troposphere and what is its role?
Lowest level of the atmosphere.
Contains the climate and weather systems, sustains life on Earth.
Identify 5 processes in the water cycle.
Precipitation, Evaporation, Infiltration, Run Off, Transpiration, Condensation, Percolation,
Define ecology
The study of the relationships between living organisms and their environments
Define a 'biodiversity hotspot' (for 100 extra points which two criteria must they meet to be classified as a biodiversity hotspot)
Earths most biologically rich, yet threatened, ecosystems.
They need to contain 1,500 endemic flora species and have lost 70% of vegetation.
Identify 3 variations that can occur globally due to seasonality.
Variations include day length, temperature, rainfall, and resource availability are ubiquitous and can exert strong selection pressure on organisms to adapt to seasonal environments.
The amount of insolation received at any particular location is determined by 3 factors, what are they?
Distance from the Sun, Latitude and Length of days and nights as a result of tilt, rotation and orbit.
Explain 2 reasons for variability in Earths water budget.
(Hint: Earths water budget is the sum of the inputs, outputs and net changes in the hydrosphere over a period)
Amount of rain and season varies from locations to location
Continent size and location impact interactions between hydrosphere and lithosphere
Precipitation, evaporation and runoff rates change
Define weathering and identify 5 causes
Weathering is the physical disintegration and chemical decomposition of rocks and minerals.
wind, water, sunlight, organic matter, ecological interactions and waves.
What are the 4 main types of 'Global Commons'?
High Seas, Atmosphere, Antarctica & Outer Space
Identify 2 ways in which Indigenous calendars vary from Western Calendars?
Indigenous calendar have more seasons, refer to flora and fauna behavioural patterns, correlating cultural practices are identified & correlating ceremonies mentioned.
Explain the albedo effect and provide an example.
a measure of how much sunlight (solar radiation) a surface reflects rather than absorbs.
Surfaces with high albedo: snow, ice, and clouds - reflect heat
Low albedo surfaces: dark pavement, forests, and oceans - absorb heat
Name the 3 classifications of flooding and explain how they occur.
Slow-onset floods: Develop over several days and last for a week or more. Causes stock and crop loss, along with road damage.
Rapid-onset floods: These are fast and occur over the course of a day or two. They are highly destructive.
Flash floods: Caused by intense storms dropping large amount of water in a short period of time. Can peak within minutes.
Ecosystems are usually classified by their dominant feature. They are named for their climate, physical features or vegetation. Provide 2 examples of this.
Deserts regions are named for climatic conditions
Polar regions named on being located at poles
A mountain range is named for its distinct feature
A rainforest is named for its high level of vegetation and rainfall
What is the tragedy of the commons? provide an example.
The tragedy of the commons refers to a situation in which individuals with access to a public resource (also called a common) act in their own interest and, in doing so, ultimately deplete the resource.
eg. overfishing, fast fashion, coffee consumption
How does the ocean affect climate and weather on land?
Ocean currents act much like a conveyor belt, absorbing then transporting warm water and precipitation from the equator toward the poles and cold water from the poles back to the tropics. Thus, ocean currents regulate global climate, helping to counteract the uneven distribution of solar radiation reaching Earth’s surface
Define lapse rate and identify which spheres are involved in the process.
Air temperature declines with higher altitudes in the troposphere. Greatly influences the lithosphere’s impact on atmospheric processes.
Identify and explain 4 factors that affect the flooding
Type of precipitation
Snow could fall for months before melting into water and flooding river systems. This build up and quick release can be problematic.
Intensity of rainfall
Highly intense rain causes flash flooding when rainfall cannot be absorbed into the ground. This builds a barrier of water and causes runoff and flash flooding.
Frequency of rainfall
the infiltration rate is affected by how much water is already in the soil. If it is still wet from earlier rain, it will quickly become saturated
Rock type:
Some rock is more absorbent or permeable than others which may affect runoff.
Soil Type:
Sandy soils will absorb more water due to the empty space as opposed to clay which causes water to pool.
Slope gradient:
Gentle slopes allow for permeation. Steep slopes cause intense runoff to occur.
Vegetation and land use
Acts as a natural barrier and can slow down runoff.
Name 12 ecosystems
Polar, tundra, savannah, mangroves, temperate grassland, desert, scrubland, tropical grassland, tropical rainforest, monsoon forest, mountain range, open ocean, estuaries, coral reefs, taiga (way more)