Overview
Define Weather
Weather describes the conditions in the atmosphere over a short period of time
Name the type of vegetation in deserts
What is an example of the Tropical Rainforest? (Any one)
Amazon Rainforest, Congo Basin in Africa, Borneo Rainforest
Permafrost (Gelisols)
Which is the weakest type of cell?
Ferrel Cell (as they are convection cells)
Define Biomes
A group of ecosystems that have the same climate and dominant communities.
State the latitude and the net productivity of the desert region
30° north and south of the equator, primary (plants) and secondary (animals) are low because water is limiting and plant biomass cannot build up to large amounts. Food chains tend to be short because of this.
What are tropical rainforest biomes?
Hot and wet areas with broadleaved evergreen forest are called tropical rainforest biomes.
2 types of tundra biomes
Arctic and Alpine
Due to which force is the air, coming from the poles, deflected?
Coriolis force
Differentiate between Weather and Climate
Climate describes atmospheric conditions over relatively long periods of time. Weather describes the conditions in the atmosphere over a short period of time.
Name the 3 types deserts
Tropical, temperate and cold deserts.
What are some human activities taking place in this region?
Commercial logging of valuable timber (e.g. mahogany), clear-felling to convert the land and grazing cattle
Types of Human Activities conducted in the Tundra region? (3)
Mining, oil extraction and reindeer herding
What are the latitudes of the the Hadley, Ferrel and Polar Cells?
Hadley: 0° latitude to 30° north or south. Ferrel: 30° to 60° north or south latitude. Polar: 60° and 90° north and south.
Factors affecting the formation of biomes
Abiotic factors such as precipitation, temperature and insolation, latitude, altitude, ocean currents and winds
Describe two human activities in desert environments and give an example of an environmental issue that can arise from them.
Nomadic tribes herd animals such as camels and goats in deserts as agriculture has not been possible except around oases or waterholes. Oil has been found under deserts in the Gulf States and many deserts are rich in minerals including gold and silver. Irrigation is possible by tapping underground water stores or aquifers so, in some deserts, crops are grown. Environmental Issue: Desertification, salinization.
Why is the NPP of tropical rainforests 40% of terrestrial ecosystems?
Growing season all year round, fast rate of decomposition and respiration and photosynthesis. Plants grow faster. But respiration is also high, and for a large mature tree in the rainforest, all the glucose made in photosynthesis is used in respiration, so there is no net gain. However, when rainforest plants are immature, their growth rates are huge and biomass gain very high.
Adaptations in animals and plants to survive the harsh winters in the tundra
Animals: Thick fur, small ears (prevent heat loss), white fur (blend into the environment), hibernation/migration.
Plants: Adapted to withstand drying out with leathery leaves or underground storage organs. Growing season may only be eight weeks in the summer.
How do the Hadley Cells work?
At the equator, air is warmed by the Sun and gains energy. This means the air is less dense, there is more space between molecules, and so hot air rises. As it rises, it cools and some water vapour in the air falls as rain. Below these areas, there is a low-pressure zone with less air. The hot air is forced towards the poles (northwards and southwards) away from the equator, so it cools as it receives less of the Sun’s energy. The air becomes more dense and so falls. This increases air pressure because there is more air where the air is more dense and falling. Air moves from higher to lower pressure areas, so moves back towards the equator, replacing the air that rose as it got hotter.
Name all the biomes you can in 45 seconds. (The person who gets the most biomes, gets the points)
Aquatic—freshwater (swamp forests, lakes and ponds, streams and rivers, bogs) and marine (rocky shore, mud flats, coral reef, mangrove swamp, continental shelf, deep ocean) Deserts—hot and cold Grassland—tropical or savanna and temperate Chaparral—hot and dry coastal (with woody shrubs) Forests—tropical, temperate and boreal (taiga) Tundra—Arctic and alpine
Describe the adaptations of plants and animals in the desert
Plants: Adapted to conserve water, often having thick waxy leaves or spines, deep or widespread roots, and the ability to store water (e.g., cacti). Animals: Adapted to survive extreme heat and limited water by being nocturnal, conserving water, and having features like large ears, having no sweat glands or burrowing behaviour to reduce heat exposure.
Describe the structure of the vegetation in the tropical rainforest.
Plants compete for light and so grow tall to absorb it so there is a multi-storey profile to the forests with very tall emergent trees, a canopy of others, an understarey of smaller trees and a shrub layer under. Vines, climbers and orchids live on the larger trees and use them for support (epiphytes). In primary forest, so little light reaches the forest floor that few plants can live here. Nearly all the sunlight has been intercepted before it can reach the ground. Plants have shallow roots as most nutrients are near the surface so they have buttress roots to support them.
Describe the climatic factors in the tundra region
Cold, high winds, little precipitation, presence of permafrost, spring equinox=constant sunlight, growth of plants and boom of animals
Draw the tricellular atmospheric circulation model
*Check the textbook for the diagram* Sorry Miss, I can't put the picture in here. <3