Environmental Issues
What term describes the excessive growth of algae in water due to nutrient pollution?
eutrophication
In which biome does consistent rainfall and high humidity support dense vegetation year-round?
tropical rainforest
What is the term for the range of environmental conditions where a species can survive?
range of tolerance
How does the water cycle help regulate the Earth's climate?
heat transfer through evaporation and condensation (convection current)
What warm ocean current affects the climate of northwestern Europe, keeping it milder than other regions at the same latitude?
Gulf Stream
What human activities often cause cultural eutrophication?
agriculture, sewage, and urban runoff
Which biome is characterized by cold winters, short summers, and a layer of snow for most of the year?
tundra
How can climate change affect the range of a species
adaptations, migration patterns, or facing extinction
What greenhouse gas released by the water cycle contributes to global warming?
water vapor
Which cold ocean current influences the climate of the western U.S. and cools coastal regions like California?
cold currents (California Current)
What environmental issue results from pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides reacting with water vapor in the atmosphere?
acid rain
Which biome experiences four distinct seasons with moderate precipitation, including deciduous trees that shed their leaves?
temperate seasonal (deciduous) forest
Which environmental factors shape the range of tolerance for organisms?
temperature, salinity, and water availability
Which atmospheric phenomenon occurs when warm air rises at the equator and cools at 30° latitude, creating dry conditions?
Hadley cells
What type of ocean current redistributes heat around the globe and affects regional climates?
warm ocean currents
How does acid rain affect aquatic ecosystems?
by lowering the pH of water bodies, harming aquatic life
In which biome do grasses dominate with a few scattered trees, and there are distinct wet and dry seasons?
tropical grassland (savanna)
What happens to species when the climate shifts beyond their range of tolerance?
adaptation, migration, or extinction
What climate phenomenon causes periodic disruptions in weather patterns due to warming sea surface temperatures and decrease in upwelling?
El Niño
How do ocean currents impact precipitation patterns?
warm currents increase rainfall and cool currents decrease it
What term refers to human-induced eutrophication leading to hypoxic zones and fish kills?
cultural eutrophication
Which biome is dominated by evergreen trees, experiences long winters, and has a short growing season?
boreal forest (taiga)
What term refers to water entering the ground during the water cycle?
infiltration
What phenomenon occurs when moist air is forced up a mountain range and loses moisture, creating a dry region on the leeward side?
rainshadow effect
How can a change in ocean current patterns due to climate change affect global weather patterns?
by altering temperature, precipitation, and storm activity around the globe