Definitions
Climate factors
Natural condition or situation that affects the climate characteristics of a place
Relief
Difference in elevation between highest and lowest area
Monthly temperatures
Changes to the hottest and coldest monthly temperatures tell us whether there is a warming or cooling trend
Natural processes that affect vegetation regions
Climate change - The climate of the earth is affected by natural occurrences such as volcanic eruptions, orbital changes and the currents of the ocean
Soil erosion - The breaking down and depleting of soil. Wind and water often remove the topsoil.
Climate change
Can affect regions by raising the temperature and changing weather patterns.
A flow of water within an ocean influenced by winds, gravity and spinning of Earth on its axis
Relief precipitation
Rain or snow that occurs as a result of air rising over Mountains
Temperature ranges
Tells us whether the range is becoming larger, with hotter summers and colder winters, or whether the range is becoming smaller, with cooler summers and warmer winters
Deforestation
Result of forests being purposefully cut down and cleared for reasons such as creating lumber or creating clear land for farming.
Air masses and wind
air masses-large volume of air
Trade winds-winds that blow towards equator
Prevailing winds-usual or common winds
Bodies of water
Different major parts of water provide moisture to nearby land and water evaporates and wind character carries it
Precipitation totals
Tells us whether there is more or less precipitation
Uses of pesticides and fertilizers
Chemicals that are sprayed on crops to control insects and diseases that can damage crops in agriculture. Fertilizers are materials that help plants grow.
Latitude
How far north or south a place is from equator
0 degrees = on equator
The three conditions that are measured by meteorologist
Temperature - (maximum) highest bracket daily temperature and minimum (lowest) daily temperature
Precipitation - amount of moisture in the air relative humidity and cloud cover amount and type of clouds
Wind conditions - wind speed and wind direction
Precipitation patterns
Tells us whether there are drier summers or wetter winters
Farming
Positive- able to grow large crops of plants or to raise many animals for food.
Negative- animals can damage plants and leave damaged and fouled land.
Elevation
As elevation increases it becomes colder and decreases its warmer because of air density
The five parts of the climate system
Earth's surface, The atmosphere, All water on Earth, All ice on Earth, All life on Earth
Natural vegetation regions
Grasslands - A flat landscape covered in diverse grasses and can be found all over the world
Forests - A landscape covered in many kinds of trees, ferns and other plants
Deserts - A hot and dry landscape with very little vegetation and almost no rainfall and the soil is sandy and rocky
Tundra - A cold landscape with grasses, shrubs and mosses
Ice Sheets - A landscape covered in ice and snow
Invasive species introduction
Any kind of organism including insects and animals that is introduced to a new region. They can take over an area and harm the plants that naturally live there.