Climate and Biomes.ppt

What Causes Climate?

Climate



General conditions of

Two factors that

determine climate

1.

Temperature

3 Factors That Affect Temperature

1.

• Distance north and south of equator • Measured in degrees ()

• Equator

• 0 latitude

• Direct rays from sun • Warmer temperatures • Poles

2.

Elevation

• Altitude; distance above sea level • Elevation increase = temperature

decrease

3.

Ocean Currents

• “River” of water flowing in ocean with definite path

• Warm water currents flow away from equator

• Cold water currents flow toward equator

• Land areas near warm currents have warm temperatures

2 Factors That Affect

Precipitation

1.

Prevailing Winds

• Wind that blows from one direction more than any other

• Winds formed from rising warm, moist air bring precipitation

• Winds formed from cooling, sinking air bring little precipitation

• Sea breezes

• Form over water, bring more precipitation

• Land breezes

2.

Mountain Ranges

• Cause air to rise and cool

• Cool air cannot hold as much moisture so it rains or snows

• Windward side (facing wind) gets precipitation

3 Main Climate Zones

1.

• 60 to 90 latitude

• Average temp. Below 0C • Little precipitation

2.

• 30 to 60 latitude

• Varies from warm summers to cold winters • Most of USA

3.

Tropical Zone

• Equator to 30 latitude • High temperatures

• High humidity



Marine Climate

– Near large bodies of water – More precipitation

– Warm summers – Mild winters



Continental Climate

– Within a large landmass – Drier, less precipitation – Hot summers



Marine (wet) climates and

continental (dry) climates are



Climate

– Changes slowly over time



If half of

Antarctica and

half of Greenland

melt, water will

Sea-level rise projections : a few inches to a few feet

•_{2 ft: U.S. would lose 10,000 square miles} •_{3 ft: Would inundate Miami}

•_{Affects erosion, loss of wetlands, freshwater supplies} •_{Half of the world’s population lives along coasts}

Ice Ages



Earth’s surface covered with ice



Called

major glaciations

4 in the last 2 million years



Possible causes

– Change in Earth tilt

– Change in Earth’s orbit around sun



Interglacial

– period between ice

Drifting Continents



All of Earth’s landmasses were

once a supercontinent



Pangea separated and continents

moved apart



Caused temperature and

Possible Causes for

Extinction of Dinosaurs



Climate changes due to

continental drift

Greenhouse Effect



Burning fossil fuels increases CO



CO

traps heat and raises

Causes for

Short Term

Climate Changes



Global winds



Ocean currents

– El Nino

– Temporary warm water current

Produce more fuel-efficient vehicles Reduce vehicle use

Improve energy-efficiency in buildings Develop carbon capture and storage

processes

Triple nuclear power Increase solar power

Decrease deforestation/plant forests

Biome



Large region of Earth that has

Terrestrial (land) biomes

TUNDRA

 Treeless

 Near North Pole

 Cold temperatures  Little rainfall

 Permafrost – permanently frozen ground

 Grasses, mosses, lichens, Caribou,

CONIFEROUS FOREST



Cone-bearing conifer trees

(spruce, pine)



Long, cold winters



Moose, black bears, deer,

DECIDUOUS FOREST



Cold winters; warm summers



Trees shed leaves in fall –

prevents water loss



Maple, oak trees,



Squirrels, deer, foxes, raccoons,

TROPICAL RAIN FOREST



½ of all animal species on Earth

Near equator



Warm all year

GRASSLANDS

DESERTS



Very little water

Cacti

MARINE BIOME



Largest biome on Earth

Salt water



Ocean, intertidal zone, and estuary



Intertidal - area of high and low

tides



Estuary - fresh water flows into

FRESH WATER BIOME



Still-water – lakes, ponds