Climate and Biodiversity

Chapter 5

Climate and Biodiversity

• How are climates determined?• What is the climate’s affect on

terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems?• What is the affect of climate on

biodiversity?

Wind: one aspect of climate• Wind important factor in earth’s

climate – Circulates heat, moisture, plant

nutrients, and long-lived pollutants– There is no “away”http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?2260

http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?10008

http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?2956

Factors that Influence ClimateAn area’s climate is determined

mostly by solar radiation, the earth’s rotation, global patterns of air and water movement, gases in the atmosphere, and the earth’s surface features.

Many Different Climates

• Weather, what we get– Local, short-term– Lower atmosphere– Supplement 10 (S43-47)

• Climate, what we expect– General pattern, long-term

Many Different Climates

• Climate– Average Temperature– Average precipitation determine

climate– Latitude and elevation determine

average temperature and precipitation

Earth's Climate = Natural Capital

• Global air circulation and ocean currents distribute heat and

precipitation unevenly

Earth's Climate = Natural Capital

Global Air Circulation

• Three factors– Uneven heating of earth’s surface

• Solar insolation– Rotation of the earth

• Equator spins faster, air masses are deflected

– Variations in properties of air, water, and land• Land heats faster than water, ocean

heat transferred to atmosphere, creates cells

Air Circulation and Climate

Animations/global_circ_anim.html

Energy Transfer by Convection

Air Circulation

Animations/global_circ_int.html

Global Air Circulation: heat & moisture distributed by vertical currents

POLAR CELL

FERRELL CELL

HADLEY CELL

HADLEY CELL

FERRELL CELL

POLAR CELL

Earth’s Prevailing Winds

http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/tlw3/eBridge/Chp29/animations/ch29/global_wind_circulation.swf

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/brainbites/nonflash/bb_home_corioliseffect.html

Prevailing winds affect Global Ocean Currents

Climate and Ocean Currents Map

Animations/climate_currents_v2.html

Prevailing winds affect Global Ocean Currents

• Creates surface currents• Affects regional climates (San Diego

vs.. Georgia)

Prevailing winds affect Global Ocean Currents

• Warm and cold currents created by differences in water density

• Altered by earth’s rotation and continents

• Redistributes heat, mixes ocean waters, and distributes nutrients and oxygen

Global Currents

• Loop of deep and shallow ocean currents

• Moves energy and nutrients around the globe

Animations/upwelling.html

Global Currents

• Ocean and atmosphere closely linked– Currents affected by winds– Ocean heat affects atmospheric

circulationEl Nino Southern Oscillation

Animations/el_nino.html

2006 Hurricane Season

Videos/2006_Hurrican_Season.mov

Greenhouse Gases affect on Climate• Warm the lower atmosphere

• Global warming may cause changes in the climate in various places

Animations/greenhouse_effect.html

Animations/greenhouse_gases.html

Videos/Global_Warming.mov

Earth’s Surface Features and Climate• Heat absorbed and released

more slowly by water than by land

• Large bodies of water moderate climate

Animations/sea_breeze.html

Earth’s Surface Features and Climate

Earth’s Surface Features and Climate

• Movement of moist ocean air across a mountain– Rain and snow on windward side– Rain shadow on leeward side

Earth’s Surface Features and Climate

• North America – Death Valley

(Great Basin, Chihuahuan, Sonoran, Mojave)

• South America – Atacama,

Patagonia and Monte

Earth’s Surface Features and Climate• Man made features also affect

climate– Heat islands