Ch. 7/8 APES: Climate and Biodiversity / Aquatic Biodiversity

compensation point

-amount of light energy captured through photosynthesis that will keep the plant alive -The depth in a lake at which the rate of photosynthesis by plants exactly balances the rate of respiration by plants and animals

aquatic life zones

-aquatic equivalent of biomes - saltwater and freshwater portions of the biosphere that can support life -Areas where life can be sustained under the water. This includes lakes, rivers, streams, the ocean, etc.

polar cells

-cold (60-90 degrees latitude) atmospheric circulation; moist air rises, cools, and releases moisture as rain

freshwater life zones

-lakes, rivers, streams, and inland wetland -Aquatic systems where water with a dissolved salt concentration of less than 1% by volume accumulates on or flows through the surfaces of terrestrial biomes. Examples are standing (lentic) bodies of fresh water such as lakes, ponds, and inland wetlands and flowing (lotic) systems such as streams and rivers.

nekton

-strongly swimming consumers such as fish, turtles, and whales -All organisms that swim actively in open water, independent of currents

ferrel cells

-temperate (30-60 degrees latitude) atmospheric circulation; air cools and descends at lower latitudes

hadley cells

-tropical (0-30 degrees latitude) atmospheric circulation; cell exists at the equator, warm air rises and cools dropping rains at equator, cooled air is pushed polewards (above), dense, dry air descends warms and absorbs moisture (below) ;air rises at the equator and sinks at 30 degrees north or south -rising motions near the equator and -descending motions near the tropics

northeast trade winds

-winds between 0-30°N -blow from the northeast to the southwest (left)

southeast trade winds

-winds between 0-30°S -blow from the southeast to the northwest (left)

three major factors that affect the circulation of air in the lower atmosphere

1. uneven heating of the earth's surface by the fun 2. rotation of the earth on its axis 3. properties of air, water, and land

polar easterlies

27/37. winds between 60-90°N -blow left

northern westerlies

29/35. winds between 30-60°N -blow right

ocean gyre

A circular ocean current formed by the Earth's wind patterns and the forces created by the rotation of the planet.

continental shelf

A gently sloping, shallow area of the ocean floor that extends outward from the edge of a continent

delta

A landform made of sediment that is deposited where a river flows into an ocean or lake

thermohaline circulation

A part of the large-scale ocean circulation that is driven by global density gradients created by surface heat and salinity fluxes.

permafrost

A thick surface layer of soil that remains frozen throughout the year, occuring chiefly in polar regions.

prevailing winds

A wind from the direction that is predominant at a particular place or season.

rain shadow effect

An area having relatively little precipitation due to the effect of a topographic barrier, especially a mountain range, that causes the prevailing winds to lose their moisture on the windward side, causing the leeward side to be dry. (ex: tahoe snowy and wet, as clouds rise above the mountains, lose rain, making nevada dry)

Coriolis Effect

An effect whereby a mass moving in a rotating system experiences a force acting perpendicular to the direction of motion and to the axis of rotation.

desert

Biome in which evaporation exceeds precipitation and the average amount of precipitation is less than 25 cm per year.

ocean conveyor belt

Connects the ocean surfaces and thermohaline (deep mass) circulation regimes transporting heat and salt on a planetary scale.

greenhouse gases

Gases in the Earth's lower atmosphere (troposphere) that cause the greenhouse effect. ex: water vapor, Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), chlorofluorocarbons, and ozone. -- release heat that warms the atmosphere, thus playing a role in determining the earth's average temperatures and its climates.

atmospheric circulation cells

Largest scale movement of air driven by convection. EX:Hadley,Polar,Ferrel cells.

ocean currents

Mass movements of surface water produced by prevailing winds blowing over the oceans.

orographic lifting

Occurs when an air mass is forced from low elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain.

temperate

Of, relating to, or denoting a region or climate characterized by mild temperatures. Often having distinct seasons.

La Nina

Part of the broader Southern Oscillation climate pattern. It is the COLD phase. Warm water is farther west than usual. During this period, the sea surface temperature across the equatorial Eastern Central Pacific Ocean will be lower than normal by 3-5 °C

tropical

Pertaining to, characteristic of, occurring in, or inhabiting the tropics, especially the humid tropics. Ex: A tropical rainforest is a type of ecosystem that occurs roughly within the latitudes 28 degrees north or south of the equator. This ecosystem experiences high average temperatures and a significant amount of rainfall.

climate

Physical properties of the troposphere of an area based on analysis of its weather records over a long period (at least 30 years). Two main factors determing it are average temp and precipitation.

photic zone

Portion of the marine biome that is shallow enough for sunlight to penetrate.

weather

Short-term changes in the temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloud cover, wind direction and speed, and other conditions in the troposphere at a given place and time.

El Nino Southern Oscillation

The effects of a band of sea surface temperatures which are anomalously warm or cold for long periods of time that develops off the western cost of South America and causes climatic changes across the tropics and subtropics.

temperate grassland (prairie)

a biome found in North America, Eurasia, South America and Africa. Characterized by nutrient-rich soil that supports many grass species, a region that has cold winters and rainfall that is intermediate between that of a forest and a desert; characterized by extensive grasses and few trees

cold grassland (arctic tundra)

a type of grassland that lie south of the arctic polar ice cap. These treeless plains are bitterly cold, swept by frigid winds, and covered with ice and snow. They also have permafrost.

human impacts on mountains

agriculture, timber and mineral extraction, hydroelectric dams and reservoirs, air pollution blowing in from urban areas and power plants, soil damage from off-road vehicles

marine life zone

aquatic life zones associated with oceans and their accompanying bays, estuaries, coastal wetlands, shorelines, coral reefs and mangrove forests

thermocline

barrier between the bathyal zone and the abyssal zone

benthic zone

bottom of an aquatic ecosystem; consists of sand and sediment and supports its own community of organisms

abyssal zone

bottom zone of ocean, cold temperatures, no sunlight, "darkness", low dissolved oxygen, high dissolved carbon dioxide, relatively low nutrients, deposit feeders, filter feeders

benthos

bottom-dwelling organisms

human impacts on forests

clearing for agriculture, livestock grazing, timber, and urban development; conversion of diverse forests to tree plantations; damage from off-road vehicles; pollution of forest streams

natural capital: freshwater systems: ecosystem services

climate moderation, nutrient cycling, waste treatment, flood control, groundwater recharge, habitats for many species, genetic resources and biodiversity, scientific information

turbidity

cloudiness in a volume of water; a measure of water clarity in lakes, streams and other bodies of water

properties of 90°

cold; dry

human impacts on grasslands

conversion to cropland, release of CO2 to atmosphere from burning grassland, overgrazing by livestock, oil production and off-road vehicles in arctic tundra

properties of 60°

cool; wet

arid

dry

floodplain zone

flat area, water temperature is higher, slow flow and water is picking up sediment and nutrients. high turbidity and murky waters

natural capital: freshwater systems: economic services

food, drinking water, irrigation water, hydroelectricity, transportation corridors, recreation, employment

marine economic services natural capital

food, energy from waves and tides, pharmaceuticals, harbors and transportation routes, recreation and tourism, employment, minerals

temperate deciduous forest

forest biome that grows in temperate regions where winter and summer climates have variation than those in temperate rain forests; most common forest ecosystems in the United States; contain deciduous trees that lost their leaves in the fall; winter temperates are often below freezing, and snow is common; summers are hot and humid; soil is rich in nutrients and supports a large amount of diverse plant growth

tropical rain forest

forest biome that grows near the equator; receive large amounts of rain and have dense growths of tall, leafy trees; weather is warm and wet year-round; dominated by broad leaf ever green plants

runoff

freshwater from precipitation and melting ice that flows on the earth's surface into nearby streams, lakes, wetlands and reservoirs

limnetic zones

freshwater lake surface of open water, sunlight penetrable section, organisms are short lived and depend on sunlight, main photosynthetic zone, photo-plankton there

transition zone

gentler slopes with fewer obstacles, becomes closer to the sea level, water becomes warmer

natural capital degradation: major human impacts on marine ecosystems

half of coastal wetlands lost to agriculture and urban development, over on-fifth of mangrove forests lost to agriculture, aquaculture, and development, beaches eroding due to development and rising sea levels, ocean-bottom habitats degraded by dredging and trawler fishing, at least 20% of coral reeds severely damaged and 25-33% more threatened

tropical desert

hot and dry, have few plants and a hard windblown surface strewn with rocks and some sand

properties of 0° equator

hot; wet

ocean acidification

increasing levels of acid in the world's oceans

eutrophic lake

lake with a large or excessive supply of plant nutrients, mostly nitrates and phosphates

oligotrophic lake

lake with a low supply of plant nutrients (ex: Lake Tahoe)

mesotrophic lake

lake with a moderate supply of plant nutrients

coastal wetland

land along a coastline, extending inland from an estuary covered with saltwater all or part of the year

drainage basin

land area that delivers water, sediment and dissolved substances via small streams to a major stream

watershed

land area that delivers water, sediment and dissolved substances via small streams to a major stream

inland wetlands

land away from the coast that is covered all or part of the time with freshwater

human impacts on deserts

large desert cities, destruction of soil and underground habitat by off-road vehicles, depletion of groundwater, land disturbance and pollution from mineral extraction

lakes

large natural body of standing freshwater formed when water from precipitation, land runoff, or groundwater flow fills a depression in the earth created by glaciation, earth movement, volcanic activity or a giant meteorite

biomes

large terrestrial regions inhabited by certain types of life and climate. ex: Includes various types of deserts, grasslands, and forests.

northern coniferous forest

largest terrestrial biome, cold long winters (little sunlight), short maybe hot summers (lots of sunlight), cone-bearing trees, moose, Siberian tigers, heavily settled by humans

temperate desert

little precipitation, day temps high in summer and low in winter, widely dispersed, drought-resistant shrubs and cacti and other succulent plants ex. Mojave

cold desert

low annual precipitation frequently in the form of snow, high daytime temps in summer, winters are cold, around freezing in winter, low plant diversity

bathyal zone

middle zone of ocean, cool temperatures, some of sunlight, "twilight", average dissolved oxygen, average dissolved carbon dioxide, average nutrients, zooplankton, smaller fish

source zone

narrow, mountain stream section at high elevation mostly melted snow, cold water, rich in O2

greenhouse effect

natural warming of the troposphere due to heat absorbing molecules that emit longer-wavelength IR that warms the atmosphere.

natural capital degradation: major human impacts on coral reefs

ocean warming, rising ocean acidity, rising sea levels, soil erosion, algae growth from fertilizer runoff, bleaching, increased UV exposure, damage from anchors and from fishing and diving

decomposers

organisms that digests parts of dead organisms and cast-off fragments and wastes of living organisms

cultural eutrophication

overnourishment of aquatic ecosystems with plant nutrients (nitrates & phosphates) because of human activities such as agriculture, urbanization and discharges from industrial plants and sewage treatment plants

marine ecosystem services natural capital

oxygen supplies through photosynthesis, water purification, climate moderation, CO2 absorption, nutrient cycling, reduced storm damage (mangroves, barrier islands, coastal wetlands), biodiversity: species and habitats

open sea

part of ocean that lies beyond the continental shelf

surface water

precipitation that does not infiltrate the ground or return to the atmosphere by evaporation or transpiration

littoral zones

shallow water along the shore, where flowering plants are rooted.

plankton

small plant organisms (phytoplankton) and animal organisms (zooplankton) that float in aquatic ecosystems

intertidal zone

the area of shoreline between low and high tides

convection

the process by which warm, wet air rises, then cools and releases heat and moisture as precipitation, then the cooler, denser, and drier air sinks, warms up, and absorbs moisture as it flows across the earth;s surface to begin the cycle again

euphoric zone

top zone of ocean, warm temperatures, lots of sunlight, "photosynthesis", high dissolved oxygen, low dissolved carbon dioxide, relatively high nutrients, phytoplankton, upwellings are what bring nutrients from below

tropical grassland (savannah)

warm temperatures year round, alternating dry and wet seasons, animals include zebras, scarce vegetation but the lion king trees

coastal zone

warm, nutrient-rich , shallow part of the ocean that extends from the high-tide mark on land to the edge of a shelf-like extension on continental land masses, high temp, lots of sunlight, nutrient rich, high dissolved O2, low dissolves CO2

properties of 30°

warm; dry

freshwater

water that contains very low levels of dissolved salts

profundal zone

zone in a freshwater habitat that is below the limits of effective light penetration