APES Unit 4 - Notes, Progress Check, and Quiz Questions

forest watershed

Evapotranspiration dominant High infiltration, little runoff

Alfred Weigner

First proposed the theory of continental drift

Which of the following combinations correctly identifies and explains the effects of the differences in the distribution of solar radiation on Earth?

Global wind patterns are created because uneven solar radiation results in warm air at low latitudes and cool air at high latitudes, resulting in density differences between the air masses.

During a La Niña event, what environmental changes would the tropical Pacific Ocean and its surrounding landmasses most likely experience?

Increased upwelling off the coast of South America resulting in increased productivity of fisheries

Hadley cells

a large-scale atmospheric convection cell in which air rises at the equator and sinks at medium latitudes, typically about 30° north or south.

base saturation

a measure of the proportion of soil bases to soil acids, expressed as a percentage

La Nina

"Normal" year, easterly trade winds are stronger and ocean currents cool warm water in the western Pacific, allowing upwelling of nutrient-rich water off the West coast of South America. Pushes rainfall further out to sea, Australia and Indonesia get less rainfall than usual. Average global temperatures are usually cooler than usual.

Which of the following best describes why understanding a watershed and its boundaries is important in designing housing developments along a river?

Surface water and stormwater runoff will drain downstream within the watershed boundaries, so it is important to understand the flow of water through the watershed.

Hoover Dam is the largest dam in the United States, built on the Colorado River to supply hydroelectric power and flood control. Which of the following best describes a downstream environmental effect of Hoover Dam on the Colorado River watershed?

The damming of the Colorado River led to a change in stream flow, preventing river water and sediments from reaching the delta area. One of the major drawbacks of damming a river, like the Colorado River, is that the watershed downstream is altered by decreased stream flow and decreased sediment accumulation. When river water no longer reaches the delta (as is often the case with the Colorado River), the lower parts of the river basin can experience an increase in salinity and other chemicals.

upwelling

The movement of deep, cold, and nutrient-rich water to the surface

Exosphere

The outer layer of the thermosphere, extending outward into space.

Porosity

The percentage of the total volume of a rock or sediment that consists of open spaces.

El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

The periodic changes in winds and ocean currents, causing cooler and wetter conditions in the southeastern United States and unusually dry weather in southern Africa and Southeast Asia. Tropical trade winds from the east weaken or reverse in direction and suppress the normal upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water. Warmer waters move towards South America. Peru and the southern US experience more rainfall than usual. Global temperatures are usually warmer.

sedimentary rock

a rock that forms from compressed or cemented layers of sediment

hot spot

a short section of volcanoes without earthquakes found away from plate boundaries. The Hawaiian Islands are an example of a hot spot.

igneous rock

a type of rock that forms from the cooling of molten rock at or below the surface

characteristics of watersheds

area, length, slope, soil, vegetation types, and divides with adjoining watersheds

Very old soils may be...

nutrient-poor due to plants and water leaching nutrients

Properties of soil are determined by

parent material, climate, topography, organisms, time

soil development from below

physical breakdown of rocks and primary materials (newly exposed minerals) provide raw material

Permeability of soil particles

sand > silt > clay

Size and weight of soil particles

sand > silt > clay

wayward side of a mountain

side of mountain where the air ascends and precipitation forms

The vast majority of ozone (O3) is found in a thin layer due to a lack of circulation in which of the following atmospheric layers?

stratosphere; The stratosphere contains the ozone layer, which is thin because the air within the stratosphere does not circulate (unlike the air in the troposphere).

A layer of soil

surface soil/topsoil, organic material mixed with mineral material, most biological activity

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

the ability of a particular soil to absorb and release cations; nutrient holding capacity; clay, and organic material have high CECs

focus/hypocenter

the point of origin of an earthquake.

climate

the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period.

Atmospheric pressure is caused by

the weight of the air above

Which of the following layers of the atmosphere contains charged gas molecules that glow and produce light when hit by solar energy, leading to glowing gases such as the northern lights, found over 90 kilometers above Earth's surface?

thermosphere; Correct. The thermosphere is found between 80 and 600 kilometers above Earth's surface. Here the charged gas molecules can glow and produce light when hit by solar energy and can be viewed from Earth. In the northern United States, Canada, and northern Europe, these glowing gases are known as aurora borealis.

Layers of the atmosphere

troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere

B layer of soil

(subsoil) Rich in minerals that leached (moved down) from the A or E horizons and accumulated here.

acid rain effects

- acidification of soils and trees - impaired visibility - human health: asthma, bronchitis, emphysema - decays limestone, marble (statues, gravestones, buildings, bridges)

Anthropogenic soil degradation

- topsoil plowed and removed, increases erosion - compaction of soil by humans, animals, and machines (soil dries up due to compaction from a decreased ability to retain water)

Air circulation patterns

-high temperatures in tropics cause evaporation -warm, wet air rises, cools, then rains in tropics -dry air then pushed toward poles -cooler air sinks, warms, absorbs moisture, making subtropical deserts

Troposphere

0-17 km above Earth's surface, site of weather, organisms, contains most atmospheric water vapor. (temperature decreases with increasing altitude, pressure decreases)

What is the importance of the atmosphere?

1. provides O2 and Co2 2. absorbs solar radiation 3. moderates climate 4. transports and recycles water and nutrients

Stratosphere

2nd layer of atmosphere; extends from 10 to 30 miles up; location of ozone layer; absorbs 95% of Ultraviolet radiation; temperature increases with altitude increase.

Mesosphere

3rd layer of the atmosphere; temperature decreases with increasing altitude

composition of the atmosphere

78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% other gases; as well as liquid and solid water (clouds) and microbes, particles of dust, ash, salt, etc, and variable gases (CO2, methane, ozone)

gyre

A large-scale pattern of water circulation that moves clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere

divergent boundary

A plate boundary where two plates move away from each other; causes mid-ocean ridges, seafloor spreading, and rifts

transform boundary

A plate boundary where two plates move past each other in opposite directions; forms earthquakes

Pangea

A supercontinent containing all of Earth's land that existed about 225 million years ago.

convergent boundary

A tectonic plate boundary where two plates collide, come together, or crash into each other; cause volcanoes, island arcs, tsunamis, mountain ranges , earthquakes, and subduction zones

metamorphic rock

A type of rock that forms from an existing rock that is changed by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions.

Coriolis effect

Causes moving air and water to turn left in the southern hemisphere and turn right in the northern hemisphere due to Earth's hemisphere.

Would many rivers be found on the leeward side of a mountain?

It will have a rain shadow effect and thus be dry. For this reason, it is unlikely that many rivers would be found on this side of the mountain range.

When is the Earth closest to the Sun?

January

oceanic gyres

Large system of circular ocean currents formed by global wind patterns and forces created by Earth's rotation

Peru's commercial anchovy industry would most likely be harmed during an El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event. Which of the following is the most likely explanation for the decline in anchovy during an El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event?

Less nutrient-rich water reaches surface waters, disrupting the food web.

epicenter

Point on Earth's surface directly above an earthquake's focus

rain shadow effect

Precipitation falls on the windward side of a mountain range, resulting in lush vegetation & a warm, moist climate on one side, but a desert area on the leeward side.

A developer wants to develop a large tract of land near a watershed, which will require the removal of several large trees. Which of the following statements best describes the impact that the development would have on the watershed?

Removing large trees that are present near a watershed would increase the effects of sunlight, keeping the water and soil warmer. This would increase thermal pollution and provide a less stable temperature for organisms.

The Chesapeake Bay is a watershed that is located in six states and the District of Columbia. Which of the following can cause an increase in water pollution in the watershed?

Runoff from impervious surfaces (for example, stormwater that washes off of the road) can pollute the watershed and harm fish.

desert watershed

Sandy, porous soil Little rainfall, no stream development Limited groundwater recharge

mountainous watershed

Steep gradient, less porous soil (more rocky) Less infiltration, high runoff Downstream areas vulnerable to flooding

Which of the following is the best explanation for the formation of Hadley cells in the tropics, between 30°N and 30°S latitude?

The Sun warms the moist air at the equator and causes it to rise because of its lower density. As the warm air moves away from the equator, it cools, becomes denser, and then sinks. In the Northern Hemisphere the cooler air moves north to south, and in the Southern Hemisphere it moves south to north. This circulation is called a tropical (Hadley) cell. The process forms a high-pressure region at 30 degrees latitude where air sinks.

Which of the following should be included in a watershed map to best determine the non-point source of a pollutant, such as fertilizer, found in a river?

The land use upstream of the river and water quality indicators in streams that run downstream into the river

O layer of soil

The top, organic layer of soil, made up mostly of leaf litter and humus (decomposed organic matter).

Thermosphere

The uppermost layer of the atmosphere, in which temperature increases as altitude increases; first layer that gets solar energy

Which of the following is the best explanation for the deflection of the trade winds in both hemispheres?

The wind is deflected west because of Earth's rotation. Earth rotates faster near the equator than at the poles, and therefore the path of the air current is deflected to the west as seen in the diagram above.

In the desert regions of the southwestern United States, daily high and low temperatures will frequently fluctuate by 40°F40°F (33°C)(33°C) or more. Which statement below best explains the large variation in temperature?

There are no bordering oceans or large bodies of water to provide a stabilizing humidity to the air. Humidity in the air tends to stabilize temperature and prevent large fluctuations. Temperatures in regions with dry air will increase and decrease rapidly.

wetland watershed

Water is not a limiting factor High rainfall, high runoff Dominant evaporation

During an El Niño event, farmers in the southwestern United Stated often benefit from which of the following climatic changes?

Wetter and warmer weather that increases soil moisture. The southwestern United States experiences warmer and wetter seasonal climates during an El Niño event. A strong El Niño event can benefit the Southwest by moistening nutrient-rich soils.

climate zones

a large area of Earth with a particular pattern of weather; polar, subpolar, temperate, subtropical, and tropical

agricultural watersheds

barren fields, compact soil, less infiltration. Fewer streams Application of fertilizers and manure changes structure

R layer of soil

bedrock; unweathered parent material

weather

day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere, including temperature, precipitation, and other factors

soil development from above

deposition of organic material from dead organisms and their waste

leeward side of a mountain

dry and warm due to compression (high pressure)

inner core

extremely hot, solid sphere of mostly iron and nickel

climate patterns are determined by

global air circulation, ocean currents, angle of sun's rays

crust

hard and rigid, only 5 km thick under oceans and 30 km thick under continents

mantle

has two regions- upper and lower, dense layer made of hot semi-solid rock

coastal watershed

high rainfall, no channel control, local flooding, high water table, saltwater intrusion

E layer of soil

in some acidic soils, metals and nutrients are leached or eluviated from above

C layer of soil

least weathered and similar to parent material

outer core

liquid layer of mostly iron and nickel

urban watersheds

natural water flow pattern greatly altered; high runoff, vulnerable to flooding fixed land use - precipitation changes all that matter