chapter 6 weather, climate, and biomes. driving question what’s the difference between weather and...

Chapter 6

Weather, Climate, and Biomes

Driving Question

What’s the difference between weather and climate?

Physical properties of the troposphere of an area based on analysis of its weather records over a long period (at least 30 years). The two main factors determining an area's climate are temperature, with its seasonal variations, and the amount and distribution of precipitation.

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. Result of interactions between high and low pressure air masses.

Summarize how warm fronts, cold fronts, high-pressure air masses, and low-pressure air masses effect weather

Fronts: Air masses with different temperatures moving into one another

Cold fronts force warm air to rise and condense forming thunderheads

Warm fronts have warm air moving over cold air - as air rises moisture condenses to eventually form clouds ( warm moist front could lead to many cloudy rainy days)

Figure 6-2Page 111

Coolair mass

Warm air mass

Cool air mass

Anvil top

Warm air mass

High Pressure

Cool dense air moves toward the ground and warms up

= nice weather

Low Pressure

Warm air moves toward the lower pressure center of the low and then rises, cools and moisture condenses, forming clouds and perhaps precipitation.

Moist surface warmed by sun

Flows toward low pressure,picks up moisture and heat

Warm,dry air

Hot, wetair

Falls, is compressed, warms Rises, expands, cools

Heat releasedradiates to space

LOWPRESSURE

HIGHPRESSURE

Cool, dryair

Condensationand

precipitation

HIGHPRESSURE

HIGHPRESSURE

LOWPRESSURE

LOWPRESSURE

Figure 6-10 Page 117

H

L

Driving question 2

What are five different factors which contribute to global air-circulation patterns

1. Uneven heating of the earth’s surface

2. Seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation

3. Rotation of the earth on its axis

4. Long-term variations in the amount of solar energy striking the earth

5. Properties of air and water

Initial pattern of air circulation

Deflections in the paths of air flownear the earth’s surface

30°S

Easterlies

Westerlies

Southeasttradewinds

(Doldrums)

Northeasttradewinds

Westerlies(from the west)

Easterlies(from the east)

60°S

equator

30°N

60°N

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Bro

oks

/Co

le –

Th

om

son

Lea

rnin

g

Cell 3 South

Cold,dry air falls

Moist air rises — rain

Cell 2 South

Cool, dryair falls

Cell 1 South

Moistair rises,cools, andreleasesmoistureas rain

Cell 1 North

Cool, dryair falls

Cell 2 North

Moist air rises — rain

Cell 3 NorthCold,dry airfalls

Polar cap

Arctic tundra

60°

30°

0°

30°

60°

Polar cap

Evergreenconiferous forest

Temperate deciduousforest and grassland

Desert

Tropical deciduous forest

EquatorTropical rain forest

Tropical deciduous forest

DesertTemperate deciduousforest and grassland

Figure 6-11Page 118

Driving Question 3

How do ocean currents generally redistribute heat?

Figure 6-12Page 118Warm

current Coolair

Convectioncell

Coolcurrent

Warmair

Equator

Solarradiation

Warmwater

Warmcurrent

Polarfront

Coolcurrent

Coldwater

Polar (ice)

Subarctic (snow)

Cool temperate

Warm temperate

Dry

Tropical

Highland

Major upwelling zones

Warm ocean current

Cold ocean current

River

Figure 6-7Page 116

Driving Question 4

Describe an upwelling and how it might be affected by an El Nino-Southern Oscillation.

Wind

Movement ofsurface water

Diving birds

Nutrients

Upwelling

Fish

Zooplankton

Phytoplankton

Figure 6-13Page 119

Normal Conditions

Cold water

Warm water

Thermocline

SOUTHAMERICA

Warm waterspushed westward

AUSTRALIA

EQUATOR

Surface windsblow westward

Figure 6-14 (1)Page 119

El Niño Conditions

Cold water

Thermocline

Warm waterWarm water deepens offSouth America

SOUTHAMERICA

Warm waterflow stoppedor reversed

AUSTRALIA

EQUATOR

Drought inAustralia andSoutheast Asia

Winds weaken,causing updraftsand storms

Figure 6-14 (2)Page 119

NOAA

Youtube 1

Youtube 2

Annimation

NOAA – El Nino, La Nina

El Niño

Unusually warm periods

Unusually high rainfall

Drought

Figure 6-15Page 120

Driving Question 6

Describe the general effects of the following microclimates: windward and leeward sides of a mountain, forests, cities

a Winds carrymoisture inland

from Pacific Ocean

b Clouds, rain onwindward side ofmountain range

c Rain shadow onleeward side ofmountain range

Moist habitats

Dry habitats

Figure 6-18Page 122

Cool airdescends

Land warmer thansea; breeze flowsonshore

Warm air ascends

Figure 6-19 (1)Page 122

Warm air ascends Land cooler than

sea; breeze flowsoffshore

Cool airdescends

Figure 6-19 (2)Page 122

Figure 6-22Page 124

MountainIce and snow

Altitude

Tundra (herbs,lichens, mosses)

ConiferousForest

Tropical Forest

DeciduousForest

Tropical Forest

DeciduousForest

ConiferousForest

Tundra (herbs,lichens, mosses)

Polar iceand snow

Latitude

Dry woodlands and shrublands (chaparral)

Temperate grassland

Temperate deciduous forest

Boreal forest (taiga), evergreen coniferousforest (e.g., montane coniferous forest)

Arctic tundra (polar grasslands)

Tropical savanna,thorn forest

Tropical scrub forest

Tropical deciduous forest

Tropical rain forest,tropical evergreen forest

Desert

Ice

Mountains(complex zonation)

Semidesert,arid grassland

Tropic ofCapricorn

Equator

Tropic ofCancer

Figure 6-20Page 123

The following material is your responsibility.

Objective 7

7. Describe how climate affects the distribution of plant life on Earth. Draw connections between biomes and the following plants, which are particularly adapted for different biomes: succulent plants, broadleaf evergreen plants, broadleaf deciduous plants, coniferous evergreen plants.

Figure 6-35Page 136

Temperate coniferous forests Temperate deciduous forests Tropical rain forests

Objective 8

8. Compare the climate and adaptations of plants and animals in deserts, grasslands, and forests. Describe the distinctive qualities of a chaparral ecosystem. Be sure to distinguish among the three major kinds of forests.

Objective 9

9. Compare the biodiversity and stratification in the three major kinds of forests.

Producer to primaryconsumer

Primaryto secondaryconsumer

Secondary tohigher-levelconsumer

All producers andconsumers todecomposers

Fungi

Bacteria

Golden eagle

Prairiedog

Blue stemgrassBlue stemgrass

CoyoteCoyote

GrasshopperGrasshopper

GrasshoppersparrowGrasshoppersparrow

Pronghorn antelopePronghorn antelope

PrairieconeflowerPrairieconeflower

Figure 6-30Page 131

Producer toprimaryconsumer

Primary to secondaryconsumer

Secondary tohigher-levelconsumer

All consumersand producers to decomposers

Lemming

Arcticfox

Horned lark

Mosquito

Grizzly bear

Long-tailed jaeger

Caribou

Willow ptarmiganWillow ptarmigan

Snowy owlSnowy owl

Dwarf willowDwarf willow

Mountain cranberryMountain cranberry

Moss campionMoss campion

Figure 6-32Page 133

Producer to primaryconsumer

Primaryto secondaryconsumer

Secondary tohigher-levelconsumer

All producers andconsumers todecomposers

Fungi

Bacteria

Bromeliad

Ants

Tree frog

Green tree snake

Katydid

Climbingmonstera palm

Squirrelmonkeys

Blue andgold macaw

Harpyeagle

Ocelot

Slaty-tailedtrogon

Slaty-tailedtrogon

Figure 6-34Page 135

Harpyeagle

Tocotoucan

Woolyopossum

Braziliantapir

Black-crownedantpitta

Shrublayer

Canopy

Emergentlayer

UnderstoryUnderstory

GroundlayerGroundlayer

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45H

eigh

t (m

eter

s)

Figure 6-37 Page 137

Producer to primaryconsumer

Primaryto secondaryconsumer

Secondary tohigher-levelconsumer

All producers andconsumers todecomposers

Bacteria

Fungi

Wood frog

Racer

Shagbark hickory

White-taileddeer

White-footedmouse

White oak

Graysquirrel

Hairywoodpecker

Broad-wingedhawk

Long-tailedweaselLong-tailedweasel

May beetleMay beetle

MountainwinterberryMountainwinterberry

Metallic wood-boringbeetle and

Metallic wood- boring beetle and larvae

Figure 6-38Page 138

Producer to primaryconsumer

Primaryto secondaryconsumer

Secondary tohigher-levelconsumer

All producers andconsumers todecomposers

Bacteria Bunchberry

Starflower

Fungi

Snowshoehare

Bebbwillow

Moose

Wolf

Balsam fir

Blue jay Greathornedowl

Greathornedowl

WhitespruceWhitespruce

Pine sawyer beetle and larvae

Pine sawyer beetle and larvae

MartenMarten

Figure 6-40Page 140

Objective 10

Describe how a mountain ecosystem is like an "island of biodiversity."