CLIMATES AND ECOSYSTEMS (CHAPTER 2)

1
CLIMATES AND ECOSYSTEMS (CHAPTER 2)

• WEATHER AND CLIMATE
• (SECTION 1)

2
WEATHER AND CLIMATE

• Weather conditions in a small area over a short
  period of time.
• Temperature, precip., wind
• Changes constantly
• Climate weather patterns for an area over a
  long period of time.
• elevation, latitude, location
• Changes take longer

3
THE SUN AND THE EARTH

• The Greenhouse Effect (pg. 73)
• The suns rays reflect off of the earth
  become trapped b/n it the atmo.
• End result gt Global Warming?
• Rotation earth spinning on its axis
• Tilted at 23 ½
• From East to West
• Every 24 hours
• Sun does shine on the earth at all times.

4

• Revolution earths trip around the sun.
• Takes 365 ¼ days
• Causes seasons amount of daylight.
• Solstice longest shortest days.
• Sun directly over the Tropics.
• June 21 December 21
• Equinox equal day and night.
• Sun directly over the Equator.
• March 21 September 23

5
DIAGRAM PAGE 64

• Latitude and Climate
• Suns direct rays never go beyond the Tropics.
• Climate Zones
• Low gt Tropical Zones gt 0 - 23½
• Middle gt Temperate Zones gt 23½ - 66½
• High gt Polar Zones gt 66½ - 90
• Will experience 24 hours of daylight darkness
  due to the tilt of the axis.

6
WINDS

• Air moving from high pressure areas to low
  pressure areas.
• Prevailing Winds
• Diagram Page 66
• Doldrums calm area near the Equator.
• Trade Winds from the tropics to the equator.
• Westerlies from west to east.
• Polar Easterlies somewhat east to west toward
  the circles.

7
CURRENTS (pg. 67)

• Def. rivers flowing in the oceans.
• Flow clockwise in N.H., counter in S.H.
• Cold flow from poles to Equator.
• Warm flow from Equator to poles.
• The Water Cycle
• Diagram page 68

8
OTHER INFLUENCES ON CLIMATE

• Large bodies of water.
• Heat cool less quickly than land.
• Help regulate temp.s
• Elevation
• Air temp. decreases 3.5 every 1,000 feet.
• Landforms
• Rain Shadow