Climate and BiodiversityClimate and Biodiversity

Chapter 5Chapter 5

Sections 1-4Sections 1-4

Key ConceptsKey Concepts

Factors influencing the Earth’s climatesFactors influencing the Earth’s climates

Effect of climate on Earth’s major biomesEffect of climate on Earth’s major biomes

Characteristics of major biome typesCharacteristics of major biome types

Human impacts on the biosphereHuman impacts on the biosphere

Blowing in the Wind Blowing in the Wind

Benefits of windBenefits of wind

Hazards of windHazards of wind

““Red tides”Red tides”

Volcanoes and climateVolcanoes and climate

Everything is connectedEverything is connected

Fig. 5-1, p. 78

Blowing in the Wind Blowing in the Wind

Fig. 5-1, p. 78

Weather and ClimateWeather and Climate

Differences between weather and climateDifferences between weather and climate

Major factors determining climateMajor factors determining climate

• Uneven heating of Earth’s surfaceUneven heating of Earth’s surface

• Earth’s rotationEarth’s rotation

• Properties of air, water, and landProperties of air, water, and land

Fig. 5-2, p. 80

Earth’s Climatic ZonesEarth’s Climatic Zones

60ºN

30ºN

0º

30ºs

60ºS

Cold deserts

Westerlies Forests

Hot desertsNortheast trades

ForestsEquator

Hot deserts

Forests

Southeast trades

Westerlies

Cold deserts

Fig. 5-3, p. 80

Earth’s Rotation and Climate Earth’s Rotation and Climate

Fig. 5-3, p. 80

Fig. 5-4, p. 81Cell 3 South

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 North

Cold,dry air falls

Polar capArctic 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

Global Air Circulation and BiomesGlobal Air Circulation and Biomes

Cold,dry air falls

Effects of Water, Wind, and Land Effects of Water, Wind, and Land on Climateon Climate

Ocean currents and windOcean currents and wind

Gases in the atmosphereGases in the atmosphere

• Greenhouse gases and the Greenhouse EffectGreenhouse gases and the Greenhouse Effect

Topography and local climateTopography and local climate

Microclimates in urban areasMicroclimates in urban areas

Fig. 5-5, p. 82

(a) Rays of sunlight penetrate the lower atmosphere andwarm the earth's surface.

(b) The earth's surface absorbs much of the incoming solar radiation and degrades it to longer-wavelength infrared (IR) radiation, which rises into the lower atmosphere. Some of this IR radiation escapes into spaceas heat and some is absorbed by molecules of greenhouse gases and emitted as even longer wave-length IR radiation, which warms the lower atmosphere.

(c) As concentrations of green-house gases rise, their molecules absorb and emit more infrared radiation, which adds more heat to the lower atmosphere.

Natural Greenhouse Effect Natural Greenhouse Effect

Fig. 5-6, p. 82

Prevailing winds pick up moisture from an ocean.

On the windward side of a mountain range, air rises, cools, and releases moisture.

On the leeward side of the mountain range, air descends, warms, and releases littlemoisture.

Rain ShadowRain Shadow Effect Effect

Dry habitats

Moist habitats

BiomesBiomes

Climate effects on biomesClimate effects on biomes

12 major biomes12 major biomes

Biomes are not uniform (“mosaic of patches”)Biomes are not uniform (“mosaic of patches”)

Effects of latitude and longitudeEffects of latitude and longitude

Fig. 5-7, p. 83Dry woodlands and shrublands (chaparral)

Temperate grassland

Temperate deciduous forest

Boreal forest (taiga), evergreen conifforest (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

Earth’s Major BiomesEarth’s Major Biomes

Fig. 5-8, p. 84

Precipitation and Temperature Precipitation and Temperature Affects Biome TypeAffects Biome Type

Polar

Subpolar

TropicalChaparral

Grassland

Desert

Desert

Scrubland

SavannaDry

Cold

Tundra

Coniferous forest

Decreasing

Temperate

precipitation

Dec

reas

ing

Deciduousforest

Tropicalseasonal

forest

Wet

Ho

t

Rain forest

tem

pera

ture

MountainIce and snow

Altitude

Tundra (herbs,lichens, mosses)

ConiferousForest

Tropical Forest

DeciduousForest

Tropical Forest

DeciduousForest

ConiferousForest

Tundra (herbs,lichens, mosses)

Polar iceand snow

Latitude

Fig. 5-9, p. 85

Effects of Altitude and Latitude Effects of Altitude and Latitude on Climate and Biomeson Climate and Biomes

Biomes: Climates and LifeBiomes: Climates and Life

DesertsDeserts

GrasslandGrassland

ForestsForests

MountainsMountains

Aquatic biomesAquatic biomes

DesertsDeserts

What is a desert?What is a desert?

Tropical desertsTropical deserts

Temperate desertsTemperate deserts

Cold desertsCold deserts

Human impacts on desertsHuman impacts on deserts

Fig. 5-10a, p. 86

Producer to primaryconsumer

Primaryto secondary

consumer

Secondary tohigher-levelconsumer

All producers andconsumers todecomposers

Fungi

Gambel'squail

Red-tailed hawk

Collaredlizard

Jackrabbit

Yucca

Kangaroo rat

Agave

RoadrunnerRoadrunner

Diamondbackrattlesnake

Darklingbeetle

Bacteria

Pricklypearcactus

Temperate Desert EcosystemTemperate Desert Ecosystem

Temperate Desert in Nevada, USATemperate Desert in Nevada, USA

Fig. 5-10b, p. 86

Fig. 5-11, p. 87

Large desert cities

Soil destruction by off-road vehicles and urban development

Soil sanitization from irrigation

Depletion of underground water supplies

Land disturbance and pollution from mineral extraction

Storage of toxic and radioactive wastes

Large arrays of solar cells and solar collectors used to produce electricity

Major Human Impacts on DesertsMajor Human Impacts on Deserts

GrasslandsGrasslands

Effects of drought, herbivores, and firesEffects of drought, herbivores, and fires

SavannaSavanna

Grazers and browsersGrazers and browsers

Temperate grasslandsTemperate grasslands

PrairiesPrairies

TundraTundra

PermafrostPermafrost

Fig. 5-12, p. 88

Producer to primaryconsumer

Primaryto secondary

consumer

Secondary tohigher-levelconsumer

All producers andconsumers todecomposers

Fungi

Bacteria

Golden eagle

Prairiedog

Blue stemgrass

Coyote

Grasshopper

Grasshoppersparrow

Pronghorn antelope

Prairieconeflower

Temperate Tall-grass Prairie EcosystemTemperate Tall-grass Prairie Ecosystem

Replacing Temperate Grassland with Replacing Temperate Grassland with FarmsFarms

Fig. 5-13, p. 88

Arctic Tundra in Winter and SummerArctic Tundra in Winter and Summer

Fig. 5-14, p. 89

Fig. 5-15, p. 89

Natural Capital Degradation

Grasslands

Conversion of savanna and temperate grasslands to cropland

Release of CO2 to atmosphere from burning and conversion of grassland to cropland

Overgrazing of tropical and temperate grasslands by livestock

Damage to fragile arctic tundra by oil production, air and water pollution, and off-road vehicles

Human Impacts on GrasslandsHuman Impacts on Grasslands

ForestsForests

Types of forestsTypes of forests

Tropical rain forestsTropical rain forests

Broadleaf evergreen plantsBroadleaf evergreen plants

Temperate deciduous forestsTemperate deciduous forests

Broadleaf deciduous forestsBroadleaf deciduous forests

Evergreen coniferous forests (boreal and taigas)Evergreen coniferous forests (boreal and taigas)

MuskegsMuskegs

Coastal coniferous (temperate rain) forestsCoastal coniferous (temperate rain) forests

Fig. 5-16, p. 90

Producer to primaryconsumer

Primaryto secondary

consumer

Secondary tohigher-levelconsumer

All producers andconsumers todecomposersFungi

Bacteria Bromeliad

Ants

Tree frog

Green tree snake

Katydid

Climbingmonstera palm

Squirrelmonkeys

Blue andgold

macaw

Harpyeagle

Ocelot

Slaty-tailedtrogon

Tropical Rain Forest EcosystemTropical Rain Forest Ecosystem

Harpyeagle

Tocotoucan

Woolyopossum

Braziliantapir

Black-crownedantpitta

Shrublayer

Canopy

Emergentlayer

Understory

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Hei

gh

t (m

eter

s)

Fig. 5-17, p. 91

Stratification of Niches in a Tropical Rain ForestStratification of Niches in a Tropical Rain Forest

Groundlayer

Fig. 5-18a, p. 92

Producer to primaryconsumer

Primaryto secondary

consumer

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-tailedweasel

May beetle

Mountainwinterberry

Metallic wood- boring beetle and larvae

Temperate Deciduous Forest EcosystemTemperate Deciduous Forest Ecosystem

Temperate Deciduous Forest in Fall Temperate Deciduous Forest in Fall and Winterand Winter

Fig. 5-18b-c, p. 92

Fig. 5-19a, p. 93

Bacteria Bunchberry

Starflower

Fungi

Snowshoehare

Bebbwillow

Moose

Wolf

Balsam fir

Blue jay Greathornedowl

Whitespruce

Pine sawyer beetle and larvae

Marten

Evergreen Coniferous Forest EcosystemEvergreen Coniferous Forest Ecosystem

Producer to primaryconsumer

Primaryto secondary

consumer

Secondary tohigher-levelconsumer

All producers andconsumers todecomposers

Fig. 5-19b, p. 93

Evergreen Coniferous Forest in AlaskaEvergreen Coniferous Forest in Alaska

Fig. 5-20, p. 94

Natural Capital Degradation

Forests

Clearing and degradation of tropical forests for agriculture, livestock grazing, and timber harvesting

Clearing of temperate deciduous forests in Europe, Asia, and North America for timber, agriculture, and urban development

Clearing of evergreen coniferous forests in North America, Finland, Sweden, Canada, Siberia, and Russia

Conversion of diverse forests to less biodiverse tree plantations

Damage to soils from off-road vehicles

Human Impacts on ForestsHuman Impacts on Forests

MountainsMountains

What is a mountain?What is a mountain?

Ecological importance of mountains Ecological importance of mountains

““Islands of biodiversity”Islands of biodiversity”

Climate regulationClimate regulation

Mountain glaciers and effects on sea levelMountain glaciers and effects on sea level

Impact on hydrologic cycleImpact on hydrologic cycle

Human impacts on mountainsHuman impacts on mountains

Fig. 5-21, p. 94

Forests near Mt. Rainer, WashingtonForests near Mt. Rainer, Washington

Fig. 5-22, p. 95

Natural Capital Degradation

Mountains

Landless poor migrating uphill to survive

Hydroelectric dams and reservoirs

Increasing tourism (such as hiking and skiing)

Air pollution from industrial and urban centers

Increased ultraviolet radi-ation from ozone depletion

Timber extraction

Mineral resource extraction

Soil damage from off-road vehicles

Human Impacts on MountainsHuman Impacts on Mountains