BIOL 2060 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Understory, Atmospheric Circulation, Rain Shadow
13 Sep 2017
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Document Summary
Scientific method: observation > hypothesis > prediction > experiment. Biomes: used to classify/cluster the worlds major ecosystems based on temperature, plant growth and precipitation. Latitude, rain shadow and seasonality all influence the distribution of biomes. Water molecules move faster when there is more energy in the system. Water can exist in gaseous state and move with the air. High temperature allows more water to evaporate. Warmer air is more moist and humid: energy: solar radiation varies with latitude. Incoming radiation is equal, but the curvature of the earth means that land at the equator receives a higher density of radiation than land near the north and south poles. Dilution of the suns energy due to earth"s tilt: solar-driven atmospheric circulation. Earth"s major deserts lie 30 degrees n and s (ferrel cell) At 60 degrees n and s lies the polar cell"s: seasonal variation in temperature.
