BIOB50H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Epilimnion, Westerlies, Coriolis Force
Document Summary
The physical environment is the ultimate determinant of where organisms can live, the resources that are available to them, and the rate at which their populations can grow. The physical environment includes climate, which consists of long-term trend in temperature, wind and precipitation. Radiation from the sun ultimately drives the climate system as well as biological energy production. Another aspect of the physical environment is the chemical composition of air and water, which includes salinity (concentration of dissolved salts), acidity, and concentrations of gases in the atmosphere and dissolved in water. Soil is an important component of the physical environment because it is a medium in which microorganisms, plants and animals live. Soil also influences the availability of critical resources, particularly water nutrients. Weather: the current temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind and cloud cover. Climate: the long-term description of weather at a given location, based on averages and variations measured over decades.