Climate and Terrestrial Biodiversity

1
Climate and Terrestrial Biodiversity

• Chapter 7

2
Dust Blown from West Africa to the Amazonian Rain
Forests
3
7-1 What Factors Influence Climate?

• Concept 7-1 An area's climate is determined
  mostly by solar radiation, the earths rotation,
  global patterns of air and water movement, gases
  in the atmosphere, and the earths surface
  features.

4
The Earth Has Many Different Climates (1)

• Weather
• Climate
• Air circulation in lower atmosphere due to
• Uneven heating of the earths surface by the sun
• Rotation of the earth on its axis
• Properties of air, water, and land

5
The Earth Has Many Different Climates (2)

• Currents
• Prevailing winds
• Earths rotation
• Redistribution of heat from the sun
• Link between air circulation, ocean currents, and
  biomes

6
Natural Capital Generalized Map of the Earths
Current Climate Zones
7
Global Air Circulation
8
Energy Transfer by Convection in the Atmosphere
9
Global Air Circulation, Ocean Currents, and Biomes
10
Warm, less salty, shallow current
Cold, salty, deep current
Fig. 7-5, p. 143
11
Greenhouse Gases Warm the Lower Atmosphere

• Greenhouse gases
• H2O
• CO2
• CH4
• N2O
• Greenhouse effect
• Human-enhanced global warming

12
Flow of Energy to and from the Earth
13
The Earths Surface Features Affect Local Climates

• Heat absorption by land and water
• Effect of
• Mountains
• Rain shadow effect
• Cities
• Microclimates

14
Rain Shadow Effect
15
7-2 How Does Climate Affect the Nature and
Locations of Biomes?

• Concept 7-2 Differences in average annual
  precipitation and temperature lead to the
  formation of tropical, temperate, and cold
  deserts, grasslands, and forests, and largely
  determine their locations.

16
Climate Affects Where Organisms Can Live

• Major biomes
• Latitude and elevation
• Annual precipitation
• Temperature

17
The Earths Major Biomes
18
Generalized Effects of Elevation and Latitude on
Climate and Biomes
19
Stepped Art
Fig. 7-11, p. 149
20
Stepped Art
Fig. 7-12, p. 151
21
Monoculture Crop Replacing Biologically Diverse
Temperate Grassland
22
Chaparral Vegetation in California, U.S.
23
Santa Monica Mountains, CA
24
Stepped Art
Fig. 7-15, p. 154
25
45
Harpy eagle
Emergent layer
40
35
Toco toucan
Canopy
30
25
Height (meters)
20
Under story
Wooly opossum
15
10
Brazilian tapir
Shrub layer
5
Black-crowned antpitta
Ground layer
0
Fig. 7-17, p. 156
26
Temperate Rain Forest in Washington State, U.S.
27
Mountains Play Important Ecological Roles

• Majority of the worlds forests
• Habitats for endemic species
• Help regulate the earths climate
• Can affect sea levels
• Major storehouses of water
• Role in hydrologic cycle

28
Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State,
U.S.
29
More Mountains!
30
7-3 How Have We Affected the Words Terrestrial
Ecosystems?

• Concept 7-3 In many areas, human activities are
  impairing ecological and economic services
  provided by the earths deserts, grasslands,
  forests, and mountains.

31
NATURAL CAPITAL DEGRADATION
Major Human Impacts on Terrestrial Ecosystems
Mountains
Forests
Deserts
Grasslands
Clearing for agriculture, livestock grazing,
timber, and urban development
Conversion to cropland
Agriculture
Large desert cities
Timber extraction
Soil destruction by off-road vehicles
Release of CO2 to atmosphere from burning
grassland
Mineral extraction
Hydroelectric dams and reservoirs
Soil salinization from irrigation
Conversion of diverse forests to tree plantations
Increasing tourism
Overgrazing by livestock
Urban air pollution
Depletion of groundwater
Increased ultraviolet radiation from ozone
depletion
Damage from off-road vehicles
Oil production and off-road vehicles in arctic
tundra
Land disturbance and pollution from mineral
extraction
Pollution of forest streams
Soil damage from off-road vehicles
Fig. 7-20, p. 158