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General Biology: Physical Environment and Climate

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  • Physical environment
    The non-living components of an environment that determine where species live and how fast populations grow.
  • Abiotic vs. Biotic factors
    Abiotic factors are non-living physical components like sunlight and water; biotic factors are living components like insects and fungi.
  • Climate
    Long-term trends in temperature and precipitation measured over years or decades, including averages and extremes.
  • Difference between climate and weather
    Weather is the current atmospheric conditions; climate is the long-term average of weather patterns.
  • Solar radiation concentration on Earth
    Solar radiation is most concentrated at the equator and less concentrated at the poles due to Earth's curvature.
  • Hadley Cell
    A circulation cell where warm air rises at the equator creating low pressure and precipitation, then subsides at 30° north and south creating high pressure and deserts.
  • Global atmospheric circulation cells
    Includes Hadley cells near the equator, Ferrell cells at mid-latitudes, and Polar cells near the poles, driving climate patterns.
  • High and low pressure zones and precipitation
    Low pressure zones have rising warm air and high precipitation; high pressure zones have descending air and low precipitation.
  • Trade winds
    Winds blowing toward the equator from the northeast in the northern hemisphere and southeast in the southern hemisphere.
  • Westerlies
    Winds blowing from the west in mid-latitude high pressure zones, deflected to the right in the northern hemisphere.
  • Easterlies
    Winds blowing from the east near the poles, moving toward low pressure zones in both hemispheres.
  • Ocean currents and wind interaction
    Surface ocean currents are influenced by global wind patterns and are deflected right in the northern hemisphere and left in the southern hemisphere.
  • Thermal stability of water vs. land
    Water retains heat better than land, leading to smaller temperature fluctuations near oceans compared to inland areas.
  • Rain shadow effect
    Moist air rises on the windward side of mountains, causing precipitation; dry air descends on the leeward side, creating dry conditions.
  • Microclimate
    Local environmental variations in temperature and climate caused by factors like proximity to water, elevation, and slope aspect.
  • Effect of elevation on climate
    Higher elevations are cooler and can support different plant species due to microclimate differences.
  • Upwelling
    The process where wind-driven surface water moves offshore, allowing cold, nutrient-rich deep water to rise to the surface.
  • Primary productivity and upwelling
    Upwelling zones bring nutrients to surface waters, increasing primary productivity and supporting rich fisheries.
  • Ocean temperature patterns
    Ocean surface temperatures are highest near the equator and lowest near the poles, similar to terrestrial patterns.
  • Global heat exchange
    About 40% of heat exchange between poles and tropics is by ocean currents; 60% is by wind.