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Ecology Chap 02
Climate
21
Biology
Undergraduate 4
09/27/2009

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Term
Climate
Definition
Long-term average pattern of local, regional, or global weather.
Term
Weather
Definition
The combination of temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, cloudiness, and other atmospheric conditions at a specific place and time.
Term
Temperature
Definition
A measure of the average speed or kinetic energy of atoms and molecules in a substance.
Term
Precipitation
Definition
All the forms of water that fall to Earth; includes rain, snow, hail, sleet, fog, mist, drizzle, and the measured amounts of each.
Term
Conduction
Definition
Direct transfer or heat from one substance from another.
Term
Convection
Definition
Transfer of heat by the circulation of a liquid or gas.
Term
Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR)
Definition
that part of the light spectrum between wavelengths of 400 and 700 nm that is used by plants in photosynthesis.
Term
Arctic Circle
Definition
66ᴼ N latitude - marks the southernmost latitude at which the sun can remain continuously above or below the horizon for 24 hours.
Term
Tropic of Cancer
Definition
23ᴼ N latitude - marks the northernmost latitude at which the sun may be seen directly overhead (at the June solstice).
Term
Equator
Definition
0ᴼ latitude - the circle that is the equidistant from both the North Pole and South Pole; it divides the Earth into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere
Term
Tropic of Capricorn
Definition
23ᴼ S latitude - marks the southernmost latitude at which the sun may be seen directly overhead (at the December solstice).
Term
Antarctic Circle
Definition
66ᴼ S latitude - marks the northernmost latitude at which the sun can remain continuously above or below the horizon for 24 hours.
Term
Tropical Zone
Definition
Latitudes between the equator and the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
Term
Temperate Zone
Definition
Latitudes between the tropics and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles
Term
Polar Zone
Definition
Latitudes between the Arctic and Antarctic circles and the poles.
Term
Adiabatic Cooling
Definition
A decrease in air temperature when a rising parcel of warm air cools by expanding (which uses energy) rather than losing heat to the surrounding air; the rate of cooling is approximately 1ᴼC/100 m for dry air and 0.6ᴼC/100 m for moist air.
Term
Coriolis Effect
Definition
Physical consequence of the law of conservation of angular momentum; as a result of Earth's rotation, a moving object veers to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere relative to Earth's surface.
Term
Gyre
Definition
Circular motion of water in major ocean basins.
Term
Relative Humidity
Definition
Water vapor content of air at a given temperature, expressed as a percentage of the water vapor needed for saturation at that temperature.
Term
Rain Shadow
Definition
A dry region on the leeward side of a mountain range resulting from a reduction in rainfall.
Term
Microclimate
Definition
climate on a very local scale, which differs from the general climate of the area; influences the presence and distribution of organisms.
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