4-1: The Role of Climate Biology 1

Plants and animals vary in tolerance for living conditions Introduction Plant and animals vary in their adaptations to temperature, rainfall, and other things about environment Plants and animals vary in tolerance for living conditions Climate shapes ecosystems and ecology!

What is Climate? In the atmosphere temperature, precipitation, and other environmental factors produce weather and climate WEATHER: condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place CLIMATE: average, year-after-year conditions of temperature and precipitation in a particular region

Climate is caused by many things What is Climate? Climate is caused by many things trapping heat in the atmosphere latitude on Earth transport of heat by wind and ocean currents amount of precipitation. Shape and elevation of landmass also changes climate

Sunlight energy drives Earth’s weather and determines climate What is Climate? Sunlight energy drives Earth’s weather and determines climate Sunlight is important in changing temperature all over the Earth Certain gases also affect the amount of heat on Earth

Greenhouse Effect GREENHOUSE EFFECT: natural situation in which heat is retained in Earth's atmosphere by carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and other gases Greenhouse effect act like a blanket keeping the Earth warm Too many gases being added to the atmosphere cause the Earth to get TOO warm, this causes change in climate and weather

Effect of Latitude on Climate Because of the “tilt” of the Earth, sunlight hits the planet at different places, this causes seasons Being closer to the sun = summer, farther from the sun = winter Area around the equator is always warmer because its always closest to the sun, no matter what time of year

Heat Transport in the Biosphere Because the Earth is heated differently in places, wind and ocean currents move heat around the planet To avoid getting too warm, colder air from the North and South pole help to cool the planet This creates weather patterns in certain places because of where the warm air and the cool air meet