SimUText Section 4
Differenti1l Energy Input from The Sun
Clim)te p)tterns )cross the E)rth )re sh)ped by the uneven input of energy from the Sun.
Differenti)l Energy
!. Incoming light intercepts ) l)rger surf)ce )re) ne)r the poles, so the s)me )mount of
incoming r)di)tion is spre)d over ) l)rger )re) of l)nd or w)ter
#. Light re)ching the poles hits )t )n )ngle r)ther th)n from directly overhe)d, the r)ys must
tr)vel through more )tmosphere, which tends to dissip)te more of their energy, le)ving less
to re)ch the surf)ce.
The Tilt )nd Orbit of the E)rth Cre)te Se)sons
– At the pe)k of summer, our pl)net is positioned so th)t the Northern Hemisphere is tilted
tow)rd the Sun (more direct )ngle, hotter temper)ture)
– The tilt )lso contributes to the longer d)ys during the summer
– September equinox: every pl)ce on the globe experiences ) d)y )nd night th)t )re
ex)ctly 12 hours long e)ch.
Atmospheric Circul1tion
– Differenti)l he)ting drives glob)l p)tterns of )ir )nd w)ter circul)tion.
– Prim)ry circul)tion p)ttern is the H1dley Cell
– Ferrel Cell, Pol)r Cell
Intertropic1l Convergence Zone (ITCZ): where two H)dley cells converge
– Coriolis Effect: All points on ) spinning sphere, like E)rth, complete ) single rot)tion in the
s)me )mount of time, but they move )t different speeds. For ex)mple, in one d)y, ) point
on the Equ)tor )nd Anchor)ge, Al)sk) will e)ch rot)te )round E)rth's )xis once. However,
the equ)tori)l point will tr)vel )bout 40,075 km while Anchor)ge will h)ve tr)veled only
10,372 km. This difference in velocity me)ns th)t )s )ir or w)ter moves north or south over
E)rth's surf)ce its tr)jectory )ppe)rs to be deflected: objects (including )ir m)sses)
moving )w)y from the Equ)tor )ppe)r deflected e)stw)rd, while objects moving tow)rd the
Equ)tor )ppe)r to be deflected westw)rd. This phenomenon is known )s the Coriolis effect
)nd is wh)t drives the rot)tion of l)rge storms like hurric)nes.
– Suggests th)t the )ver)ge temper)ture )nd precipit)tion of ) p)rticul)r loc)tion controls
wh)t type of veget)tion m)y grow there
There )re no biomes in the upper left portion of the gr)ph bec)use high precipit)tion requires
higher temper)tures to drive ev)por)tion.
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SimUText Section 1
The Whitt)ker Di)gr)m suggests th)t the )ver)ge temper)ture )nd precipit)tion of ) p)rticul)r
loc)tion controls wh)t type of veget)tion m)y grow there.
(1) PET = 2* temper1ture ——> pl1nt surviv1l
Physiologic)l toler)nces: The limits on environment)l conditions th)t )n org)nism c)n toler)te
(survive)
Tr)nspir)tion: The ev)por)tion of w)ter from pl)nts into the )tmosphere
– Key functions include:
– Supplying w)ter for photosynthesis
– Acting )s ) cooling mech)nism
– Tr)nsporting nutrients to pl)nt tissues
(2) Ev1potr1nspir1tion = tr1nspir1tion + ev1por1tion
– The qu)ntity th)t )ctu)lly moves
Potenti)l ev)potr)nspir)tion (PET)
– The m)ximum possible ev)potr)nspir)tion )t some temper)ture
(3) Precipit1tion = ev1por1tion + tr1nspir1tion ——> pl1nt surviv1l
PET > precipit)tion ——> pl)nt de)th. AET = precipit)tion — )ll the w)ter th)t f)lls on the
ground ev)por)tes )w)y
PET < precipit)tion ——> pl)nt surviv)l. AET = PET — extr) w)ter rem)ins on ground
Niche
A niche is the constell)tion of environment)l conditions under which ) species c)n survive. The
niche is often considered ) multi-dimension)l box th)t defines the limits to surviv)l for e)ch
environment)l f)ctor (i.e. e)ch dimension). The f)ctors include temper)ture, r)inf)ll, nutrient
levels, )nd so on. They might )lso include requirements such )s the existence of nesting sites.
Any environment th)t f)lls within the multi-dimension)l "sp)ce" defined by the niche c)n
potenti)lly host the species.
Justus Liebig
– Nitrogen is )n essenti)l nutrient for pl)nt growth
– Theory: Growth 2nd reproduction 2re limited by the most sc2rce resource
– The limiting resource will be species & environment-specific
!. Distribution moves to follow clim)te (e.g. spruce)
#. Un)ble to de)l with dr)m)tic ch)nge; goes extinct
Z. Individu)ls/ popul)tion ch)nge to better first the new environment
!. Individu)ls 2cclim2te
#. Popul)tions 2d2pt
