CLIMATE GRAPHS AND INTERPRETING CLIMATE GRAPHS

Transcription

1 Y10 REVISION MATERIAL ECOSYSTEMS AND URBAN FIELDWORK CLIMATE GRAPHS AND INTERPRETING CLIMATE GRAPHS Climate graphs are a combination of a bar graph and a line graph. Temperature is shown on a line graph, with the figures being shown on the right side of the graph. Rainfall is shown by a bar graph, with the figures being shown down the left side of the graph. Climate graph The climate graph below shows average annual rainfall and temperature throughout the year for a particular area. Climate graph Interpreting climate graphs In the exam you may be asked to look at the information in a graph and describe the area's climate. 1. Look for patterns in the temperature data o Is the temperature the same all year round? If it is different, how many seasons does the location experience? o Which season is the warmest? Is it warm (10 to 20 C), hot (20 to 30 C) or very hot (above 30 C)? 1

2 o Which season is the coolest? Is it mild (0 to 10 C), cold (-10 to 0 C) or very cold (below -10 C)? o What is the range of temperature? (Subtract the minimum temperature from the maximum temperature). 2. Look for patterns in the rainfall data o Does the rainfall occur all year round? o What is the pattern of the rainfall? Check which season(s) is/are drier or wetter than others. o What is the total annual rainfall? Add each month's total together to get the annual total. o Then put the rainfall and temperature information together - what does it tell you about this area? KEY COMPONENTS OF AN ECOSYSTEM 1. FLORA Plants 2. FAUNA Animals 3. ATMOSPHERE Weather and climate 4. SOIL/ROCK 2

3 LINKS BETWEEN THE KEY COMPONENTS OF AN ECOSYSTEM. 1. Rain is needed for plants to grow 2. Heavy rain can wash soil away 3. Transpiration from plant leaves makes the air more humid 4. When it gets cold, some animals hibernate JUST 4 EXAMPLES SEE BOOK FOR FURTHER DETAILS LOCATION OF DIFFERENT BIOMES PARTICULARLY RAINFOREST AND DESERT. Desert - Most of these are located at the latitudes of 30 North or South latitude; this is where air that was warmed at the equator falls back to the ground as cool, dry air (having lost its water as it rose wet and steamy over the equator). Rainforest - The tropical rainforests are located in the tropics, a band around the equator from 23.5N (the Tropic of Cancer) to 23.5 S (the Tropic of Capricorn) RAINFOREST & THE NUTRIENT CYCLE The warm, damp conditions on the forest floor and the abundance of insects enables the rapid breakdown of dead leaves and plant material. This humus provides nutrients that are easily absorbed by plant roots. Because of the abundance of rainforest vegetation, nutrients are used up quickly. This cycle is continuous as long as deforestation does not occur. Unfortunately, if the protective canopy (umbrella) of vegetation is removed, the soil quickly becomes infertile as nutrients are leached out of the soil, and the topsoil is easily washed away into rivers by heavy rainfall. THE ROLE OF CLIMATE IN INFLUENCING THE LOCATION OF BIOMES. Climate affects the temperature, amount of water and amount of sunlight in an area. These factors affect the look of the land, as well as what types of plants and animals can survive in the biome. When the climate changes drastically, it can have seriously negative impacts on the biome. The temperature and amounts of water and sunlight an area gets make up the basic building blocks of the climate. Somewhere with low rainfall, high temperatures and large amounts of sunlight leads to a dry, arid climate, for example. This in turn creates a desert-like biome. The plants and animals evolve in response to this harsh climate to conserve as much water as possible, and the animals often become nocturnal to deal with the high temperatures. 3

4 Alternatively, somewhere with a lot of water, moderate sunlight and moderate to high temperatures creates a tropical biome, filled with lush plant life and many different species of animals. Frigid temperature s with little sunlight, such as in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, evolve fewer animals and organisms because of the climate. FOOD CHAINS A food chain shows what eats what in a particular habitat. For example, grass seed is eaten by a vole, which is eaten by a barn owl. The arrows between each item in the chain always point in the direction of energy flow - in other words, from the food to the feeder. 4

5 The Sun is the ultimate source of energy for most communities of living things. Green plants absorb some of the Sun s light energy to make their own food by photosynthesis. The other organisms in a food chain are consumers, because they all get their energy and biomass by consuming - eating - other organisms. It helps if you can recall the meaning of some common words used with food chains. Common words used with food chains and their meaning:- Producers Green plants - they make food by photosynthesis. Primary consumers Usually eat plant material - they are herbivores. For example rabbits, caterpillars, cows and sheep. Secondary consumers Usually eat animal material - they are carnivores. For example cats, dogs and lions. Predators Kill for food. They are either secondary or tertiary consumers Prey The animals that predators feed on. Scavengers Feed on dead animals. For example, crows, vultures and hyenas are scavengers. Decomposers Feed on dead and decaying organisms, and on the undigested parts of plant and animal matter in faeces GOODS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY RAINFORESTS The Tropical Rainforests provide a range of 'goods' and 'services': Goods They provide 80% of all western foods - like pineapple and coffee. 25% of all cancer fighting drugs are found in Tropical Rainforests. They provide items such as rubber and timber. One rainforest drug is used to help diabetics. 5

6 Services Many indigenous people in rainforests live the way they have lived for centuries they can teach us a lot. They help control the hydrological cycle. Over 50% of the biological diversity (different species) on Earth are found in Tropical Rainforests. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas. Trees and others plants slow the flow of rainwater to rivers, acting as a natural flood control. They provide nutrients for soil to be productive. Rainforests are places we can visit on treks and holidays, increasingly as eco-tourists. They provide homes for many endangered animals species, such as Orangutans and poison arrow frogs. CASE STUDY OF SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT IN RAINFORESTS COSTA RICA 6

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8 URBAN FIELDWORK DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DATA Primary data is original research that is obtained through first-hand investigation, while secondary data is research that is widely available and obtained from another party. Primary data includes information collected from interviews, experiments, surveys, questionnaires, focus groups and measurements. Secondary data can be found in publications, journals and newspapers. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN QUANTATIVE AND QUALITITATIVE DATA. METHODS TO MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF A REGENERATION SCHEME. 1. Resident satisfaction levels. 2. Improvements of environmental quality. 3. Generation of employment opportunities. 4. Economic output of an area. 5. Reduction in crime. 6. Noise reduction. 7. Improvement of facilities. 8. Improvement of sustainability. 9. Other 8

9 METHODS COMPLETED WHEN COLLECTING PRIMARY DATA WHEN ON FIELDTRIP EG EQS, COMMUNITY SURVEY, SUSTAINABILITY SCORECARD ETC. INTERPRETING FIELDWORK DATA. HYPOTHESIS OF URBAN FIELDWORK INVESTIGATION. CONCLUSIONS OF URBAN FIELDWORK INVESTIGATION. REFLECTIONS OF THE LEARNING OF URBAN FIELDWORK INVESTIGATION. Review write up of work completed on Birmingham. EXAM WEEK TAKES PLACE WEEK COMMENCING - 21 ST NOVEMBER