Download APES Exam Study Guide

APES Exam Study Guide
Weather and Climate
Biomes and Aquatic Life Zones
Mrs. Ashley
Temperature zones result from the tilting of the planet that result in uneven heating.





As air is warmed over the equator, it rises, moves toward the poles and then cools.
As it cools it moves back towards the equator (trade winds).
This wind circulation makes the poles warmer than they would be and the equator
cooler. Heat and moisture is distributed throughout the planet.
There are three major zones—the equator, the temperate zone and the polar zone.
The temperate has the westerlies; the poles the easterlies.
The Coriolis effect is that the earths spin causes the winds to be deflected.
Ocean currents also influence the climate. The Humboldt Current is a cold
current that turns warm as it gets closer to the equator. Upwellings (nurtrient rich
) are a result of the warm currents rising. El Nino’s occur when the Humboldt
current turns warm causing heavy rain and rough seas.
Biomes:
Tundra- little precipitation, permafrost, extreme cold, fragile environment, short
growing season,
Taiga- south of the Tundra, coniferous trees. More precipitation than the Tundra,
waxy coating on needles prevents evaporation,
Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome- broad leaf trees that shed their leaves, deep
rich soil, leaves shed and release nutrients into the soil, abundant rainfall and long
growing season
Grassland- Soils are probably the richest, (short grass prairie and long grass
prairie) Experience periodic drought, less rainfall that deciduous forest, periodic fires,
poor farming practices led to desertification and soil erosion,
Desert Biome-very dry with periods of rainfall, extreme temperatures,
Tropical rainforest biomes-found near the equator, highly diverse, high rainfall
amounts, little light strikes the forest floor so ground level vegetation is sparse, nutrient
poor soil, most of the nutrients are locked up in the plants, decaying is rapid, lateritic
soils (like a brick).
Aquatic life zones:
Freshwater lakes- Benthic zone (Bottom zone) contains organisms that tolerate
cold, low oxygen levels, holds snails, worms, and mayfly and damselfly larvae.
Profundal zone, no sunlight penetrates the profundal zone so no plant life. Limnetic zone
is the open water zone. Main photosynthetic area with phytoplankton. Littitoral zone- this
is the shallow waters at the edge of a lake. There is a change in the temperature of the
lake.
Estuaries- mouths of rivers, places where fresh water mixes with salt water
Ocean covers 79% of earth’s surface.