Ecology

R S
AC1306050
SC260
Introduction to Ecology

  1. Describe global pattern of atmospheric heating and circulation. What mechanisms produce high precipitation in the tropic? What mechanisms produce high precipitation at temperature latitude? What mechanisms produce low precipitation in the tropics?

Global patterns of atmospheric heating and circulation can be described as the circulation of air over the earth mostly due to the heating of the surface which influences the patterns of precipitation. The global circulation of the atmosphere shifts cold air from high latitudes in the direction of low latitudes, and the warm air from low latitudes in the direction of high latitudes. Then as the air rises above the surface it moves away near the top of troposphere (the lowest region of the atmosphere) and moves to the pole region. While advancing toward the pole, the air begins to come together at about 30° north and south latitude.
The mechanisms that produce high precipitations in the tropics are the condensation of atmospheric water vapor, which is pulled down by gravity and deposited on the Earth’s surface through mechanisms of precipitation such as; rain, snow and sleet. These occurs as a result of the atmosphere becoming full with water vapor, then condenses, and falls as rain or snow(precipitate)
Trade winds north of the equator blow from the northeast. South of the equator, they blow from the southeast. The trade winds of the two hemispheres meet near the equator, causing the air to rise. As the rising air cools, clouds and rain develop. This cycling rise and fall is called a Hadley cell. The resulting bands of cloudy and rainy weather near the equator create tropical conditions - temperate latitudes.
The mechanisms that produce high precipitation at temperature is the deferential solar heating of the planet, due to axil tilt, rotation and proximity to the sun. The sun rays hits the equator directly overhead the tropic of cancer around 23°N latitude...