1. 4-1: The Role of Climate
Biology 1

2. 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!

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

8. 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

9. 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