Latitudinal variations, Biology

Assignment Help:

Latitudinal Variations

The latitudinal variation of temperature over the earth is the result of two main variables

  • incoming solar radiation and
  • the distribution of land and water masses

 

What do you think could be the other factors influencing temperature?

The movement of wind and water, and the direction of slopes of hills and mountains also modify the temperature.

We know that the length of the day varies at higher latitudes. That means the incoming solar radiation varies. However, if we compute the average, every point on the earth gets the same total hours of daylight each year, an average of 12 hours per day, but not the same amount of heat. The latter depends upbn the amount of radiant energy delivered/unit area/hr and this depends upon the angle of landing sunlight. You have learnt in the previous section that vertical beams afe more intense than the oblique beams that land on the higher latitudes. Hence we find a gradual decrease in the amount of incident radiant energytunit area along the increasing latitudes, horizontally.

On the basis of temperature variation three distinct heat zones can be distinguished in each hemisphere (Figure shown below). The hot torrid zones are near the equator. moderate or temperate zones are in the middle, the cold zones are at the poles. Each zone is characterised by typical plants and animal populations found in the area.

1963_heat zones.jpg


Related Discussions:- Latitudinal variations

How do calcium ions participate in muscle contraction, Q. How do calcium io...

Q. How do calcium ions participate in muscle contraction? Why do both muscle relaxation and muscle contraction spend energy? In the muscle cells calcium ions are stored within

Wet stigma - category of stigma, Wet Stigma - Category of Stigma Petun...

Wet Stigma - Category of Stigma Petunia shows several randomly distributed 2-celled papillae on its surface. In a developing stigma, the epidermis is covered by a continuous,

Chlamydiosis-clinical manifestations, Clinical manifestations Since the...

Clinical manifestations Since the disease due to Chlamydia involves many organs/systems, system-wise descriptions of clinical signs is described as under: Genital infectio

What is life threatening haemorrhage, What is Life threatening haemorrhage ...

What is Life threatening haemorrhage Life threatening haemorrhage has been reported when a drill perforates the sublingual region of the mandible and injures the sublingual arte

Overall senescence - senescence, Overall senescence - Senescence Only ...

Overall senescence - Senescence Only the parts above the ground level i.e.  The aerial parts die whereas the underground parts survive For example, potato.

Explain about individual consciousness, Q. Explain about Individual conscio...

Q. Explain about Individual consciousness? The physical brain is not a source of experience as some current neuroscientists now mistakenly believe. While areas of the brain are

Describe how the hypothalamus regulates, Describe how the hypothalamus regu...

Describe how the hypothalamus regulates the secretion of anterior pituitary hormones and identify all of the individual hypothalamic regulatory factors. Describe how the hypothalam

Explain systematic - modern trends in animal taxonomy, Explain Systematic -...

Explain Systematic - Modern Trends in Animal Taxonomy Systematic is defined as the study of relationship among organisms which means reconstruction of phylogenies. It is that b

Cytokinesis second, A cleavage furrow appears in the middle of the cell, de...

A cleavage furrow appears in the middle of the cell, deepens gradually and divides the cell into two. Thus, at the end of second meiotic division, four daughter cells are formed

Marine ecosystems, Marine Ecosystems Marine ecosystems cover 70 per c...

Marine Ecosystems Marine ecosystems cover 70 per cent of the earth's surface and have an average depth of 3.750 m (the greatest known depth being 10,750 metres in the Mariana

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd