Summer stratification - thermal stratification, Biology

Assignment Help:

Summer Stratification - Thermal stratification

Thermal stratification is fairly pronounced during the summer seasons in most lakes of the temperate (cold) regions but is rare in lakes of tropical (hot) and subtropical regions where it occurs only in very deep lakes. This is so, because the rate of mixing of layers is very fast in case of tropical lakes whereas, the temperate lakes retain well defined layers showing different temperature. These layers do not mix rapidly. Therefore the temperate lakes exhibit clear stratification with respect to temperature. Let us understand how thermal stratification develops in water bodies and why it is maximum during the summer seasons.

In lakes the top one metre of the water surface directly absorbs around 90 per cent of the total solar radiation falling on it and is considerably more heated in the process. Consequently, the lower sub-surface layers receive progressively less radiation and remain relatively cool. Thus, the lake becomes thermally stratified, with its water forming layers due to temperature differences or thermal gradients. Thermal stratification is maximum during the summer season, primarily due to two reasons. Firstly, due to the fact that solar intensity increases during this period and it heats the surface layer greatly while the lower layers remain comparatively cool. Secondly, the thermally stratified layers offer resistance to mixing by wind. The fairly pronounced stratification of lakes developed in summer is called summer stratification or stagnation.


Related Discussions:- Summer stratification - thermal stratification

Heart, What is the immediate effects of exercise on the functions of the he...

What is the immediate effects of exercise on the functions of the heart?

What is enzyme kinetics, What is enzyme kinetics The study of the rate ...

What is enzyme kinetics The study of the rate at which an enzyme works is called enzyme kinetics.

Orientation to the paediatric unit - child care, Orientation to the Paediat...

Orientation to the Paediatric Unit   When the family arrives at the pediatric unit, they should be shown the room where their child will stay and the toilet facilities, the fan

Nonsurgical retreatment -secondary endodontic ttt, Nonsurgical retreatment ...

Nonsurgical retreatment (secondary endodontic ttt ) -Is the main difference between primary endodontic disease versus post treatment disease is the need to Regain access to

Which are the structures that are part of the nervous system, Which are the...

Which are the structures that are part of the nervous system? The structures that form the nervous system can be separated into the central nervous system (CNS) and the periphe

Explain neurologic disease, Explain Neurologic disease For patients wit...

Explain Neurologic disease For patients with facial nerve palsy alone, oral doxycycline or amoxicillin may be effective. Patients with other neurologic involvement, such as men

Phanerophytes - classes of life form, Phanerophytes - Classes of Life Form ...

Phanerophytes - Classes of Life Form The perennating buds in this case are present on erect, negatively geotropic shoots, much above the ground. These buds are naked or least

What is a community, What is a community? What is the difference between th...

What is a community? What is the difference between the concepts of community and population? A community is a set of the populations of living beings that live in the same reg

Discuss in detail about the close head injuries, Discuss in detail about th...

Discuss in detail about the Close Head Injuries Closed-head injuries result from a blow to the head, which can subject the brain to a variety of mechanical forces: Damag

Explain stage of total biological inactivity, Is the stage when an insect l...

Is the stage when an insect larva is within a cocoon a stage of total biological inactivity? The period when the larva is inside its cocoon is a time of intense biological acti

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