25. Analyze factors related to Alameda’s location (East Bay) to briefly explain

Question

25. Analyze factors related to Alameda’s location (East Bay) to briefly explain the climate pattern found here. Include in your answer oceanic and atmospheric circulation. Please note: An explanation is “the act of making something clear or easy to understand” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

26. Explain why are there no active volcanoes in the Bay Area.

27. Analyze and discuss the causes and effects of one of the following major contemporary environmental changes to analyze and discuss the causes and effects. Choose one to discuss.

a. Ozone depletion in the stratosphere

b. Human-induced climate change (global warming)

c. Worldwide biodiversity depletion

Explanation / Answer

Q 25 - Aalmeda is located on 37 45' N latitude and 122 16' W longitude on the western coast of US in mid-California state region. It is thus located in the subtropical part of the Northern Hemisphere. This region is associated with high pressure cells due to meeting of Upper Hadley and Ferrel circulations from South and North direction respectively. The sinking of air-masses results in heating of air at dry adiabatic rate of 9.8 deg C per km. The heating of air doesnot provide any conditions for condensation and hence the region is dry, especially in summer when High pressure cells are stronger. The cold Calfornia current doesnot support high evaporation rates and thus the relative humidity in Alameda region is also very low. This is another reason for no precipitation and drier conditions in summer. In winter however, the Polar jet brings frontal precipitation and cold spells in this region. Therefore it recieves winter rainfall and hence the region is categorized into Csb type of Climate in Koppen classification system.

Q 26. Active volcanoes are generally found in those regions which are located near Subduction zones or divergent boundaries or places witnessing hot-spot activities. Bay Area is not located on any of these places. It is instead located on a Conservative plate margin (San-Andreas fault). This region is rarely associated with volcanism, hence Bay Area doesnot have any volcanoes.

Q 27. c) The Causes and effects of Worldwide Biodiversity depletion can be summarized as follows:

1. Global warming and Climate change

a) Loss of Habitat (example- polar bears and Penguins shifting further North)

b) Loss of breeding grounds - Salmons and many other catadromous/anadromous fishes, sea turtles, whales losing their breeding grounds.

c)  Loss of corals is also one reason for por biodiversity

2. Change in precipitation patterns - This results into change of floral assemblages in a region (for example- dryer conditions in interior of India is resulting in increase in deciduous forest area. Animals which cannot survive in such conditions are squeezed into smaller and smaller regions for survival

3. Pollution - (Example - Carcasses polluted by Diclofenac proved detrimental for Vulture survival in India)

4. Overexploitation of resources - poor catch (Fishes)

These environmental related causes and their consequent effects have great stress on species survival. The loss of biodiversity is so great that some scientists even term it as the great Holocene mass extinction. Another anthropogenic cause in the form of Genetically modified species may result in further decrease in biodiversity. This is because these organisms are best suited to resist changes in the environment. And following Darwin's survival of the fittest theory, these species stand great chance of flourishing and eventually obliterating other species from the planet, thus ultimately reducing biodiversity. Therefore it is essential to stem the loss of species by targetting causes of biodiversity loss. Increase in technology and divergence of public funds towards protection of environment alongwith complete awareness among public will surely increase potential to reduce biodiversity loss in the future.

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