European Climate and Biomes: Temperature, Precipitation, and Vegetation
Climate of Europe: Determinants
Climate varieties result from modifying factors acting on temperature and precipitation.
Temperature Influence
Marine Action: Oceans affect coastal temperatures due to differences in heat absorption/radiation. Coastal areas have uniform temperatures, while inland areas have greater seasonal variations.
Latitude: Temperatures decrease towards the poles as solar rays impact Earth obliquely.
Altitude: Temperatures decrease with altitude, creating varied mountain climates.
Read MoreKey Environmental Terms and Concepts Explained
Cold Drop: A situation occurring in late summer, typically in the Spanish eastern region, due to a cold air mass entering at a certain height from the subpolar zone over warmer, moist air, intensified by Mediterranean summer warming. This causes heavy rains, hail, and frequent flooding.
GVT (Geothermal Vertical Temperature Gradient): The change in air temperature with height. Its average value is a 0.65°C drop per 100m (0.65°C/100m), varying greatly with altitude, latitude, season, and time of
Read MoreDam Drainage Systems: Spillways, Outlets, and Discharge Channels
Types of Dam Drainage Systems
There are three types of dam drainage systems:
Spillways: Allow the reservoir to release surplus water when full.
Outlets: Drainage elements designed for specific reservoir demands, such as supply, irrigation, etc.
Bottom Drains: Drain the reservoir for various reasons:
- To create a cushion in the reservoir before a flood period.
- To flush out bottom sediments and prevent reservoir silting.
- For dam maintenance.
Main Parts of a Dam Drainage System
1. Spillway
Components:
- Landfill:
Essential Weather and Climate Terms
Basic Weather Concepts
- Isotherms: Lines of equal temperature (℃).
- Frost: Air temperature drops to 0℃.
- Icy Irradiation: Ground cooling causes 0℃ temperature.
- Advection Frost: Cold air mass arrival causes 0℃ temperature.
Humidity and Condensation
- Humidity: Water vapor in the air.
- Relative Humidity: Water vapor percentage relative to saturation.
- Saturation: Maximum water vapor air can hold.
- Fog (Niebla): Water droplets limiting visibility (<1 km).
- Irradiation Fog: Heat loss from soil.
- Orographic Fog:
Understanding Iberian Peninsula’s Geography: Aridity, Basins, Lakes, and Geology
Aridity and Climate Sectors
As aridity increases, there are four sectors:
- Northeast Sector (Peninsular Catalan): Wetter, with a higher risk of frost due to cold continental air from the north.
- Valencian-Balearic: Less influence of oceanic air masses, temperatures increase southward, and precipitation decreases.
- Southeastern Peninsular Mediterranean: Semiarid, with the minimum precipitation on the peninsula, experiencing year-round drought. Air masses are influenced by the Alboran Sea. The south coast
Understanding Global Climate Change: Causes, Effects, and Evidence
United Nations: Changing Face of Global Climate
In 1980, scientists began to realize the increase in Earth’s surface temperature, likely caused by human activity. In 1988, the UN created the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC predicts average temperatures to rise between 1.5°C and 5.8°C. Global warming causes climate change, abnormal functioning of ecosystems, changes in land use, and biodiversity loss.
Climate Change Indicators
- Retreating glaciers: Mountain glaciers in the