Answers to Figure Legend Questions

FIGURE 2.4 An increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases would increase the flux of infrared radiation back to Earth's surface and would have a warming effect on Earth's climate. Atmospheric aerosols reflect incoming solar radiation, so an increase in these particles would have a cooling effect on Earth's climate.

FIGURE 2.15 The larger a continent, the greater the seasonal temperature changes there. Because water has a higher heat capacity than land, seasonal temperature changes increase with distance from the ocean. Higher latitudes experience greater seasonal changes in radiation, for reasons we will explore in Concept 2.5.

FIGURE 2.18 Winds in the tropics blow from east to west, so the east­facing aspect would have the highest precipitation, and the west-facing slope would be in the rain shadow.

FIGURE 2.22 Seasonal changes in lake stratification would be unlikely in tropical lakes because seasonal changes in air temperature, and therefore water temperature, would be small.

FIGURE 2.26 In 11 out of 19 (58%) cases the cool phase of PDO corresponds with a higher-than-average catch. In 15 out of 22 cases (68%) the warm phase of PDO corresponds to a lower-than-average catch of salmon.