In this topic, we will introduce the importance of climate data in terms of determining forest ecotypes, plant species distributions, and local adaptation of populations within a species. We will also introduce different types and sources of climate data from weather station observations, observation-based interpolations, and climate model predictions. Differences and characteristics of climate data from different sources will be covered, which are critical for students to conduct studies in climatic and ecological modeling.
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
Identify the major factors determining forest types at the global scale.
After reading for this topic, take 5 minutes to take an online self-check quiz for the topic. The main purpose of the quiz is for you to self-check how well you grasp the contents for this topic. It will cover contents of the lecture(s) for the topic. Five attempts are allowed and highest mark will be saved to show your achievement.
When you are ready, click the link Self-check Quiz 2.1 to start taking the quiz.
Online discussions are much like face-to-face discussions. Students are required preparation and active participation in order to the learning objectives. The online discussion will be asynchronous (i.e., students can participate at different times) and will be closed at the end of the week. This discussion accounts for 2 marks graded based on participation and quality of the posts. Each student is required to have at least one post. Everyone is encouraged to rate each post. The first post account for 70%, the second one for 20% and third one for 10% of the participation, respectively. The first post with at least five sentences is considered as the “first post”. A simply “Yes or No” post is not considered as a post. The quality is graded by both Instructor (50%) and peer rating (50%).
Discussion Topics:
The roles of climate in determining forest ecosystems.
Pros and cons of gridded climate data vs. scale-free climate data
Climate is a key abiotic factor that determines terrestrial biome types. Climate also controls the distribution of plants and affects the local adaptation of populations within a species. Thus, climate data are essential for climate change-related studies. There are many sources to obtain climate data, including observations from weather stations, interpolated surfaces and climate models’ predictions. However, the quality of the climate data and availability of climate variables vary considerably. It is important to know the sources and to understand their differences for students to conduct climatic and ecological modelling.
Topic Self-review (For self learning)
Please use the reflection questions below as study guide to conduct self-review for the topic:
What is the major factor determining the forest types at the global scale?
Does climate affect local adaptation of trees?
What not always to use climate data from weather stations?
What are the major resources to obtain climate data?