How Are Components of the Earth System Impacted by Seasonal Changes?
The atmosphere is perhaps the most obvious in its seasonal changes. There are annual cycles in temperature and precipitation. Hurricanes and tropical storms are season-dependent, as are droughts and monsoons. Storm systems result from large-scale movements of air masses that are strongly affected by seasonal changes. Earth’s ecology has adapted to Earth’s seasonal changes in some remarkable ways. Animals migrate during the year to avoid extreme conditions. Most species have annual reproductive cycles. Plants have their highest photosynthesis levels in the summer when the sun is highest, and then some drop their leaves so that they do not drain their energy resources during the winter. Seeds germinate when soil temperature and moisture are favorable. Soil conditions vary seasonally. For example, seasonal biological changes such as leaves falling enrich the soil. Soil conditions also vary seasonally as a result of changes in precipitation patterns, and your students might find difference
