What factors influence the weather in the Sierra Nevada?
Climate is a major driver of Sierra Nevada ecosystems, with temperature and precipitation being the most important factors. Current patterns of vegetation, streamflow, fire regimes, nutrient cycling, soils, and animal distributions are determined largely by cumulative effects of past and present climates.
How climate change is affecting small Sierra Nevada lakes?
A study published this month in the journal Limnology and Oceanography Letters shows that, despite rapidly warming air temperatures, spring snowpack is the biggest predictor of summer warming in small Sierra Nevada lakes.
What is the climate in Sierra Madre Occidental?
The terrain ranges from permanently snow-covered peaks to hot, tropical valleys; and from the humid, thickly vegetated seaward slopes to the dry, largely barren interior-facing slopes. Agricultural products vary according to the climate. Lumbering is done in the N Sierra Madre Occidental.
Why are the Sierra Nevada lakes sensitive to climate change?
Background. Sierra Nevada Network (SIEN) parks protect over 1,200 lakes that have some of the highest water quality in the Sierra Nevada. Sierra Nevada lakes are especially sensitive to changes from these stressors because the waters are very dilute and t hus small changes can result in pronounced environmental effects …
How many lakes are in Sierra Nevada?
There are roughly 1,000 named glacial lakes in the Sierra Nevada.
Why is the Sierra Madre important?
Also known as the “backbone of Luzon,” Sierra Madre is the longest mountain range in the Philippines. Given its vastness, the range is an important biological site due to its high floral and faunal diversity, in which many of the species are unique to the Philippines.
Why is Sierra Madre mountains important?
This long range of tall mountains is noted for its abundant biodiversity and large number of endemic species of plants and wildlife, from the dry north to the wetter south. The Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests are found at high elevations in the range (1,000 – 3,500 m or 3,300 – 11,500 ft above sea level).