Weather, Climate, and Environmental Degradation Factors

Weather

Weather is one of the most influential factors in the distribution of living beings on Earth. It is defined as the combination of meteorological phenomena that determine the atmospheric conditions characterizing a place.

Weather Elements

• Air Temperature: The amount of heat contained in the atmosphere at a given time, measured with a thermometer.
• Barometric Pressure: The weight of air exerted on Earth's surface, varying according to temperature and measured using a barometer.
• Wind: The movement of air caused by differences in temperature and atmospheric pressure.
• Atmospheric Moisture: The amount of water contained in the lower layers of the atmosphere, measured with a hygrometer. Clouds form from this moisture.
• Rainfall: The amount of precipitation that falls in a given region, also measured with a hygrometer.

Climate Factors

Climate factors are agents that modify climate elements. These include altitude, elevation, relief, distance from the sea, vegetation, hydrography, among others.

• Latitude: The distance measured in degrees from the Equator.
• Altitude: The distance measured from mean sea level.

Environmental Degradation Factors

Environmental degradation factors impair or degrade the environment and its natural components:

1. Contamination of air, water, soil, flora, fauna, or other basic environmental components.
2. Erosion, salinization, alkalization, pesticide contamination, flooding, sedimentation, and desertification of soil and land.
3. Felling, unwarranted or indiscriminate destruction of trees or shrubs, forest fires, uncontrolled burning, quarrying, and destruction of meadows or other vegetation formations.
4. Over-cultivation, monoculture in inappropriate areas, overgrazing, defective soil irrigation, and any agricultural practices that can have adverse effects on basic environmental components.
5. The heedless expansion of agricultural frontiers at the expense of forest soils.
6. The alteration of natural sedimentation conditions in water courses or bodies.
7. Harmful alterations of the natural flow of water.