ABSTRACT
The subject of Chapter 8 is the climatic and geologic processes that maintain life forms (and thus biomes) at the global level. A previous chapter explained that animal life form is determined by plant life form. This chapter follows with the question, what determines plant life form? The answer is climate, or more specifically the constraint presented by water loss when stomata are open. Plants must evolve adaptations for water conservation, and thus have different forms in different climates. The next question is, what determines climate? Chapter 8 describes the physical properties responsible for climate and other phenomena from the global scale to local. Latitudinal temperature differences, seasonality, midlatitudinal desertification, prevailing winds, El Nino, adverse weather, altitudinal effects on weather, aspect on a mountainside, rain shadows, valley effects, maritime effects, soil slumping, and avalanches affect life form based on physical properties.
