This map of net radiation, incoming sunlight minus reflected light and outgoing heat, shows global energy imbalances. Areas around the equator absorbed about 200 watts per square meter more on average than they
reflected or radiated. Areas near the poles reflected and/or radiated about 200 more watts per square meter than
they absorbed. Mid-Latitudes were roughly in balance.

The net heating imbalance between the equator and poles is responsible for all BUT ONE of the occurrences posted here:

A) Ocean currents
B) Earth's climate
C) The four seasons
D) Air circulation patterns

To answer this question, researchers studied populations of the dusky salamander (desmognathus ochrophaeus) living on different mountain ranges in the southern appalachian mountains. the researchers tested the reproductive isolation of pairs of salamander populations by leaving one male and one female together and later checking the females for the presence of sperm. four mating combinations were tested for each pair of populations (a and b)—two within the same population (female a with male a and female b with male b) and two between populations (female a with male b and female b with male a). the proportion of successful matings for each mating combination was measured. for example, when all the matings of a particular combination were successful, the researchers gave it a value of 1; when none of the matings were successful, they gave it a value of 0. then the researchers calculated an index of reproductive isolation that ranged from 0 (no isolation) to 2 (full isolation). the reproductive isolation value for two populations is the sum of the proportion of successful matings of each type within populations (aa + bb) minus the sum of the proportion of successful matings of each type between populations (ab + ba). the table provides data for the geographic distances and reproductive isolation values for 27 pairs of dusky salamander populations.