Global climate patterns, largely driven by solar radiation, influence the distribution of ecosystems. Atmospheric circulation, shaped by the Earth's rotation and the uneven heating of its surface, creates predictable wind patterns like trade winds and westerlies. These winds, in turn, drive ocean currents, further impacting climate. However, regional and local factors, such as mountain ranges (creating rain shadows) and elevation, significantly modify these global patterns, resulting in diverse microclimates and ecosystem variations. The interaction of these global and local factors ultimately determines the distribution of life on Earth.