Environmental chap 14

Solar Output

The sun varies in the amount of radiation it emits over short and long timescales, but this has not changed Earth's climate ortemperature.Estimates place the radiative forcing of natural changes in solar output at only about 0.05 watts/m2 —

Milankovitch cycles

(1) an axial wobble that occurs on a 19,000- to 23,000-year cycle; (2) a 3-degree shift in the tilt of Earth's axis that occurs on a 41,000-year cycle; and (3) a variation in Earth's orbit from almost circular to more elliptical, which repeats every 100,000 years

adaptation

- A way to cushion ourselves from the impacts of climate change. - the goal is to adapt to change. Erecting a seawall like the Maldives' Great Wall of Malé is an example. Other examples include restricting coastal development; adjusting farming practices to cope with drought; and modifying water management practices to deal with reduced river flows, glacial outburst floods, or salt contamination of groundwater

effect of climate change on health

- more heat waves—and heat stress can cause death -respiratory ailments from air pollution as hotter temperatures promote photochemical smog -Expansion of tropical diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever, into temperate regions as disease vectors (such as mosquitoes) spread toward the poles -Disease and sanitation problems when floods overcome sewage treatment systems -Injuries and drowning as storms become more frequent or intense

Proxy indicators

----------- are types of indirect evidence that serve as proxies, or substitutes, for direct measurement.

Global climate, temperature, precipitation, storms

--------change describes an array of changes in aspects of Earth's climate, such as __, __ and the frequency and intensity of __

mitigation

-A way to lessen the severity of climate change Examples include improving energy efficiency, switching to clean renewable energy sources, preserving forests, recovering landfill gas, and promoting farm practices that protect soil quality

effect of climate change on agriculture

-Drought induced by climate change decreases crop yields -For some crops in the temperate zones, moderate warming may slightly increase production as growing seasons lengthen. Added carbon dioxide for photosynthesis may or may not boost yields, and research indicates that crops can become less nutritious when supplied with more CO2 - If rainfall continues to shift in space and time, intensified droughts and floods will likely cut into agricultural productivity

effect of climate change on forestry

-catastrophic fires, invasive species, and insect and disease outbreaks -Milder winters & hotter, drier summers are promoting outbreaks of bark beetles that are destroying millions of acres of trees

Three factors that influence climate

1. the sun (without it, Earth would be dark & frozen) 2. the atmosphere Without this protective & buffering layer of gases, Earth would be as much as 33°C (59°F) colder on average, and temperature differences between night and day would be far greater than they are. 3. the oceans, which store & transport heat & moisture

greenhouse effect

After absorbing radiation emitted from the surface, greenhouse gases re-emit infrared radiation. Some of this re-emitted energy is lost to space, but most travels back downward, warming the lower atmosphere (specifically the troposphere; p. 281) and the surface, in a phenomenon known as the ____________ ___________t

Health

As climate change proceed, we will face more heat waves and heat stress can cause death.

how climate change can effect organisms and ecosystems, then give two examples.

As global warming proceeds, it is modifying biological phenomena that rely on temperature. In the spring, plants are now leafing out earlier, insects are hatching earlier birds are migrating earlier, and animals are breeding earlier.

snow/ ice melt (predicted)

As warming temperatures diminish mountain glaciers, summertime water supplies will decline for millions of people, likely forcing whole communities to look elsewhere for water or to move. Glaciers, ice caps, and ice sheets will continue to melt, contributing to sea level rise.

greenhouse gases

Atmospheric gases having three or more atoms in their molecules tend to absorb infrared radiation. These include watervapor (H2O), ozone (O3), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide(N2O), and methane (CH4), as well as halocarbons, adiverse group of mostly human-made gases that includes chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Transportation

Developing more aerodynamic vehicles, more efficient engines, alternative fuels.

Describe the future predicated change to temperature, then describe how it can be damaging to the environment or people.

Average surface temperatures on Earth have risen by nearly 0.9C(1.6 F) in the past 100 year. Most of this increase has occurred since 1975 and just since 2000, we have experienced 13 of the 15 warmest years on record since global measurements began 150 years ago. heat waves more frequent, polar regions most intense warming

Ocean Absorption

Carbon dioxide is absorbed by Earth's oceans, but as ocean temperatures increase (warm) they are absorbing less carbon dioxide, causing a positive feedback loop (enhance) for climate change and warming of the atmosphere.

effect of climate change on economics

Climate change is also expected to widen the gap between rich and poor because poorer people lack the wealth & technology that help people adapt to change, and because poorer people rely more on resources (such as local food &water) that are sensitive to climate disruption

Milankovitch cycles

Climate varies naturally by Earth's periodic changes in rotation and orbit around the sun. Over thousands of years Earth wobbles and tilts on its axis and changes the shape of its orbit.

how greenhouse gases cause the natural greenhouse effect

Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb a portion of this radiation and then re-emit it sending some downward to warm the atmosphere and the surface by the the green house effect

cold,life

In fact, without this effect our planet would be too __to support __ as we know it.

effect of climate change on ecosystems

In regions where precipitation & stream flow increase, erosion & flooding will pollute and alter aquatic systems. In regions where precipitation decreases, lakes, ponds, wetlands, & streams will shrink.

carbon tax

In this approach, governments charge polluters a fee for each unit of greenhouse gases they emit. This gives polluters a financial incentive to reduce emissions

anthropogenic, greenhouse gases

It is not the natural greenhouse effect that concerns scientist, it's the __ (human-generated) intensification of the greenhouse effect, by humans adding novel __ (certain halocarbons) to the atmosphere, and by increasing the concentrations of several __ over the past 250 years, we are intensifying the greenhouse effect beyond what our species has ever experienced.

precipitation change (predicted)

Many wet areas will receive more rainfall, increasing the risk of flooding, while many dry areas become drier.

the TWO future predicated changes to precipitation, then describe how each one can be damaging to the environment or people.

Many wet areas will receive more rainfall, increasing the risk of flooding, while many dry areas become drier. heavy rain events have increased, leading to flooding, such as the 2008 floods in Iowa and elsewhere in the U.S Midwest and the 2011 floods along the Mississippi River that killed dozens of people. Some regions of the world are receiveing less rain and snow than usual while other recieve more than usual. In the southwester United States, droughts have become more frequent and severe, harming agriculture worsening soil erosion, reducing water supplies, and triggering wildfire.

transportation (solution for climate change)

More aerodynamic designs, increased engine efficiency, and improved tire design can help make our vehicles more fuel-efficient New technology is also bringing us alternatives to the traditional combustion-engine automobile. These include electric vehicles, gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles We also can make lifestyle choices that reduce our reliance on cars. Some people are choosing to live nearer to their workplaces. Others use mass transit such as buses, subway trains, and light rail. Still others bike or walk to work.

ocean circulation

Ocean water exchanges heat with the atmosphere, and ocean currents move energy from place to place. For example, the oceans' thermohaline circulation system (pp. 254-255) moves warm tropical water northward toward Europe, providing Europe a far milder climate than it would otherwise have.

effect of climate change on organisms

Organisms are adapted to their environments, so changes to those environments affect them. As global warming proceeds, it is modifying biological phenomena that rely on temperature. In the spring, plants are now leafing out earlier, insects are hatching earlier, birds are migrating earlier,& animals are breeding earlier. These shifts can create mismatches in seasonal timing. For example, European birds known as great tits had evolved to raise their young when caterpillars peak in abundance. Now caterpillars are peaking earlier, but the birds have been unable to adjust, and fewer young birds are surviving

Forestry

Preserving forest, replanting areas, and sustainable practices

Agriculture

Sustainable management of cropland and rangeland.

sea level rise (predicted)

The IPCC predicts that mean sea level will rise 26-82 cm (10-32 in.) higher by 2100, depending on emissions.

examples of direct measurements

Today we measure temperature with thermometers, rainfall with rain gauges, wind speed with anemometers, and air pressure with barometers, using computer programs to integrate and analyze this information in real time. With these technologies and more, we document the fluctuations in weather day by day and hour by hour across the globe. We also measure the chemistry of the atmosphere and the oceans. Direct measurements of carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere reach back to 1958, when scientist Charles Keeling began analyzing hourly air samples from a monitoring station at Hawaii's Mauna Loa Observator

Waste Management

Treating wastewater, uses waste and methane as energy source, as well as recycling, reusing, and composting materials.

the future predicated change to ice and snow, then describe how it can be damaging to the environment or people.

Warmer temperatures in the Arctic are now also causing permafrost (permanently frozen ground) to thaw. As ice crystals within permafrost melt, the thawing soil settles, destrabilizing buildings, pipelines, and other infrastructure.

Electricity generation

We are reducing our use of fossil fuels by encouraging conservation and efficiency. More efficiency light bulbs, appliances, heating and cooling systems, as well as switching to cleaner energy sources - bioenergy, hydroelectric, geothermal, solar, and wind.

electricity generation (solution for climate change)

We can reduce electricity use by encouraging conservation and efficiency Power producers can capture excess heat from electricity generation and put it to use (cogeneration) Firms can manufacture and consumers can adopt energy-efficient appliances, lighting, windows, ducts, insulation, and heating and cooling systems.

forests

We have cleared and burned __ to make room for crops, pastures, villages, and cities. When we clear it, it will reduces the biosphere's ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

fossil fuels

We have extracted these __ from the ground and burned them in our homes, factories, and automobiles, transferring large amounts of carbon from one reservoir to another (underground deposits that stored carbon for millions of years) to another (the atmosphere).

waste management (solution for climate change)

cutting emissions by generating energy from waste in incinerators ; capturing methane seeping from landfills; and encouraging recycling, composting, and reuse of materials and products

global climate change

describes an array of changes in aspects of Earth's climate, such as temperature, precipitation, and the frequency and intensity of storms

carbon dioxide (CO2)

greenhouse gas is more abundant in the atmosphere and therefore contributes more to the greenhouse effect and warming

greenhouse effect

is a natural process and greenhouse gases have been in our atmosphere for all of Earth's history.

greenhouse effect..

is a nature phenomenon

forestry (solution for climate change)

preserving forests, reforesting cleared areas, and pursuing sustainable forestry practices all help to absorb carbon from the air

global warming

refers specifically to an increase in Earth's average surface temperature. It is only one aspect of global climate change, but warming does in turn drive other components of climate change

agriculture (solution for climate change)

sustainable management of cropland & rangeland enables soil to store more carbon New techniques reduce methane emission from rice cultivation and from cattle and manure

cap -and-trade

system in which industries and utilities would compete to reduce emissions for financial gain, and under which emissions were mandated to decrease 17% by 2020. ( legislation did not pass in the Senate)

warming, temperature

whereas global __ refers specifically to an increase in Earth's average surface__