AP/IB Environmental Science - Global Climate Change
Examples of carbon sinks
*Forests, soils, *oceans *the atmosphere all store carbon and this carbon moves between them in a continuous cycle.
Example of negative feedback climate change
1. Increased cloudiness reflects more incoming solar radiation As ice sheets melt, this could increase cloudiness with more water vapor in the atmosphere. 2. Higher rainfall from more moisture in the atmosphere Similarly, if there's more water held in the atmosphere, then higher water volume leads to more precipitation. This is because the atmosphere can retain more moisture with higher temperatures. https://earthhow.com/climate-feedback-loops/
What is the natural ph of the ocean? Is it acidic, basic or neutral.
8 and basic
Why must coral live in the photic zone?
Algae needs SUNLIGHT
When CO2 is mixed with water what compound is formed? This acid increases ______ ions in the water, which then bind to ______________ (used by some marine life to make shells) to form ________________.
Carbonic acid; increases H+ ions carbonate (CO3) bicarbonate
How would estuaries and coastal wetlands be impacted by rising sea level?
Covered with too much water
Global warming and Effects of Biodiversity
Decreased in biodiversity HIPPCO ( *habitat destruction *invasive species *population growth *pollution *climate change *over exploitation) describes the main factors leading to a decrease in biodiversity.
thermal expansion
Expansion of water (or any object) as it gets warmer
TRUE OR FALSE: Human activity has always influenced climate change over Earth's history.
FALSE Humans have only been here for a short time. Humans started to influence climate change in 1900s
Does warmer water hold MORE or LESS OXYGEN?
LESS Oxygen
DOES Warmer water can hold more or less Carbon Dioxide. How will this impact Climate Change?
Less CO2 Oceans would release more CO2 back to atmosphere (POSITIVE FEEDBACK)
How does warmer water impact fish and other marine heterotrophs?
Less oxygen=> more distress to the fish and marine life; hypoxia THINK B.O.D.
What would happen to the local climate of western Europe if the Gulf Stream stopped flowing due to climate change?
Recall OCEAN CONVEYOR BELT Gulf stream carries a big amount of warm water the equator across the Atlantic up to Western Europe=> providing heat to Europe IF the GULF STREAM STOP FLOWING=> EUROPE WOULD BE COOLER AND COLDER
Impact of global warming in "Glaciers and Sea Ice Melting"
Rising sea; displacing animals like polar bears; decrease in high albedo (light sources)
TRUE OR FALSE: The Earth is warming faster than it ever has in its history.
TRUE: Studies suggest earth warming faster than in the last 2,000 years
WHAT'S THE IPCC?
The U.N. International Panel of Climate Control Consists of hundreds of climate experts; reviews research; on climate change
Compare the Earth to an actual greenhouse and explain the 'Greenhouse Effect'.
The glass in a greenhouse traps heat, while greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb and recycle heat.
greenhouse effect
The natural trapping of heat in our atmosphere
Albedo
The proportional reflectance of the Earth's surface
Explain why you choose these organisms, and why acidic oceans are threatening their populations.
These organisms--clams, corals, snails, fish--use carbonate to form their shells. When the hydrogen ions increase , the bond to CO3 which turns into bicarbonate. As a result there is less CO3 for these organisms to use to make their shells. Ocean acidification damages. coral because acidification makes it difficult for them to form shells, due to the loss of calcium carbonate.
Why is sea ice so important to polar bears?
Walkway way/rest stops for polar bears Less ice=> more energy spent for hunting and looking for food
How does ocean warming lead to the increased occurrence of toxic algae blooms?
Warmer water leads to increase algae bloom=> more abundant
What will happen to the Arctic Fox population? Explain.
Will decrease because they rely on the scraps from the polar bears' food More trouble finding food
How do humans create or produce more carbon dioxide (CO2)?
deforestation, burning fossil fuels
anthropogenic climate change
environmental change caused or influenced by people, either directly or indirectly
why is there an increase of diseases spread by mosquitoes as a result of global warming
increase area of warmer climate means more habitat of these organisms and spread quickly--malaria spread quicker
Today, does the ocean have MORE or LESS carbon dioxide than there was BEFORE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION? As a result has it INCREASED or DECREASE the ph in the ocean?
today MORE CO2 in oceans today decreased ph in ocean
light surfaces (high albedo)
•like ice/snow have high albedos and reflect high amounts of sunlight
Explain how researchers use ice cores to determine the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere thousands of years ago.
As ice accumulates, bubbles are trapped, which contain samples of the atmosphere at the last time the ice formed
How is thermal expansion linked to rising sea levels?
As this heat is absorbed, ocean temperatures rise and water expands. This thermal expansion contributes to an increase in global sea level.
TRUE OR FALSE: The Earth is warming evenly (by the same amount) across all latitude lines.
FALSE Poles (north/south poles), more hotter; higher degrees of warming
TRUE OR FALSE: Today, the Earth is warmer than it has ever been in its history.
FALSE The climate has been warmer with intermittent ice ages. Today's temps relatively low
TRUE OR FALSE: Scientists understand all of the impacts of Climate Change.
FALSE: many unknowns; more studies needed; lots of variables to consider and figure out
Climate change is expected to expand Hadley cells poleward. How would this lead to increased drought in the subtropics?
Hadley cells rise from equator, evaporating water from it As water hits cooler upper atmosphere, it condenses near the equator and rains. The remaining dry air circulates and drops around 30 degrees N&S. leading to desert conditions. The Hadley cells expand, there would be larger area leading to more drought and desert like condition.
Do W=warmer waters increase or decrease the metabolic rate of fish.
INCREASE Metabolic fish rate
GLobal warming AND Effect on Ocean Conveyor Belt
If one part of the conveyor belt were to break down—if cold water is not lifted to the surface in upwelling, for instance—nutrients will not be distributed to start the food chain
Impact of global warming and Permafrost melting (effects of CH4 release)
Once Arctic permafrost melts, microbes are able to consume the once-frozen organic matter trapped in the soil. As a byproduct of this process, microbes produce large amounts of methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas
For many species of sea turtle, the gender of the turtle depends on the temperature of the egg during development. Eggs that are warmer than 29 degrees become female while cooler eggs become male. Considering this fact, explain how climate change will impact sea turtle populations.
Population stress=>Lower number of males=>may make finding mate difficult=>less reproduction=>decreased in population.
If the polar bear population declines, what will happen to seal populations in the arctic? Explain
Populations that polar bear eat could increase which cold disrupt the food chain balance
positive feedback
Positive climate feedback loops accumulate to a more harmful result with increased heating. In a positive feedback loop, an initial warming triggers a feedback to amplify the effects warming. Positive climate feedback loops accumulate to a more harmful result with increased heating.
What is the important characteristic of the photic zone?
SUNLIGHT
Impact of global warming in "Changes in Ecological Productivity/Agriculture"
The increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events is expected to lead to lower crop yields, reduced soil fertility, and more pests and diseases.
global conveyor belt
a constantly moving system of deep-ocean circulation driven by temperature and salinity The conveyor belt is also a vital component of the global ocean nutrient and carbon dioxide cycles.
How do humans produce/create more nitrous oxide?
agriculture, fossil fuel combustion, industrial processes
carbon sequestration
an approach to stabilizing greenhouse gases by removing CO2 from the atmosphere
carbon sink
anything that absorbs more carbon that it releases
carbon source
anything that releases more carbon than is absorbed (fossil fuels)
Which of these organisms are directly affected by the increased acidity of the oceans? a. plankton b. tuna c. clams d. coral e. swordfish f. snails g. starfish h. whales
c. clams; d. coral; f. snails, g. starfish
what are the main greenhouse gases
carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, , CFCs, tropospheric ozone
proxy data
comes from natural recorders of climate variability, such as seafloor sediments, glacial ice, fossil pollen, and tree-growth rings, as well as from historical documents
Kyoto Protocol
controlling global warming by setting greenhouse gas emissions targets for developed countries
Explain how this would negatively impact food supplies.
crop loss, destruction of infrastructure, loss of livelihoods,
ocean acidification
decreasing pH of ocean waters due to absorption of excess atmospheric CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels
What is the natural formation of water vapor?
evaporation from water sources, clouds
How do humans produce/create more water vapor?
farming, manufacturing, power generation
Explain how this would negatively impact the economy.
increase cost of food; increase cost of fixing damaged areas
Impact of global warming on "Habitat range changes, influence on disease and human health"
increase disease like diarrhea; habitat no longer viables for some animals
Explain how melting sea ice can lead to a positive feedback effect, increasing the rate of climate change.
increasing temps=>melting ice=>ocean undersea ice=>lower albedo (absorbs more heat) CYLCE REPEATS (see image)
How do humans produce/create CFCs?
industrial processes, refrigerants, propellants
Define climate
is an area's general pattern of atmosphere or weather conditions over long periods of time ranging from decades to thousands of years
Define Weather -
is local area's short-term temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind speed, cloud cover, and other physical conditions in the atmosphere as measure over days and hours.
Infrared vs. Ultraviolet Radiation
key difference between infrared and ultraviolet radiation is that: INFRARED: the wavelength is longer than that of visible light ULTRAVIOLET: shorter than the wavelength of visible light.
How do humans create and produce more Methane (CH4)?
landfills, livestock farming, use of fossil fuels all produce man made methane
Impact of global warming: Rise in Sea Levels (link to thermal expansion)
leads to loss of land/increased flooding; erosion of beaches, inundation of deltas as well as flooding and loss of many marshes and wetlands.
What is the natural formation of tropospheric Ozone?
lightning , hydrocarbons(VOCs) released by plants and soil
Impact of global warming in "displacement of people"
millions of people have been forcibly displaced by weather-related events - such as floods, storms, wildfires and extreme temperatures
What is the natural formation of carbon dioxide (CO2)?
naturally created through aerobic decomposition, ocean release, volcanoes
How do humans create /produce more tropospheric ozone?
nitrogen oxides emitted by automobiles, gasoline vapor, fossil fuel power plants, refineries, and other industries
What is acidification of the oceans?
Increased CO2 uptake in ocean making it more acidic (lower ph); bad because: 1) harm life forms that rely on carbonate-based shells and skeletons, 2) harm organisms sensitive to acidity 3) harm organisms higher up the food chain that feed on these sensitive organisms.
Name three diseases that are spread by mosquitoes.
Malaria, west nile, zika
Explain how melting permafrost can lead to a positive feedback effect, increasing the rate of climate change.
Melting permafrost due to higher temps=>increase in CH4 release=>CH4 contributes to higher temps CYCLE REPEATS (see image)
If global climate change continues, what is likely to happen to organism populations adapted to tropical biomes? Explain.
Migrate away from their habitat to seek habitats that is better for them.
Why does thermal expansion happen?
Molecules move more quickly (with more energy when warm)
Does an increase metabolic fish rate mean they require more OR less food.?
More food
How does warmer water impact the food web of a local habitat?
More food needed; more stress MORE HEAT=>more STRESS on organism REMEMBER THERMAL POLLUTION
What is the natural formation of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
NONE! CFCs do not occur naturally in nature!
If global climate change continues, what is likely to happen to organism populations adapted to arctic and tundra biomes? Explain.
No habitat =NO ORGANISM Population of polar bears, walrus etc will decrease Melted tundras/arctic=> depletes habitat
What would happen if sea levels rise such that a coral reef were covered by more than 50 meters of water?
Not enough sunlight reaching photosynthesis
The vast majority of the excess heat from the greenhouse effect has been absorbed by the
OCEAN
Example of carbon source
respiration, burning fossil fuels, forest fires, cattle ranching
What is the natural formation of Nitrous Oxide (N2O)?
soil under natural vegetation, oceans (microbes during denitrification) naturally create Nitrous oxide.
This constant movement of carbon means ...
that forests, soils and oceans can be sinks or sources, depending on different conditions.
The hockey stick graph suggests that
the global climate cooled until the early part of the 19th century and then started to warm rapidly
What are Changes in Tropospheric Weather Patterns
the troposphere, has warmed leads to changes in patterns of winds that move heat and moisture around the globe.
Atmospheric Layers
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
heat island effect
urbanized areas that experience higher temperatures than outlying areas
What is the natural formation of Methane (CH4)
wetlands, oceans, anaerobic decomposition all produce methane naturally
What is the impact of when the currents re-distribute heat from the sun?
•Influences climate and vegetation, esp. near coastal areas. •Vertical mixing in deep and shallow ocean currents (thermohaline circulation) •Creates a loop of deep and shallow water currents •Like a giant conveyor belt •Moves heat to and from deep sea •Transfers warm and cold water between tropics and poles
negative feedback climate change
•Negative feedback loops reduce the effects of climate change. A change in a condition that triggers a response that counteracts or reverses the changed condition. The negative feedback mechanism works to keep an undisturbed system in dynamic equilibrium.
What is the relationship/connection between air and ocean?
•Prevailing winds and the earth's rotation drive the major ocean currents
WHY DO SCIENTISTS THINK HUMANS ARE ENHANCING THE NATURAL GREENHOUSE EFFECT?
•The three main indicators for long term climate shift all suggest we should be heading to a cooling trend instead of warming. Sunspot Activity Volcanic Activity Milankovitch Cycles
dark surfaces (low albedo)
•like open oceans/land/pavement have lower albedos and absorb higher amounts of sunlight
GREENHOUSE EFFECT, INFRARED RAYS AND GCC
* Greenhouse effect is natural and beneficial to life on earth Occurs because certain gases (GHG) in our atmosphere trap long-wave/ lower frequency radiation (infrared rays-heat) in the troposphere. BECOMES A PROBLEM WHEN: The problem is that there is an increase in GHG, enhancing the natural greenhouse effect
What are the effects of the climate change?
- Rising sea levels - Increased desertification - Increase in droughts - More extreme weather events -effects on human health, agriculture
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO INCREASE THE Green house GASES IN OUR ATMOSPHERE?
-FOSSIL FUEL: Burning carbon containing fossil fuels (Fossil Fuel) -Deforestation: (not only releases CO2, but reduces carbon storage and productivity) -Meat Production: •Increasing livestock production-contributes to increased methane levels
Ways to reduce the impact of global climate change
1) Drive less; walk more (decrease carbon pollution 2) Recycle more 3) Use less hot water: It takes a lot of energy to heat water. 4) Do not buy products with lots of packaging (more waste) 5)Plant a tree (increase carbon re-absorption) 6) turn off electronic devices
HOW DO WE KNOW THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING?
1) Historical Sources: human records, cave drawings, farming journals, ship logs 2)Instrumental measurements: tracking gases, precipitations, temperature readings 3)Proxies: pollen grains, fossils, tree rings. Sediments and ice cores 4)Modeling: forecasting future outcomes
What is an example of positive feedback in climate change?
1. Permafrost melt sparks methane release -Arctic tundra, permafrost melt will trigger methane release in the atmosphere. Because methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. 2.. Sea level rise As the planet warms, ocean waters expand. Rising sea levels hit coastal cities the hardest. But another result will trigger further glacier calving. If you increase water volume, this could cause further chunks of ice to outpour into the oceans. https://earthhow.com/climate-feedback-loops/
Does the ocean absorbs or releases or both carbon dioxide.
BOTH absorbs and release CO2
Explain how researchers use ice cores determine the approximate temperature thousands of years ago
By measuring the relative amounts of isotopes ratios More oxygen 16=> warmer temps More oxygen 13=> cooler temps
Why is the Greenhouse Effect essential to life?
Earth would be an icy wasteland. Greenhouse gases keep our planet livable by holding onto some of Earth's heat energy so that it doesn't all escape into space.
Permafrost
permanently frozen layer of soil beneath the surface of the ground