Oceans 102
Which of the following lines of evidence do not support the claim that extreme weather events are becoming more frequent.
Decrease in hurricane activity in the Southern Hemisphere
Which choice(s) below describe the positive feedback loop found in the Arctic? Select all that apply.
Exposed land and ocean absorb more solar radiation. Increased clouds and moisture trap heat released from Earth.
A Congressional act passed in 2009 which authorizes federal research funding of ocean acidification through NOAA, NASA, and NSF goes by which acronym?
FOARAM
Using ice core data, scientists can reconstruct the historical record of all of the following except:
Frequency of earthquakes
As global temperatures increase and sea ice melts, the albedo (reflectivity) of the planet is decreased. This will cause temperatures to _____________ and is an example of a ___________ feedback. Fill in the blanks with the best word choice from the list below.
Increase; positive
Positive feedbacks tend to:
Increase the magnitude of a change in the same direction as the original change
The change in what property of seawater is illustrated by the RED line in the figure? (toward the right)
Salinity
The halocline is a region of what rapidly changing property of seawater?
Salinity
Which processes cause surface seawater to increase in density?
Sea ice formation and surface water evaporation
The zigzag pattern on the red line (atmospheric CO2) is driven by fluctuations in?
Seasonal balance between global photosynthesis and respiration
Which of the following are potential actions that could help the ocean "defend" itself against rising acidity and temperatures? Select all that apply.
The establishment of Marine Protected Areas. Practicing sustainable fishing practices. Reducing nutrient pollution in coastal areas.
Which of the following is a proxy used to reconstruct past oceanic conditions? Select all that apply.
Tree rings, Air bubbles in ice cores, Ocean sediments, Corals
Albedo feedbacks are strongest when:
Two surfaces differ widely in their ability to reflect sunlight
Which has a higher pH?
Seawater
Which of the statements below about the IPCC is not true?
The IPCC is responsible for forecasting future weather patterns and storms.
Inuits use sea ice for all of the following except:
boats
MAAD is an acronym for the different ways organisms can respond to perturbations in their environment
move, acclimate, adapt, death
True or False? As Arctic ice melts, reflectivity decreases and absorption increases.
true
The Bjerrum plot shows the relative concentrations of each carbonate species in seawater at different pH's. Please select the relative concentrations of carbonate species in seawater at pH of 7.
[HCO3-] > [CO2] > [CO32-]
A positive climate feedback loop is named because it results in a 'good' change to the climate system.
false
According to the IPCC, it is very likely that MOC will increase by 2100.
false
Glaciers are the largest reservoir of water on Earth
false
Human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels and clearing of forests, have greatly intensified the natural greenhouse effect by increasing the concentration of H2O in the atmosphere.
false
Melting of sea or land ice increases Earth's albedo.
false
TRUE or FALSE: An individual organism can adapt to climate change.
false
TRUE or FALSE: Killer whale communities that consume salmon are not likely to be impacted by Ocean Acidification.
false
TRUE or FALSE: Only fisheries of shell-forming organisms like clams, mussels, and oysters are projected to be impacted by Ocean Acidification.
false
The IPCC is the scientific organization that funds and performs most research on climate change.
false
There is not a scientific consensus on if global warming is real.
false
True or False? Based on satellite estimates, Arctic Ocean primary production is consistently decreasing over large areas.
false
True or False? CO2 emissions continue to increase in developing countries due primarily to an increase in holiday travel.
false
True or False? Coral reefs are not an important resource in the ocean since organism diversity there is very low.
false
True or False? Global CO2 emissions have been declining since 2006.
false
True or False? If seawater density decreases with depth, the water column is stratified.
false
True or False? Only the smallest organisms are impacted by ocean acidification.
false
True or False? Reflectivity is higher in dark surfaces, absorption is higher in light surfaces
false
True or False? The current concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the highest it has ever been on our planet.
false
True or False? The only people living in the Arctic are indigenous groups.
false
True or False? There are only 4 groups of indigenous people living in the Arctic.
false
Which of the following things are NOT dissolved in seawater?
ice
What physical characteristics of the Arctic make climate feedbacks possible?
ice coverage
True or False? A carbon footprint is made up of the sum of two parts, the primary footprint (measure of direct emissions of CO2) and the secondary footprint (measure of the indirect CO2emissions).
true
True or False? For transportation, native people in the Arctic often travel by sleds pulled by a pack of dogs.
true
True or False? In both Bering and Barents Seas, recent shifts in the distribution of boreal fishes are associated with changes in bottom water temperature and loss of sea ice.
true
True or False? Most Indigenous people today live in modern homes with modern appliances.
true
True or False? Rising seas dramatically increase the odds of damaging floods from storm surges.
true
True or False? Sea ice is considered an insulator because sea ice acts as barrier between cold Arctic air and relatively warmer surface water.
true
True or False? Some people and some businesses will benefit from a warming in the Arctic.
true
True or False? The Bering Sea had little ice during most of the 2018/19 winter and 2019 spring seasons.
true
According to the IPCC, about a third of coastal land will be lost to sea level rise in the next 100 years
true
Both natural and anthropogenic factors are responsible for changes in Earth's climate.
true
Changes in the shape of Earth's orbit around the sun can result in either a warming or cooling of Earth.
true
Climate change can be caused by both natural and anthropogenic factors.
true
Climate change includes global temperature rise and everything else that increasing greenhouse gas amounts will affect.
true
Climate is defined as how the atmosphere "behaves" over relatively long periods of time.
true
Climate is the usual or long-term average weather of a place.
true
Communities of microorganisms can live in small brine pockets within sea ice.
true
Hundreds of millions of people will be impacted directly by a 1 m sea level rise.
true
Major volcanic eruptions can result in either a warming or cooling of the planet.
true
Oceans contain approximately 97% of the all the water on the planet.
true
Overall, the minimum sea ice area has declined since 1979.
true
Proxies can be combined to produce temperature reconstructions longer than the instrumental temperature record.
true
The Arctic is warming at a rate of almost twice the global average.
true
The IPCC warns that extreme weather events are likely to become more frequent and severe as global temperatures rise.
true
The commercial shipping industry would benefit from an ice-free Arctic because the shipping route between the North Pacific and North Atlantic would be much shorter and faster.
true
The oceans have absorbed approximately 90% of the increased heat and 30% of the anthropogenic CO2 in the climate system.
true
The primary difference between an ice sheet and an ice cap is size.
true
To date, most climate-related sea level rise is attributed to thermal expansion.
true
True or False? The Chukchi Sea experienced very early melt onset and rapid ice loss in spring 2019, and by the end of summer 2019 reached one of the lowest ice extents in the satellite record for the region.
true
True or False? The average annual surface air temperature north of 60 o N for October 2018-August 2019 was the 2nd warmest since 1900.
true
True or False? The main reason for the decline is U.S. emissions of CO2 since 2006 is the transition from coal to natural gas for electricity generation.
true
True or False? The only way to stop ocean acidification is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere.
true
True or False? The unprecedented rate and global reach of Arctic change disproportionally affect the people of northern communities, further pressing the need to prepare for and adapt to the new Arctic.
true
True or False? Warming in the Arctic will likely negatively impact hunters but positively impact fishermen.
true
True or False? When carbon dioxide mixes with ocean water, an acid is formed.
true
Usually temperature, salinity, and pressure distributions cause ocean water density to increase with depth.
true
Weather is always changing.
true
The total melting of Arctic sea ice will result in a sea level increase of ______ meter(s). Fill in the blank with the best choice from the list below.
0
The difference between a pH of 3 and a pH of 2 is a difference in how many H+ ions?
10 x's more H+
What percentage of animal protein intake by the global population comes from fisheries?
20%
In total, about _________ people live in the Arctic.
4 million
Carbon footprint is defined as
A measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce.
Which of these is NOT an impact ocean acidification has on marine organisms?
Ability to respire
On average, how long does it take for a parcel of water to travel around the world as part of the global conveyor belt?
About 700-1000 years
Sound travels farther in what pH water?
Acidic
Examples of evidence of sea level rise in Tuvalu include which of the following?
All of the these answers are evidence of sea level rise in Tuvalu. -Crop damage -Sea water bubbling up through coral during high tides -Tide gauge data
Which of the following is not a cost of sea level rise?
All of these answers are costs of sea level rise. -Loss or degradation of fresh water sources -Monetary cost of securing shorelines -Loss of agricultural lands -Monetary cost of relocating people from flooded cities
Which of the following does not contribute to the uncertainty in climate models?
All of these contribute to uncertainty in climate models.
Which of the following lines of evidence do not support climate change?
All of these lines of evidence are in support of climate change. -Measurements of the increase in the heat content in the upper ocean. -Measurements of air and sea surface temperatures. -Measurements of sea-level rise. -Measurements of changes in snow and ice cover in the Northern Hemisphere.
Which of the following is NOT considered an essential nutrient for photosynthesis or phytoplankton growth?
Aluminum (Al)
According to the video, how much carbon dioxide mixes into the surface ocean each day?
Approximately 22 millions tons
What percentage of the planet is covered with ocean?
Approximately 70%
Select all that apply. Which of the following statements about change in the Arctic are correct?
Arctic sea ice extent at the end of summer 2019 was tied with 2007 and 2016 as the second lowest since satellite observations began in 1979. Satellite estimates showed ocean primary productivity in the Arctic was higher than the long-term average for seven of nine regions, with the Barents Sea and North Atlantic the only regions showing lower than average values. August mean sea surface temperatures in 2019 were 1-7°C warmer than the 1982-2010 August mean in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, the Laptev Sea, and Baffin Bay.
Which reservoir turns over, or exchanges, CO2 the fastest?
Atmosphere
Which carbonate species do calcifying organisms rely on to build their shells?
Carbonate
When CO2 dissolves in water, it reacts with water to form different carbon species. Which of these species is very reactive and readily dissociates?
Carbonic acid (H2CO3)
Which of the following statements about climate models is not correct?
Climate models cannot be used to forecast future weather events
Which organisms are considered to be the most vulnerable to ocean acidification? Check all those that apply:
Coccolithophorids Pteropods Bivalves Coral reefs
Which of the following is an example of a short-term climatic event?
El Nino
Between 1990 and 2010, which of the following activities contributed the most to CO2 emissions in the U.S.?
Electricity generation and transportation
The global ocean is not uniformly a source or sink for atmospheric CO2, but rather different regions of the ocean vary in whether they act as a local source or sink. What ocean regions are considered to be sources of CO2 to the atmosphere? Select all that apply:
Equatorial regions Coastal upwelling zone
Which of the following does not contribute to your secondary carbon footprint?
Holiday travel
All of the following are evidence that melting sea ice is negatively impacting the health of polar bears except:
Increase in litter size
Which of the following are currently being observed in the ocean atmosphere system? Select all that apply.
Increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Increasing sea surface temperatures. Increasing sea surface acidity.
Which of the following is not an example of how extreme weather events can negatively affect human health?
Increasing precipitation events result in an expansion of agriculture areas.
Which of the following statements about indigenous people in the Arctic are correct? Select all that apply.
Indigenous peoples have lived in the Arctic for thousands of years. Traditionally, indigenous peoples lived primarily from hunting, fishing, herding, and gathering wild plants for food. Indigenous people found many different ways to adapt to the harsh Arctic climate, developing warm dwellings and clothing to protect them from frigid weather.
What is the main difference between weather and climate?
Length of time period
Which choice(s) below describe the negative feedback loop found in the Arctic? Select all that apply.
Melting ice increases moisture in the atmosphere, causing clouds that cool the atmosphere by blocking more sunlight.
What is the largest potential source to future sea level rise?
Melting of ice sheets
Which of the following types of businesses or industries will benefit from the warming of the Arctic? Select all that apply.
Mining Commercial shipping Oil and gas extraction
Select all that apply. Which of the following statements about changes on land in the Arctic are correct?
North American Arctic snow cover in May 2019 was the fifth-lowest in 53 years of record. Thawing permafrost throughout the Arctic could be releasing an estimated 300-600 million tons of net carbon per year to the atmosphere.
Where will light attenuate more rapidly?
Nutrient rich coastal temperate waters
What important role to the oceans play in global climate?
Oceans aborb, store and transport heat and greenhouse gasses
How many groups of indigenous people live in the Arctic?
Over 40
What are the sources of oxygen in the ocean? Select all that apply:
Photosynthesis Atmospheric mixing
What factors control how much gas can be held in a solution? Select all that apply.
Pressure Salinity Temperature
Which if the following are actions that you could take to reduce your personal carbon footprint? Select all that apply.
Recycle more Travel less Buy local foods that are in season Make your home more energy efficient
Arctic sea ice provides all of the following ecosystem functions except:
Source of pristine drinking water
How is the Arctic tundra changing? Select all that apply.
The Arctic tundra is experiencing increased permafrost warming. The Arctic tundra is experiencing increased greenness.
By how much has the acidity of the ocean changed since the Industrial Revolution?
The acidity has increased by approximately 30%.
Island nations like Tuvalu and the Maldives are especially vulnerable to sea level rise because:
The average elevation of the islands is only a few feet above sea level.
How does the melting of sea ice lead to sea level rise?
The break up of sea ice will allow a faster flow of ice on land into the oceans, thereby providing an additional contribution to sea level rise.
Why do model simulations underestimate the sea level rise observed during the 20th century?
The physics and dynamics of ice sheet melt are not well understood or quantified.
Which country emits the largest amount of CO2 per capita?
US
A thinning sea ice cover can increase air temperatures because:
Warmth from the ocean can more effectively seep through the ice and warm the air above
The following image depicts characteristic depth profiles from various seasons in a Northern Hemisphere temperate region of the ocean. Which season is depicted in panel B? (large mixed layer)
Winter
The global ocean conveyor belt could slow down if:
a large influx of fresh water entered into the Atlantic from glacial melting
In climate change, a feedback loop is the equivalent of a vicious or virtuous circle - something that accelerates or decelerates a warming trend. A positive feedback ______ a temperature rise, whereas a negative feedback ______ it. Fill in the blanks with the best word choice from the list below.
accelerates; decelerates
Fill in the blanks: A pH of 4 is more ___________ than a pH of 5 which is more ___________.
acidic; basic
Which country is currently the largest emitter of CO2?
china
When CO2 is dissolved into the ocean, the concentration of carbonate(CO3-2) ________________ and the concentration of bicarbonate (HCO3-)_________________.
decreases; increases
Thermohaline circulation is driven by changes in
density
The region of the water column where there is sufficient sunlight to carry out photosynthesis is called?
euphotic zone
The mass of a glacier ______ when the accumulation of snow and ice during the winter months is larger than ice melt during summer months. Fill in the blank with the best word choice from the list below.
increases
When water is heated, it's volume ______. Fill ink the blank with the best word choice from the list below.
increases
Hurricane activity is predicted to increase as the temperature of the surface ocean ______, because their source of energy is ______ which is evaporated from the ocean surface. Fill in the blanks with the best word choice from the list below.
increases; water vapor
Select all that apply. The new normal Arctic is characterized by:
loss of mass of ice in the Greenland Ice Sheet and Arctic glaciers long-term losses in the extent and thickness of the sea ice cover warming sea surface
The _________ is the region of the water column where density increases rapidly with water depth. Fill in the blank with the best choice from the list below.
pycnocline
Earth's temperature depends on the balance between energy entering and leaving the planet's system. When incoming energy from the sun is absorbed by the Earth system, Earth ______. When energy is reflected back into space, Earth ______. Fill in the blanks with the best word choice from the list below.
warms; cools
The oceans are able to store large amounts of heat because
water has a high specific heat
Which of the greenhouse gasses below has the highest concentration in Earth's atmosphere.
water vapor