BIO103 - Exam 4

What is the mitigation approach to managing climate change?

- Locate/invent/utilize alternative fuels to fossil fuels - Increase efficiency of cars and trucks - Carbon capture and storage - Plant and maintain trees to naturally sequester carbon

What is the adaptation approach to managing climate change?

- Rising sea levels and costal populations -> Move inland -> Construct seawalls and levees to block the sea - Adapt to shifting agricultural zones -> grow crops somewhere else

How many people in the world are experiencing poverty?

1.3 billion people throughout the world are so poor they cannot afford proper nutrition.

What is some of the evidence for climate change?

15 of the 16 hottest years have occurred since 2001, with 2016 being the hottest year ever recorded globally. Spring in the North Hemisphere now beings 6 days earlier based on the date the buds of specific plants opened, which can have ecological consequences.

How does famine affect the United States?

90% of U.S. households are food secure. About 7% have low food security and about 4% have very low food security with no access to three, nutritious meals a day. More specifically, in Pennsylvania and Maryland, famine is less common than other states in the United States. Food deserts are more likely to affect people living in these states.

What is a fecal coliform test?

A fecal coliform test is a water-quality test for the presence of E.coli.

What is a food desert?

A food desert is an urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food.

What is a greenhouse gas?

A greenhouse gas is a gas that absorbs infrared radiation.

Which government agency is chiefly responsible for environmental issues?

A lot of agencies and parts of the government have some role in environmental issues, but chief among them is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Under different administrations, the EPA is more or less aggressive on their view of what has caused climate change.

What is adaptation?

Adaptation is learning to live with environmental changes and societal consequences brought about by global climate change. Adaptation prioritizes living with the change. Putting bandaids on.

What is albedo?

Albedo is reflectance from surfaces back into space. Ice and snow reflect 90+% of sunlight.

In terms of food, what animals do humans rely on?

Animals constitute 40% of the calories consumed in developed countries but only 5% of calories in developing countries.

What are the effects of antibiotics on livestock?

Antibiotics are used in livestock to boost growth and treat disease. As a result, the product gets bigger and stays healthier. However, there is a downside. There are problems with increased bacteria resistance to some of the antibiotics used. There are multiple strains of E.coli that have become resistant to one of the antibiotics used to treat it. When livestock becomes contaminated and passes it on to humans, the antibiotics used to treat the illnesses are ineffective.

What is aquaculture?

Aquaculture involves growing aquatic organisms for human consumptions in order to increase the food supply. The locations of these farms has the potential to hurt the natural habitats and the farms produce waste that pollutes adjacent waters. The food fed to the farmed fish may impact grain availability elsewhere.

What is carbon dioxide?

Carbon dioxide is a natural compound and a part of the photosynthesis and respiration's processes. It wasn't really looked at as a pollutant and was not regulated for some time. However, it went to the Supreme Court and burning fossil fuels and changing land use release large amounts of CO2 and cause the amount in the atmosphere to increase. Atmospheric CO2 concentrations have increased by more than 40% since pre-industrial times, since the colonists arrived in America. The current CO2 level is higher than it has been in at least 800,000 years.

What is the primary greenhouse gas?

Carbon dioxide is the primary greenhouse gas. While others do contribute, they're not as big as contributors as CO2.

What has to be taken into consideration when making a climate model?

Climate is affected by winds, clouds, ocean currents, and albedo.

What ecosystems are at greatest risk of species loss?

Coral reefs, mountain ecosystems, coastal wetlands, tundra, and polar regions, or biodiversity hotspots.

What effect does climate change have on coral reefs?

Corals have algae inside of them that lives symbiotically. However, the algae is really picky about temperature. As the water warms, the coral gets stressed and the algae gets stressed and the algae dies off. This leaves the coral to survive on their own and they don't do very well because the algae provided them with a bunch of nutrients. The consequence is a reef decline on a global level. An increase in water temperature bleaches coral reefs. This affects the coral symbionts (algae) and makes them more susceptible to diseases.

What is domestication?

Domestication is the process of changing plants or animals to make them more useful to humans.

What is famine?

Famine is a temporary but severe shortage of food, or also, periodic shortages in food that happen because of things like weather changes or war. Famine is often seen in places where the population has been increasing the highest. The developing nations of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, which contain more than 800 million people, are most at risk for famine.

How does the world's growing population affect food security?

Feeding a growing population is difficult. Trying to produce and provide food for a species that's been growing as fast as humans have is a challenge. Annual grain production has increased from 1971-2015, but, due to the increase in population, the amount of grain per person has not increased. The amount of grain being produced has increased with the human population.

Where is food insecurity more common?

Food insecurity is more common in rural than urban areas, but parts of urban areas may lack nutrient rich foods though, especially in food deserts.

What is the current state of food production in the United States?

Food production in the United States has become this really big industrial process. The production of meat has become factory-like, which has allowed the country to put more food on the table. However, this is not true everywhere.

What is the primary contributor to greenhouse gases?

Fossil fuels are the primary contributor to greenhouse gases.

Is genetic engineering safe?

Genetic engineering has been determined to be safe for human consumption. However, recently, there have been growing concerns and backlash against GMOs, especially in Europe. People are concerned about GMO seed or pollen spreading in the wild and the effects that may have, which are unable to be determined at this time. In summer of 2016, the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law was enacted, which implemented labeling standards in 2018.

What is genetic engineering of plants?

Genetic engineering of plants is the manipulation of genes by taking specific gene from a cell of one species and placing it into the cell of an unrelated species. Plants are genetically engineered to produce genetically modified food.

What is genetically modified food?

Genetically modifies food is food that has been genetically engineered to be tolerant to something or to be rich in something. For example, in some countries, golden rice are genetically modified to be rich in beta carotene to prevent a Vitamin A deficiency in the country because the plant alone would not have enough natural Vitamin A. Other plants are genetically modified to be tolerant to insects, pests, heat, cold, drought, or acidic soils.

What effect does climate change have on human health?

Heat related illnesses and death have increased around the globe as the temperature on the ground in some places is so hot that it taxes people's metabolisms to the point where they cannot survive, especially the really old and people with pre-existing conditions (heart problems, asthma). When you combine that with really hot air next to the ground, air pollutants are kept closer to the ground and people are going to be treating in some really crappy stuff. Respiratory ailments will be more of a problem. It's expected to be even worse in cities. In the developing world, cities have most of those urban heat islands, dust domes are going to get stronger, you'll be creating in crap! Vectors of diseases are going to be able to move further north than they typically do.

What are the effects of hormone supplements on livestock?

Hormone supplements are basically just growth hormones that increase milk production and growth rates. Hormone supplements are only used in the United States, not in Europe or Canada. However, the use of hormone supplements in the United States is decreasing and rBGH products have largely been removed as a result of consumer demand over health concerns.

What is the Kyoto Protocol?

In 1997, countries got together in Kyoto and signed off on an international agreement. While 192 countries signed the agreement, only 60 ratified it. Many countries feared that agreeing to this puts industry at a disadvantage and other countries who didn't agree to it will have an advantage. Although it didn't make enough political progress, it did not stop awareness on the issue.

How has American citizen's involvement in food production changed over the centuries?

In the 1700s, 90% of people in North America were involved in food production. By the 1860's, that number had decreased to 50%. Today, only 3-4% of Americans produce our food but their productivity has increased.

How has crop yields throughout the world changed over the years?

In the 1940s, most countries were equal in terms of crop yields. From then on, food production increased in developed countries with the assistance of pesticides and selective breeding. The United States wheat yield increased 3x. Indonesia used to rely on imports of rice, but with industrialized rice that grows faster, they became a net exporter.

What is industrialized agriculture?

Industrialized agriculture includes modern agriculture methods that require large capital input, and less land and labor. The switch from subsistence agriculture to industrialized agriculture began during World War II and it is responsible for the decrease in American citizen's involvement in food production and increase in productivity as well as some environmental problems.

What are the environmental implications of industrialized agriculture?

Industrialized agriculture is more efficient for a number of reasons, one of them being the use of agricultural machinery. However, agricultural machinery requires more diesel fuel, which produces a lot of carbon dioxide.

What populations of people are more susceptible to poverty and food insecurity?

Infants, children, and the elderly are particularly susceptible and the poor have access to less quality food globally.

What is infrared radiation (IR)?

Infrared radiation is radiation that has a wavelength that is longer than that of visible light. The Earth and most things on it reradiating infrared radiation back into space.

What is Integrated Pest Management?

Integrated Pest Management is a sustainable agriculture method that intends to limit the use of pesticides with sustainable agriculture practices.

How is global food security related to economics and politics?

It is expensive to store, produce, transport, and distribute food. In addition, getting food tp those who need it is often political. For example, getting food from where its plentiful to where its needed is expensive and requires the involvement of the government. As a result, government inefficiency and red tape can get in the way. Food supplies don't always get where they're supposed to because rules and laws get in the way.

What is malnutrition?

Malnutrition is a lack of access to essential calories, nutrients, and vitamins.

Why has there been a decline in the grain stocks since the 1980s?

Many factors contribute to the decline in the grain stocks since the 1980s, including many environmental reasons because you cannot separate food from the environment. Rising temperatures, water availability (decreasing water tables and droughts), more grain going toward feeding livestock, and ethanol from corn being used in gasoline have all contributed to the decline in the grain stock since the 1980s. Corn is a thirsty crop that needs a lot of water to grow and with decreasing water availability, the crop isn't producing as much food. As developing countries increase their meat consumption, the more grain is used to feed livestock when the livestock could be eating foods that fit more into their natural appetite and the surplus grain could be going to the grain stocks. In addition, we're using corn for things that are not food related at all. If we're using our already limited water supply to water corn that isn't going to food, like for livestock, we're dropping the water table as well as the grain stocks.

What are some examples of greenhouse gases?

Methane, water vapor, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen emissions are examples of greenhouse gases. Anything that absorbs infrared radiation is possibly a greenhouse gas.

What is mitigation?

Mitigation is limiting greenhouse gas emissions to moderate global climate change. Mitigation prioritizes fixing the problem and doesn't worry about the consequences. Fixing the root of the problem.

How many people die from famine?

More people actually die from malnutrition than famine. People just don't have access to the right calories, vitamins, and nutrients and this proves to be a bigger risk than temporary shortages of food. If you're not at your best in terms of nutrition, its hard to go to school or a job, make money, get the food to improve your nutrition, and more. In some countries where access to water is limited, those experiencing malnutrition can't even walk to get water.

Related to food resources, what about the sea?

No nation lays claim to the open oceans, which leaves the resource susceptible to overuse and degradation. Many species are over harvested and this is evident in their populations. Many species are at a point of sever depletion with 62% of the world's fish stock in need of management action.

Is the use of corn and other grains in fish food a great way to grow more protein in agriculture?

No, the use of corn and other grains in fish good is not a great way to grow more protein in agriculture.

Is warming due to natural causes?

No, warming is not due to natural causes. Human produced greenhouse gases are the most plausible explanation, based data collected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and other agencies like NASA. Atmospheric warming is not being driven all by changes in the sun or the orbit of the Earth or by more volcanoes erupting or any combination of natural events. Warming has been caused by CO2, which has been caused by humans.

How does climate change affect organisms?

Organisms have been shifting in different parts of the globe for the last couple of decades. When an organism dies off or moves somewhere else to survive, it affects everything. Migrating birds are getting to their homes before the food is ready.

What are the two ways sea level rise is caused?

Sea level rise is caused by thermal expansion due to ocean warming and melting of land ice to add water to oceans. The more the ocean warms, the more ice melts, the combination of both those two things makes the process go that much more quickly.

What are climate models used for?

Since industrialization, we know that temperature and CO2 have been going up, but to piece everything together, we have to model it through climate models. If they're accurate, you should be able to go back in the past and predict the temperature. The more we learn about the past, the more we can use it to learn about the future. Advanced climate models can project future warming events.

What are the effects of global climate change?

Some of the effects of global climate change include the wildfires in California and other dry areas, drought and crop failures in some areas, excess rain and flooding elsewhere, changes in habitats for plants and animals, and sea level rise.

What is subsistence agriculture?

Subsistence agriculture is the growth of crops in order to sustain oneself. It includes traditional agricultural methods, which are dependent on labor and large amounts of land, and the idea of producing just what we need.

What is sustainable agriculture?

Sustainable agriculture consists of agricultural methods that maintain soil productivity and a healthy ecological balance while having minimal long-term impacts. Sustainable agriculture promotes methods like natural predator-prey relationships instead of pesticides, crop selection to grow the right crop at the right time in the right place, crop rotation to maintain nutrients in the soil, organic agriculture to reduce chemicals, and Integrated Pest Management to limit the use of pesticides with sustainable agriculture practices.

What is the Mauna Loa?

The Mauna Loa is an observatory run by the U.S. Geological Survey in Hawaii. This observatory has recorded the increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations as well as the fact that human activities now emit more than 135 times as much CO2 as volcanoes each year.

Who is the current head of the EPA?

The current head of the EPA is Andrew Wheeler. Previously, it was Scott Pruitt but he had a lot of problems and got the boot.

What are the grain stocks?

The grain stocks are the amounts of rice, wheat, corn, and other grains remaining from previous harvests. We grow corn and wheat, sell it and make stuff, but there's a surplus that is kept and tracked. This surplus provides a measure of food security. In case of famine or a plant virus that ruins crops or any other event that could impact global food supply, the grain stocks serve as an emergency food supply. The grain stocks peaked in the mid 1980s but have decreased since then.

What is the greenhouse effect?

The greenhouse effect is the process by which an increase of heat in a system where energy enters, often as light, is absorbed as heat, and released sometime later. The sun sends us the whole visible spectrum, including visible light, infrared, and ultraviolet. The light is used for stuff down at the ground level, like photosynthesis, warming the ground and impervious surfaces, creating heat islands, and respiration. Some of it, before its even used gets bounced off of Earth's surface and sent right back up into orbit. The light that heads back into space AFTER being used on Earth is what we're worried about. The more we convert that energy into infrared, the more things like CO2 are gonna be absorbed and the less is going to make it all of the way out the sea.

What are the consequences of albedo?

The ice pack in the Arctic is decreasing over time. Dramatic reductions of sea ice have been observed in the Arctic Ocean. We open up the Arctic for exploration and trade but without the ice, we're reflecting less energy, absorbing more energy, and climate is going to keep heating faster. With higher temperatures in the Arctic Ocean, the more ice melts, the greater exposure the water has to sunlight, even more ice melts.

What are the two ways to manage climate change?

The two ways to manage climate change are mitigation and adaptation.

In terms of food, what plants do humans rely on?

There are 330,000 identified species of plants. About 100 of those plants provide 90% of human food either directly or indirectly (through plants used to feed animals). There are so many plants we are not taking advantage of. We rely on three cereal grains for almost half of our calories. If those three cereal grains were to be affected by a plant disease, our entire diet would change.

How does global climate change affect participation?

There is a lot of uncertainty about what the effects might be on precipitation. Some are good, some are bad. Some areas will get more water, which can cause catastrophic flooding and destruction of crops, while other areas will have greater droughts, which can cause forest fires and empty wells (less access to water).

What are the challenges of producing more livestock?

To increase livestock yields, many farms in the United States use hormone supplements and antibiotics to boost their growth. Both of these approaches have problems.

How does climate change affect storms?

Warming of the atmosphere and the oceans will lead to storms of greater intensity, precipitation, and wind speed. Warm oceans are power for hurricane and typhoons. With the warming of the atmosphere and oceans, the amount of storms is going to increase. There will be more severe or more frequent storms, which will result in huge economic consequences.

What is water pollution?

Water pollution is any biological, chemical, or physical change in water quality that has a harmful effect.

What are the challenges of producing more crops?

Wild plants have a great deal of diversity. However, when we select and propagate plants and animals with desirable agricultural characteristics, or domesticate them, we cause a loss of genetic diversity. In addition, we make them susceptible to pets and environmental change just to get the product we want to buy in the store.

What is up with the zooplankton?

Zooplankton populations have been changing and migrating in the Atlantic and the Pacific and that affects everything that eats them. The current coming down the California coastline has been warming. With that warming, the zooplankton that it contained have been decreasing. As a result, all of the things that feed on zooplankton have been shifted and moved to wherever zooplankton are found. Species have been forced to shift their geographic range and food chains have been altered.