Lecture 35 Ecosystem Ecology & Climate Change (Video 2)
an organism expresses different traits depending on environmental conditions
acclimation (plasticity)
3 potential responses to the effect of evolution & ecology are?
acclimation (plasticity), adaptation, extinction
a change in population allele frequency due to natural selection
adaptation
is the long-term pattern of weather in a particular area
climate
detectable change in long-term averages of the global surface temperature
climate change
no plasticity or adaptation
extinction
the long-term warming of the planet
global warming
absorb heat emitted from Earth's surface and re-radiate heat back to Earth
greenhouse gasses
Greatest current cause of extinction
habitat loss, overexploitation, invasive species, pollution, climate change
Are climate changes of a few degrees a cause for concern?
more frequent wildfires, longer periods of drought in some regions, increase in the number, duration & intensity of tropical storms
what does climate change encompass through its broad range of changes that are happening to our planet
rising sea levels • shrinking mountain glaciers • accelerating ice melt in Greenland, Antarctica, and the Arctic • in flower/plant blooming times • more extreme weather events
short-term (minutes to months) changes in the atmosphere
weather
What are some potential solutions to climate change?
work on stabilizing greenhouse gas levels, have treaties to implement global response
How does the greenhouse effect work?
• Increases in the concentration of greenhouse gasses trap more heat. • Human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels since the start of the Industrial Revolution, have increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations by about 40%.
