UNIT 6 TEST: Causes and Effects of Climate Change

Why are coral reefs important?

1) protect coastlines from storms and hurricanes 2) provide shelter for marine animals 3) help support the food web

climate change (global warming)

A rise in the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans. It is caused by increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, resulting from human activities such as deforestation and burning of fossil fuels.

If the climate changes, what are four areas that are affected?

Climate change has consequences for our oceans, for our weather, our food sources and our health.

When the climate changes, what are the effects on the weather?

Climate change makes the weather more extreme. This means not only more intense major storms, and floods but also longer and more frequent droughts.

When the climate changes, what are the effects on humans?

Effects include: growing crops becomes more difficult, water supplies diminished, direct effects on people's physical health.

What happens when you are exposed to smog?

Exposure to higher levels of smog can cause health problems such as asthma, heart disease and lung cancer.

What is the effect of Climate change on Ice sheets and Glaciers?

Ice sheets and glaciers are melting, resulting in rising sea levels.

climate

Overall weather in an area over a long period of time

weather

The condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place

What is happening to the extra water caused by ice melting?

The extra water that was once held in glaciers causes sea levels to rise; the effect is flooding in areas close to the coast.

Human activities are increasing Earth's temperature, changing the world around us. What is the main cause of this?

The main cause of this are Greenhouse gases.

What is the effect of more gases in the atmosphere?

The more greenhouse gases like co2 that are in the atmosphere, the more heat gets trapped in the lower part of the atmosphere, increasing the Earth's temperature.

What is coral bleaching?

The whitening or loss of coral.

Why do corals become bleached?

When corals are stressed by changes such as ocean heating, they expel (release) the algae living in their tissues (which provides them with nutrients), causing them to turn completely white

When climate changes, what are the effects on coral reefs?

an increase in 1 degree of the ocean's temperature can cause corals to bleach, killing ecosystems

What major human activities increase Greenhouse gases, causing climate change?

the most significant human activities that cause climate change are burning fossil fuels, transport, mining and agriculture.