APES Unit 9 Review

What is the difference between Stratospheric Ozone and Tropospheric Ozone?

The stratospheric ozone is naturally created and protects us from harmful UV rays. The tropospheric ozone is created by humans and is bad for human health and the environment.

Which type of UV ray is most dangerous to life?

UVC

Which type of UV ray does not reach the Earth? (is absorbed by the atmosphere)

UVC

Which type of UV ray is mostly NOT absorbed by the atmosphere?

UVA

Describe how ozone molecules are produced, and then broken down as they absorb UV light.

When UVC rays strike an O2 molecule, it breaks into

two free Oxygen atoms. The free oxygen can then

react with an O2 and form O3 (ozone).

Ozone can then absorb a UVC or UVB ray and

convert back into O2 and a free oxygen - which may

then again recombine into O3.

Explain how CFCs destroy ozone molecules.

The Chlorine in the CFC pulls an oxygen from the

ozone molecule, forming ClO and O2. A free oxygen

can then take the oxygen from the ClO, forming O2

and Cl- which can then react with another ozone. In

this way, one CFC can destroy thousands of ozone

molecules.

T/F CFC molecules are broken down by UV light, so once they reach the stratosphere, they are no longer harmful to ozone

UV rays don't break down CFC molecules and they can stay in the atmosphere for a while and destroy a lot of ozone.

T/F CFC molecules are lighter than atmospheric air, causing them to rise quickly to the stratosphere.

They're heavier than the air.

T/F Since CFCs have been phased out, they are no longer found in the atmosphere.

They take a long time to break down so even if there are less than there were before, it's hard to get rid of them completely.

Why does the Ozone layer get thinner at the poles than other places? And why is it most thin during the Antarctic spring?

Chlorine molecules (from the CFC molecules) are trapped by ice crystals in the extremely cold, isolated stratosphere around the Antarctic

continent. This concentrates the Chlorine, so that when the sun comes back in early spring, and the ice crystals melt, Chlorine is released to

break down ozone - plus, no new ozone has been made while the sun ways away during the winter.

UV Light is linked to higher incidences of cancer. What happens inside a cell when it is struck by UV light that leads to cancer?

The UV rays penetrate the cell and strike the DNA molecule, causing it to break and leading to mutations. These mutations can

stimulate the cell to divide over and over = cancer.

Besides cancer, name one other negative effect of increased UV exposure to... humans, other organisms, and the economy

humans: Cornea of eye can become irritated or burned, sunburn, aging of skin

organisms: Can cause skin lesions on livestock, damage plant and animal DNA

economy: Health issues from UV exposure are expensive, loss of agriculture

What role did Frank Sherwood Rowland and Mario Molina play in the reduction of ozone depletion?

They discovered that CFCs would break down ozone and were the ones that helped get the Montreal Protocol signed.

When was the Montreal Protocol signed? _____ How many countries have signed the agreement? ___

What was the goal of the Montreal Protocol?

1987, 197, The goal was to help protect the ozone layer.

Is the Montreal Protocol considered successful?

Yes, it was one of the most successful global environmental actions.

HFCs are a replacement for CFCs. HFC molecules have (more / less) global warming potential than Carbon Dioxide. By how much?

more - hundreds to thousands, depending on the type

Compare the Earth to an actual greenhouse and explain the 'Greenhouse Effect'.

Sunlight is reflected from the earth and it becomes heat. CO2 and other gasses trap the heat, warming the earth - the atmosphere holds

heat in, just like the glass in a greenhouse.

Why is the Greenhouse Effect essential to life?

The greenhouse effect keeps the earth warm enough to sustain life.

CFCs GWP:

5,000 - Aerosols, solvents

Nitrous oxide GWP:

280 - Fossil fuels, animal manure, burning of fossil fuels

Methane GWP:

30 - animals

Carbon Dioxide GWP

1 - Burning coal, oil, and natural gas

All of the above gases also occur naturally in the environment, except:

CFCs

Explain the connection between the Greenhouse Effect, these gasses, and Climate Change.

These gasses can create the greenhouse effect, trapping the sun's heat. This will overall increase earth's temperature and is a part of climate change.

Why does CO2 get so much attention when these other gases have greater GWP?

Cars produce CO2 so it is the most well known gas. It lasts longer in the atmosphere and lasts longer too.

Explain how an increase in global temperature also (increases / decreases) the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. How does that change in water vapor impact climate change?v

increases - Warmer temperatures lead to increased evaporation of water - warmer air can also hold more water vapor than cool air. Water vapor is a strong greenhouse gas, and my play a role in positive feedback - or....more water vapor means more clouds, which reflect heat, cooling the earth, which would be a negative feedback.

Name three organisms that rely on Arctic ice sheets as habitat:

polar bear, arctic fox, penguins, seals, many types of arctic bird, orcas and beluga whales and fish live under the ice

What is thermal expansion...

The expansion of water as it gets warmer

Why does thermal expansion occur?

Molecules move more quickly (with

more energy) when warm, push on

each other, leading to expansion

how does thermal expansion lead to rising sea levels

warmer oceans are bigger oceans -

has caused more of a rise in sea

level than the melting of the ice

caps.

How would estuaries and coastal wetlands be impacted by rising sea level?

More of the plants would be covered by water, meaning they would have to adapt or they would start to die off.

Name three diseases that are spread by mosquitoes.

Malaria, zika, west nile

Explain why there is likely to be an increase of these diseases as a result of global climate change.

Climate change will make areas warmer, which makes them more ideal for mosquitoes to live in. If there are more mosquitoes, there is a bigger chance for disease to spread.

If global climate change continues, what is likely to happen to organism populations adapted to tropical biomes? Explain.

They will expand their territories and spread towards the poles as the climate warms up those areas.

If global climate change continues, what is likely to happen to organism populations adapted to artic and tundra biomes? Explain.

Their habitats will be lost - melted tundra, melted Arctic. No habitat, no organisms - extinction.

T/F Today, the Earth is warmer than it has ever been in its history.

False- Earth's temperature has been warmer in the past

T/F Human activity has always influenced climate change over Earth's history.

False - humans are only recently here and haven't changed the climate in the past

T/F The Earth is warming faster than it ever has in its history.

True

T/F The Earth is warming evenly (by the same amount) across all latitude lines.

False - its warming faster in the poles

Explain how researchers use ice cores to determine the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere thousands of years ago

As ice accumulates over the years, bubbles are

trapped which contain samples of the atmosphere at

the time the ice formed.

Explain how researchers use ice cores to determine the approximate temperature thousands of years ago.

By measuring the relative amount of oxygen 16

(associated with warm temperatures) and oxygen 18

(associated with cooler temperatures) in the water

of the ice core.

What is the important characteristic of the photic zone?

sunlight

Why must coral live in the photic zone?

They need light for photosynthesis

What would happen if sea levels rise such that a coral reef were covered by more than 50 meters of water?

They wouldn't be able to survive because they need light for photosynthesis and they wouldn't get light at that depth.

Explain how melting permafrost can lead to a positive feedback effect, increasing the rate of climate change.

When the permafrost melts, microbes start to decompose organic compounds that were frozen which releases methane. This is a greenhouse gas that increases climate change and will lead to more thawing.

Explain how melting sea ice can lead to a positive feedback effect, increasing the rate of climate change.

The ocean absorbs sunlight which increases its temperature and the atmosphere. This melts more ice which means less light is reflected and more is absorbed by the ocean which keeps increasing temperatures.

Climate change is expected to expand Hadley cells poleward. How would this lead to increased drought in the subtropics?

The Hadley cell rises at the equator, evaporating water with it. As the water hits the

cooler upper atmosphere it condenses and rains near the equator. The remaining dry air circulates and

drops near the subtropics, leading to desert conditions. If the Hadley cell expands North, there will be a

larger area covered by the dry air, leading to more drought in those regions.

What would happen to the local climate of western Europe if the Gulf Stream stopped flowing due to climate change?

Europe's temperatures would drop a lot because normally the Gulf Stream brings heat from the equator.

The vast majority of the excess heat from the greenhouse effect has been absorbed by the _____

How does ocean warming lead to the increased occurrence of toxic algae blooms?

ocean - Warmer water means the algae will grow faster.

Warmer water can hold (more / less) Oxygen. How will this impact fish and other marine heterotrophs?

less - This could reduce fish and other marine heterotroph populations because they need oxygen to survive.

Warmer water can hold (more / less) Carbon Dioxide. How will this impact Climate Change?

less - Less carbon dioxide can be absorbed by oceans which means more in the atmosphere.

Warmer waters (increase / decrease) the metabolic rate of fish. This means they require (more / less) food. How does this impact the food web of a local habitat?

increase, more - If the fish require more food, they will either have to find more food or they will start to die off. If they find more food, that means less resources for other animals. If the die off, that means their prey could increase and start diminishing resources.

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 ______ while cooler eggs become _____. Considering this fact, explain how climate change will impact sea turtle populations.

females, males - A lot of the newly born sea turtles will be female. This could end up decreasing the population because there are more females than males, making it hard to mate.

What type of relationship exists between coral polyps and algae? ______ Explain how the loss of algae impacts the life of the coral.

mutualistic - Algae provides coral with sugar. Without the sugar, the coral will die.

The natural ph of the ocean is _____ which is (acidic / basic / neutral).

8.1 - basic

The ocean (absorbs / releases / both) carbon dioxide. Today, there is (more / less) carbon dioxide in the oceans than there was before the industrial revolution. This has (decreased / increased) the pH of the ocean.

both, more, decreased

When CO2 mixes with water, ______ acid is formed. This acid increases _____ ions in the water, which then bind to _____ (used by some marine life to make shells) to form _______

carbonic, H+, carbonate, bicarbonate

Which of these organisms are directly affected by the increased acidity of the oceans? Circle them.

foraminifera, clams, coral, snails, starfish

why are acidic oceans threatening certain marine organism populations?

They have shells which need carbonate to form. When the ocean is more acidic, there is less carbonate available which means they have trouble growing.

Foraminifera are teeny tiny plankton, but their loss would make a huge impact on ocean life - why?

Since they are a part of the food web, many organisms depend on them to survive.

How does being a generalist help a species become established in a new habitat as an invasive species?

If a species is a generalist, it can adapt to the resources in a new area and end up taking over as an invasive species, especially if it was against a specialist.

How does being an r-selected species help a species become established in a new habitat as an invasive?

They can have many offspring without needing many resources.

In one word, what do scientists think will cause (is causing?) the sixth mass extinction?

humans

(r-selected / K-selected) species are more vulnerable to extinction. Why?

K-selected because they have fewer offspring and live longer.

(Generalists / Specialists) are more vulnerable to extinction. Why?

They have to rely on fewer resources and if those resources aren't available, they will die.

No two species can successfully occupy the same niche together in the same habitat. How does this fact relate to invasive species and loss of biodiversity?

Invasive species can take over niches from native species and cause them to die. This reduces biodiversity because the invasive species take over.

No two species can successfully occupy the same niche together in the same habitat. Explain how this fact drives natural selection and new behavioral or physical adaptations of a species.

Only the species that are well adapted to the area will survive. The species with the best traits will live and the other ones will die off or have to adapt.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species.

Endangered Species Act

(1973) identifies threatened and endangered species in the U.S., and puts their protection ahead of economic considerations

Marine Mammal Protection Act

Protects all marine mammals by prohibiting, with certain exceptions, the taking of marine mammals in U.S. waters and by U.S. citizens on the high seas, and the importation of marine mammals and marine mammal products into the United States.

HIPPCO

Habitat destruction, Invasive Species, Population growth, Pollution, Climate Change, Over exploitation

*habitat destruction is #1 threat to animals

what can lead to habitat loss?

Pollution - things like water pollution can destroy marine habitats

Climate change - this can affect many habitats such as the melting ice for the polar bears. Weather patterns are also changing.

why does it matter if a habitat is fragmented?

Some types of organisms need larger territories and can not thrive in smaller areas. Some species live in edge habitats, while others prefer living in the interior.

With more broken up habitat there would be a greater number of edge species compared to interior

species. Isolating groups can also reduce genetic diversity though inbreeding and leave organisms

more venerable to local extinction.

Circle the three organisms that likely have the most trouble thriving in fragmented habitat.

wolves, brown bears, panthers

What qualities do these (and other) organisms share that make them more vulnerable to extinction due to fragmentation?

They are big predators which means that they need enough food to survive and that can be hard if the islands are fragmented.

Name at least one solution to this situation of fragmentation, so that we can have both roads, and mitigate the amount of fragmentation that roads can lead to?

Roads can be build around large territories rather than though them. Corridors can be made between

sections of habitat so that animals can pass between sections.

Why does having low genetic diversity in a population make it more vulnerable to extinction?

A low genetic diversity makes it harder for a population to adapt to changing environments or invasive species.

Explain the connection between domestication of plants and animals and lowered genetic diversity in a domestic population.

Domesticated plants and animals are made to fit specific human needs and eliminate genetic diversity.

One important drawback of the use of HCFCs as a replacement for CFCs is that HCFCs

are greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change

HCFCs were originally introduced as a solution to help phase out the use of CFCs. Which of the following most likely contributed to the increased levels of HCFCs in the stratosphere over the past 30 years?

Leaking of refrigeration and air-conditioning units

Which of the following is the primary cause of stratospheric ozone depletion?

Chlorine atoms in CFCs

The stratospheric ozone layer benefits life on Earth by

absorbing 99% of incoming UV-B and UV-C radiation

Which of the following correctly identifies the three main characteristics associated with the hole in the ozone layer?

main cause: CFCs

location: south pole

form of energy: ultra violet

Which of the following best describes the effect of increasing global temperature on coral ecosystems?

Algae that live symbiotically with the corals leave the reef, causing coral bleaching.

Which of the following changes are linked to an increase in ocean water temperature?

An increase in metabolism in marine species and a decrease in dissolved oxygen in ocean water

Which of the following best describes how ocean acidification harms coral reefs?

Acidification decreases the amount of carbonate ions, which leads to a decline in the formation of reef infrastructure.