module 5-changing climate🌎

Evidence of Climate Change

Global average surface temperature has risen; greenhouse gases have increased; heat waves are more common; warm seasons are longer; water cycles are changing; sea levels are rising; ice caps are shrinking; ocean acidification is increasing; and extreme events are becoming more frequent.

Milankovitch Cycles

Changes in Earth's orbit and tilt that naturally influence climate over long periods.

Solar Radiation

Changes in the intensity of energy received from the Sun can influence Earth's climate.

Volcanic Eruptions

Volcanic eruptions release particles that can reflect sunlight and cause temporary cooling.

Industrial Revolution

Human activities increased dramatically, especially fossil fuel burning, causing large increases in atmospheric CO2.

Global Mean Surface Temperature (GMST)

The average temperature of Earth's surface; it is about 1.1°C warmer than before the Industrial Revolution.

Climate Change

Climate naturally fluctuates, but human activities have greatly increased the rate of recent warming.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases such as CO2 that trap heat in Earth's atmosphere and contribute to warming.

Carbon Cycle

The movement of carbon among the atmosphere, organisms, oceans, and Earth; human activities are increasing atmospheric CO2.

Keeling Curve

A graph showing atmospheric CO2 concentration in parts per million (ppm) over time; it shows a long-term increase in CO2.

Keeling Curve Seasonal Pattern

CO2 changes seasonally because plants photosynthesize more during the growing season and less during winter.

Human Activities and Climate Change

Burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests increase atmospheric CO2, which traps heat and warms Earth.

Positive Feedback

When warming causes changes that create even more warming, such as warming releasing additional CO2.

Changing Water Cycle

Climate change can intensify floods and droughts, alter rainfall patterns, and contribute to rising sea levels.

Effects of Climate Change

More heat waves, longer warm seasons, shorter cold seasons, melting ice, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, coral loss, and more extreme events.

Linear Regression

A statistical method used to examine the relationship between two variables using a line of best fit.

Scatterplot

A graph used to display the relationship between two variables before performing linear regression.

Slope

The rate and direction of change between two variables in a linear regression.

R-squared (R²)

A value showing how much of the variation in one variable is explained by the other variable.

P-value

A statistical value used to determine whether a relationship is likely statistically significant.

Independent Variable

The variable that is changed or controlled by the researcher; the possible cause.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured; the possible effect.

Replicates

Repeated trials of an experiment used to increase reliability and confidence in results.

Photosynthesis

The process plants use to absorb CO2 and solar energy and convert it into organic matter.

Photosynthesis as a Carbon Sink

Photosynthesis removes CO2 from the atmosphere and stores carbon in organic matter.

How Photosynthesis Affects Climate Change

Photosynthesis removes atmospheric CO2, reducing greenhouse gases and helping slow warming.

How Increased CO2 Affects Photosynthesis

Higher CO2 can initially increase the rate of photosynthesis.

How Heat Affects Photosynthesis

Too much heat can damage plant systems, reduce growth, and lower photosynthesis.

How Drought Affects Photosynthesis

Drought and extreme weather can stress plants and reduce photosynthesis.

Respiration

Metabolic process that uses oxygen and releases CO2 and energy from organic molecules.

How Respiration Affects Climate Change

Respiration releases CO2 into the atmosphere.

How Climate Change Affects Respiration

Climate change can alter respiration rates and the balance between CO2 released by respiration and CO2 removed by photosynthesis.

Climate Change and Biomes

Climate change can alter temperature, water cycles, photosynthesis, species distributions, and the structure of biomes.

Wildfire and Climate Change

Higher temperatures and changing conditions can increase wildfire risk.

Biome Movement

As climate changes, forests and other biomes may shift toward higher latitudes or elevations.

Acclimation

An individual organism adjusts to environmental changes during its lifetime.

Adaptation

An inherited trait that becomes more common because it helps organisms survive and reproduce in their environment.

Extinction

The permanent loss of a species when all of its members die.

Climate Change and Species

Species may adapt, acclimate, move to new areas, or become extinct as environmental conditions change.

Greenhouse Gases and Biomes

Increased greenhouse gases warm Earth and can shift temperature and precipitation patterns, changing where different biomes can exist.

CO2 and Temperature Relationship

Increasing atmospheric CO2 traps more heat, contributing to increases in global temperature.

Natural vs. Human Climate Change

Natural drivers include orbital changes, solar intensity, and volcanic eruptions; humans have greatly accelerated recent warming through fossil fuel use and deforestation.

Carbon Feedback Loop

Human CO2 emissions increase warming; warming can release additional CO2, which can cause further warming.

Long-Term Climate Data

Carbon dioxide and temperature data collected over decades and millennia can be compared to identify long-term climate patterns and changes.

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