Climate change

In incoming solar radiation, what type of waves are going into the Earth?

short waves

In outgoing infrared radiation, what type of waves are going away from Earth?

long waves

What are four greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?

CH₄ (methane), water vapor, CO₂ (carbon dioxide), and NO_x (nitrous oxide)

What two greenhouse gases most contribute to climate change?

carbon dioxide and water vapor

What is an activity that increases the amount of carbon dioxide?

by the burning of fossil fuel

What human activity increases the amount of methane?

by landfill sites, fracking, melting permafrost in polar regions

Fracking

extraction of fossil fuels

What type of feedback is climate change?

Positive feedback

What results from climate change in boreal forests?

Net carbon accumulation changes to net carbon loss

How does climate change affect boreal forests?

Causes warmer temperatures and decreased winter snowfall

What is the effect of warmer temperatures and decreased winter snowfall in boreal forests?

-Can lead to increased incidence of drought

-more frequent and higher intensity of forest fires, more carbon combustion

What is the effect of climate change in the taiga?

Causes reductions in primary production

Give some examples of polar habitat change

Melting of land fast ice and sea ice

What is the effect of early breakout of land fast ice in the Antarctic due to climate change?

Potential loss of breeding grounds of the emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri)

What is the effect of melting sea ice in the Arctic due to climate change?

Loss of sea ice habitat for walruses

What does it mean when climate change alters ocean currents?

The altering of timing and extent of nutrient upwelling

What does warmer surface water result in (ocean currents)?

Can prevent nutrient upwelling to the surface

What is the effect of the reduction of nutrient upwelling?

It decreases ocean primary production and energy flow through marine food chains

What type of range shifts affect temperate species?

poleward and upslope range shifts

What occurs as a result of range shifts?

Species may live in areas that used to be cold for them

Give an example of a species affected by range shifts (animals)

tropical-zone motane bird species in New Guinea moving to higher elevations

Give an example of a species affected by range shifts (plants)

range contraction (getting smaller) and northward spread in North American tree species

What does the northward spread of North American species increase?

competition

What is a major threat to coral reefs?

Potential ecosystem collapse

How can a potential ecosystem collapse occur?

When carbon dioxide dissolves in ocean water

What occurs when carbon dioxide is dissolved in ocean water?

It turns into carbonic acid

What is the result of the development of more carbonic acid?

It leads to ocean acidification

What is the consequence of ocean acidification?

inhibits calcification in corals, clams, oysters, etc.

Calcification

skeleton building

What is the result of when animals use so much energy to create skeleton?

They don’t survive or thrive

What is a major cause of coral bleaching?

increase in water temperature

What organisms do corals have symbiotic relationships with?

Between an animal (coral polyp) and zooxanthellae algae

Coral bleaching

-coral expel zooxanthellae

-looks white

→not getting enough nutrition, but can recover in some cases

→ can cause the collapse of reef ecosystems

What are some things that affect the timing of biological events?

Photoperiod and temperature patterns

What are some biological events that are influenced by temperature patterns and photoperiod?

Flowering, bud burst, leaves starting to grow during winter, bud set in deciduous trees, bird migration, and nesting

What is the disruption to the synchrony of phenological events?

Climate change

What two things can cue the disruption of the synchrony of phenological events?

Photoperiod and temperature

Know how climate change affects insect life cycles?

-number of life cycles is increased

-ex: spruce bark beetle (Dendroctonus micans): invasive beetle killing spruce trees out west and in Alaska

Warmer summer allow…

faster life cycle rate doubling reproductive ability in a year

Milder winters allow…

allow more beetle to survive the winter and complete a life cycle

What does the Keeling Curve show?

showing seasonal changes of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through zig-zag lines

What does spring and summer months mean in the Keeling Curve?

seasonal decrease: carbon dioxide levels fall because of increased plant growth and photosynthesis in the Northern Hemisphere, which removes carbon dioxide from the air

What does fall and winter months mean in the Keeling Curve?

seasonal increase: carbon dioxide levels rise when plant photosynthetic activity decreases and carbon dioxide is released from decaying vegetation

Describe the overall trend in carbon dioxide concentration over time

as time increases, carbon dioxide increases

Describe the changes that the Tawny Owl goes through as temperature changes

As Earth’s temperature warms, tawny owls retain darker color for warmer, humid environments, and a paler color for drier, colder environments