4b-The impacts of climate change are global and dynamic.

Question 1

implications of climate change on ecosystems

Answer 1

climate shapes habitats that support organisms in ecosystems and some will adapt to the change but some are highly specialised and will go extinct.

Coral reefs are one of the most biodiverse ecosystems and are being threatened by bleaching due to higher surface temperatures- in the Caribbean they have lost 80% of coral reefs

warming of arctic ocean and less sea ice- less ice algae which base of marine food chain. Sea ice needed for mammals like seals.

Question 2

implications of climate change on health

Answer 2

WHO forecasts 250,000 deaths due to climate change between 2030-50

stimulate transmission of vector-borne diseases and their geographic range- Dengue fever used to be in the tropics but is now found in 28 US states. Increased temp and rain means more mosquitoes. Elevation needed to avoid malaria has risen 100m in 20 years. Lymes disease has also spread to US as ticks thrive in warmer conditions.

Flooding means more bacteria in water supplies so risk of diarrhoea increases- especially LIDCs

health compromised by droughts and floods reducing food supply and heat waves.

Question 3

implications of climate change on extreme weather

Answer 3

will disrupt regional weather patterns. Higher frequency and intensity of extreme weather events like storms, droughts and heatwaves

In August 2015 for the first time there were 3 large hurricanes active simultaneously in the Pacific

Question 4

impacts of flooding in somerset levels

Answer 4

600 homes and 6880Ha of land flooded- villages cut off due to flooded roads. 900 litres of fuel stolen.

Transport routes through somerset were disrupted

emergency pumps cost £200,000 a week and £1mill was lost by local businesses- tourism lost an estimated £200 mill.

soil was damaged and in some areas took over 2 years to restore it for crops to be grown.

Question 5

how did climate change impact flooding in somerset levels

Answer 5

hotter air holds more moisture; over oceans warmer air draws up more moisture, so clouds contain more water and heavy rainfall increases. 2011-2020 was 9% wetter than 1961-1990

Question 6

is there evidence for increase in flooding frequency and intensity

Answer 6

heavy rainfall events exceeding 50mm have increased in the last decade.

For every 1c rise it holds about 7% more water- more flash flooding

Question 7

impacts of European heatwaves

Answer 7

20,000 died in europe, due to water levels dropping there were limited water supplies and hosepipe bans put in place.

Heat stroke, dehydration sunburn and drowning in the short term. Less rainfall for the rest of the year in the long term

Agricultural issues- livestock die, crops fail- cost european farmers 13.1bill.

Railways buckled and made the london underground unusable. Rivers too low for ships

Question 8

evidence for an increase in frequency and intensity in heatwaves in the europe

Answer 8

higher avg annual temp with a 4.2 avg rise compared with pre industrial levels. By 2100 predicted that heatwaves will occur every year especially in the summer.

10 hottest years since 1884 have occured after 2002

Question 9

Facts about SIDS Kiribati

Answer 9

just 2m above sea level at its highest point

poorest country in Oceania- GDP US$270

population- 129,000

Question 10

political impacts of sea level rise on SIDS

Answer 10

Kiribati population may have to move to Fiji which isnt seen as their home and they will fight for their land

May become entirely submerged which could lead to loss of statehood

low power and small nation means they dont have much influence

Question 11

Socio-economic impacts of sea level rise on SIDS

Answer 11

by 2050 could experience annual damages of about 8-16million.

Relocation of communities may be needed if the loss of land and freshwater supplies become critical

water predicited to rise by 0.44-0.76 meters by 2100 and may cover 50% of main islands land and threaten over 60% of the islands population

Question 12

Physical impact of sea level rise on SIDS

Answer 12

freshwater being contaminated by the rising sea levels- saline contamination effects food production. Trees are not producing as many coconuts and they are reliant on those trees.

land becomes flooded-uninhabitable

Question 13

what are Kiribatis solutions

Answer 13

has brought 6000 Ha from Fiji
walls protecting road system are reflecting wave energy but just sending erosion to other unprotected areas

Mnagroves can be used but they block the flow of water between the islands lagoon and the ocean so lagoon has become polluted which can cause bacterial infections which can be life-threatening

Question 14

impacts on the artic- is this significant

Answer 14

risks to livelihoods and health- pipeline damaged by permafrost will have an economic impact but limited significance as few people live there. Impacts here will be faster than the rest of the world.

houses on permafrost collapse as it melts. Ice cap diminished by 40% in 40 years.

Question 15

what is meant by the term vulnerability

Answer 15

vulnerability depends on where people live and their ability to cope

Question 16

what people are vulnerable to climate change

Answer 16

farmers- droughts and floods affect farming and make weather harder to predict- affects the population as lack of food means that immune systems are worse and malnutrition- hid hardest in places where rainfall was already limited. Desertification and land degradation linked to droughts caused by climate change

Regions that rely on glacial meltwater for irrigation will experience water shortages due to glaciers retreating e.g Northern india which is one of the most populated places in the world- large scale impact

low-lying coastal regions in the tropics are vulnerable to flooding caused by rising sea level and more powerful tropical storms. people in poorer countries are at most risk: a storm surge in Bangladesh in 1991 killed 138,000 people. destroy crops and livestock, and leave salinised soils and contaminated water supplies.

The elderly are least able to cope with the effects of climate change. The heatwave that struck Europe in summer 2003 caused 35,000 deaths, the majority of them in elderly people aged 75 years and over.

Question 17

the vulnerability of the environment to climate change (Tundra)

Answer 17

higher temp melts permafrost creating thaw lakes, wetlands and forests will invade southern margins of the tundra

Question 18

the vulnerability of the environment to climate change (mountains)

Answer 18

glaciers will retreat- slopes less stable so more frequent mass movements. Winter snowpack will thin so less meltwater inputs in to rivers

Question 19

the vulnerability of the environment to climate change (rainforest)

Answer 19

deforestation will weaken water cycle creating a positive feedback loop and accelerating forest loss- 30-60% of the rainforest could become dry savanna grassland by the end of the century

Question 20

the vulnerability of the environment to climate change (coasts)

Answer 20

higher sea levels and more powerful storms will increase rates of erosion on both upland and lowland coasts- shorelines will retreat. Puts dunes, salt marches and mudflats at risk.