Climate Change

Question 1

define climate change

Answer 1

any significant change in measurements of climate lasting for an extended period of time

Question 2

what does climate change include? (3)

Answer 2

includes major changes in:
   1. temperature
   2. precipitation
   3. wind patterns
that occur over several decades or longer

Question 3

define global change

Answer 3

refers to changes in global environment that may alter the capacity of the Earth to sustain life

Question 4

global change alterations (6)

Answer 4

1. climate
2. land productivity
3. oceans or other water resources
4. atmospheric chemistry
5. ecological systems
6. demographic and socioeconomic trends

Question 5

most important GHG (4)

Answer 5

1. carbon dioxide (CO2)
2. methane (CH4)
3. chloroflurocarbons (CFC5)
4. nitrous oxide (N2O)

Question 6

sources of CO2 (2)

Answer 6

1. burning fossil fuels

2. deforestation

Question 7

sources of CH4 (2)

Answer 7

1. bacteria in wetlands, rice fields, and guts of livestock

2. release of fossil fuels

Question 8

sources of CFC5 (2)

Answer 8

1. release from foams, aerosols, refrigerants, and solvents

2. burning of fossil fuels

Question 9

sources of N2O (2)

Answer 9

1. fertilizers

2. deforestation

Question 10

intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) believes (2)

Answer 10

• warming of climate is unequivocal

- global GHG emissions due to human activities have increased 70% for 1970-2004

Question 11

Potential consequences of climate change (3)

Answer 11

1. disruption of hydrologic cycle
   
   • increased evaporation will lead to changes in precipitation patterns
2. rising sea levels
   
   • thawing of glaciers
   • thermal expansion of water
   • sea levels expected to rise 6-35 in by 2100
3. increase in severe weather events

Question 12

human health effects of climate change (4)

Answer 12

1. excessive heat
2. increase in air pollution
3. expansion of tropical diseases
   
   • insect vector borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, and encephalitis
4. increased algal blooms
   
   • cholera outbreaks

Question 13

climate change impact of ecosystems (3)

Answer 13

1. geographic distribution of organisms
   
   • animals: migration patterns, geographic range
   • plants: geographic range
2. timing of seasonal events
   
   • animals: hibernation, reproduction, migration
   • plants: bud set, flowering
3. changes in interdependent relationships of species in ecosystems

Question 14

impacts of oceans (2)

Answer 14

1. increase in water temp
   
   • many organisms are adapted to surviving in a very narrow range of temps
2. acidification of ocean water (CO2 + H20 = carbonic acid)
   
   • impacts organisms forming calcium carbonate skeletons/structures