co2 pollution Flashcards
2 effects of co2
Global warming
Ocean acidification
whats global warming caused by
excess greenhouse gases (CO2 (60%) + methane) - burning of fossil fuels
atmospheric and oceanographic effects of global warming
- Changes in deep water circulation (thermohaline) – if the air isn’t as cold it won’t get as dense and sink anymore + More freshwater from glaciers – may not sink again
- Lower dissolved O2 in warmer water – temp dependent + animals use more o2 at warmer temps (higher metabolic rates)
- Melting polar ice
4 Biological effects of global warming
Physiology
Distributions
Phenology + species interactions
Adaptations
explain physiology as a biological effect of global warming
Respiration rates
Metabolic rates
Primary prod
Growth rates
Reproduction
Contribute to disease
explain distributions as a biological effect of global warming
- 3degree C = shift in isotherms of 300-400km in latitude – shift in depth in the oceans – organisms have to move forward and deeper to maintain ideal temps – leads to:
-Competition problems + predation
-Highly mobile, weedy + oppertunistic species
-Marine shift are faster than terrestrial
-Largely negative community effects
explain Phenology + species interactions as a biological effect of global warming
Phenology = timing of life history events triggered by env cues
Decoupling of phenological relationships
Mismatch of trophic levels + functional groups
explain adaptations as a biological effect of global warming
Short generation times species – microevolution
whats ocean acidification
- Oceans absorb atmospheric co2 to make carbonic acid – buffer – without this the atmosphere levels would be so much higher
- Lowers pH of ocean – acidic
- Affects marine organisms that create calcified shells / skeletons
- Current ocean pH = 8.1
3 Forms of calcium carbonate used by marine organisms
- Calclite – hardest to dissolve e.g. coccolithophores – deeper saturation state
- Aragonite
- Magnesium-calcite – easiest to dissolve e.g. coral
what does the Ability of calcium carbonate to dissolve rely on
saturation state – the point caco3 begins to dissolve
- Calclite = deep saturation state
- Magnesium-calcite = shallow saturation state
5 biological resposes to ocean acidification
Physiological effects – calcification + growth
Metabolic effects – internal regulation pf pH
Reproductive effects
Trophic effects
Habitat effects
explain the Physiological effects as a biological response to ocean acidification
Decrease in calcification
Coccolithophores have increased growth rate
explain the metabolic effects as a biological response to ocean acidification
Using shell dissolution to compensate
Photosynthesis and cellular transport
Greater metabolic demand
explain the reproductive effects as a biological response to ocean acidification
Impact of reproductive potential of organisms
Sea urchin – impacts growth rates + repro potential
explain the trophic effects as a biological response to ocean acidification
Cause trophic cascades by effecting lower levels of trophic systems
Decline in predator sp + and increase in phytoplankton species
explain the habitat effects as a biological response to ocean acidification
- Decline of structure formers
- 3d structure -> vital habitats for other organisms
- Tropical shallow coral: 20% of marine diversity + increase productivity
- Deep sea coral: harbor invertebrate communites + provide nurseries for fish
- Deep-sea coral could be more at risk due to shifting ASH
