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Biology IB YR12-13 > D4.3 Climate Change > Flashcards

D4.3 Climate Change Flashcards

1
Q

Climate

A

a long term average of the weather over 20-30 years

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2
Q

climate change

A

a long term change in global or regional climate patterns, caused by natural or human factors

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3
Q

Eg of climate change

A

increased levels of atmospheric CO2

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4
Q

The greenhouse effect

A

the heating caused by the atmosphere on earths surface because certain atmospheric gases absorb and emit infrared radiation

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5
Q

why is the greenhouse effect very important for life

A

without it the earths temperature would be too cold

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6
Q

green house gas

A

a gas the contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation

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7
Q

types of green house gases

A

carbon dioxide
water vapour
methane
nitrogen oxide

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8
Q

what is green house gas largely a product of

A

gas and how abundant it is

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9
Q

eg of the abundance of gas

A

methane is more powerful than CO2 but CO2 is present in higher concentrations than methane

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10
Q

what are long term records of changing levels of greenhouse gases based on

A

evidence from ice cores
ice was formed by accumulation layer upon layer
trapped green house gas from atmosphere

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11
Q

what does ice core provide

A

a record of how CO2 and methane concentrations have varied over a period of 400,000 years

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12
Q

what does CO2 increase due to

A

respiration
combustion
decay by micro organisms
burning of fossil fuels
deforestation
agricultural emissions

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13
Q

what due CO2 decrease due to

A

fixation of gas during photosynthesis

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14
Q

what does photosynthesis do in terms of Co2

A

withdraws almost as much CO2 during the day as released by other processes but not quite as much

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15
Q

what does keeling curve show

A

atmospheric CO2 rising

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16
Q

keeling curve

A

a daily measure of global atmospheric CO2 concentration

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17
Q

global warming

A

an increase in the global average temperature of the earths surface and atmosphere

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18
Q

carbon dioxide

A

due to build up of human activity

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19
Q

double impact of deforestation

A

increases atmospheric CO2
removes trees that convert CO2 to glucose

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20
Q

what does trees account for in terms of CO2

A

removing 12-15% of CO2 caused from burning fossil fuels

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21
Q

Methane symbol chemical

A

CH4

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22
Q

Methane

A
  • 2nd largest contributor to global warming
  • increasing rapidly 0.5-2% every year
  • cattle releases 85 mil tonnes annually
  • natural wet lands release 150 mil tonnes
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23
Q

positive feedback

A

increasing temperatures, thawing permafrost and the release of methane

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24
Q

methane feedback

A

1/4 of the earths surface is affected by continuous or sporadic permafrost

covers 23 mil square km

formed during past cold glacial periods, persisting through warmer periods

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25
Q

rising of temp - methane

A

permafrost melting rapidly
temperatures have risen by 4-10 degrees since 1960

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26
Q

climate related drying of wetlands

A

increases emissions of methane and CO2 in peatlands
would increase the potential for peat fires

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27
Q

elements of the model for water vapour

A

temperature rises
permafrost thawing to release methane
reduction in oceans ability to absorb CO2
begins to release CO2 instead

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28
Q

what happens to CO2 in oceans

A

sink to colder parts
carried in the bodies of creatures
phytoplankton absorb some
transfered to food chains
organic carbon eventually sink to ocean floor with death

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29
Q

albedo

A

the fraction of solar radiation reflected b a surface or object, often expressed as a percentage

30
Q

increase global temp means

A

Greater chance that droughts will occur, and the chance of fires increases

31
Q

Boreal forest

A

store more carbon than tropical forest
are distributed across the greater area
frozen soil contain large reserves of carbon

32
Q

SIRS full form

A

Siberia integrated regional studies

33
Q

what does SIRS aim to investigate

A

Environmental change in Siberia due to global changes

34
Q

what has happened in Siberia

A

Temperatures have increased and number of frost days and growing season length have also increased

35
Q

decreased winter snowfall means

A

Increased incident of drought and reductions in primary production in tiaga

36
Q

first main regional challenge

A

Permafrost degradation forms a significant carbon and methane source to atmosphere

Climate related drying would alter methane emissions in peatlands and would increase the potential for fires

37
Q

second main regional challenge

A

Temperatures and rain increases forest browning and increases the frequency of fires thus changing carbon cycle

38
Q

third main regional challenge

A

Shifting ecosystem borders words reducing 40% of present area

39
Q

arctic features

A

Highly sensitive region
Decline in arctic sea is 12.6% per decade
Maybe no ice by 2060
Greenland similar

40
Q

loss of sea ice impact

A

Impacts animals that use the ice to feed and breed

41
Q

example of a walrus in loss of sea ice

A

Can’t swim so uses ice as a place for rest between dives to the sea floor

42
Q

how much ice is Antarctica losing approximately per year?

A

150 billion tons of ice mass due to melting

43
Q

landfast ice

A

See ice that is fastened to the coastline to the sea floor around shows or grounded icebergs

44
Q

What happens as temperature increases in terms of ice?

A

Sea ice breaks away from the attachment
Happening earlier in the year due to global warming
Good impact species ongoing survival

45
Q

what do oceanic conveyor belt do

A

Transfer energy around the world and links the greatest oceans

46
Q

Equator and high latitudes temperature

A

Equator is warm
latitudes are cold

47
Q

What is happening with increasing temperature at the poles?

A

More melting ice decreases ocean salinity, and slows currents

48
Q

what do ocean currents convey?

A

Heat energy from warmer to colder regions through the pattern of convection

49
Q

what happens as the Gulfstream slows down?

A

More heat is retained in the Gulf of Mexico
Hurricanes get their energy from warmer waters, and are becoming more frequent

50
Q

upwelling

A

Process with deep cold water rises towards the surface of the ocean

51
Q

impact of upwelling

A

Draws nutrients to surface, causing an increase in phytoplankton and zooplankton
Some animals, such as whales migrate to these areas

52
Q

what happens if ocean primary production decreases in areas?

A

Knock on effect for marine food chains

53
Q

what can warmer surface water prevent in nutrient upwelling

A

Can prevent nutrient upwelling to the surface
Decreases ocean, primary production and energy flow

54
Q

increase in main global temperature has an effect on

A

Distribution of habitats communities and ecosystems

55
Q

where species move as a result of warming conditions

A

Upward in mountain ranges, causing habitats to shift higher

56
Q

response of terrestrial organisms to climate change

A

Distribution of organisms are currently shifting in latitude or elevation

57
Q

why do species need to shift to colder areas?

A

They have zones of tolerance
Distribution changes

58
Q

upslope range shift

A

Process where mountain species move up higher in the mountains in response to recent temperature increases

59
Q

distribution of biomes depend on

A

Climate

60
Q

what do corals form and some features?

A

They form underwater structures called coral reefs
Are formed in warm, shallow waters where sunlight penetrates
Home to 25% of all marine species

61
Q

What does increase in CO2 do to oceans

A

Cause more absorbing of heat
Changing of ocean currents
Rise in ocean temperatures

62
Q

why do the rise in temperatures affect corals?

A

Have a very sensitive range of tolerance
algae is expelled which causes bleaching and kills the coral

63
Q

calcification due to CO2

A

Coral skeleton male from calcification
Increased CO2 causes a certification and suppression of calcification
Once the coral has been lost, other species lose the niches, and the coral reef loses its biodiversity

64
Q

afforestation

A

The establishment of forest in an area where there was no previous tree covers

65
Q

what the nutrients act as and help with

A

Help with climate change and mitigation

66
Q

what is the UNREDD program?

A

Provides incentives for developing countries to conserve their rainforest by placing a monetary value on forest conservation

Stresses the role of conservation

67
Q

agroforestry

A

Combines agriculture with forestry, allowing the farmer to continue cropping while using trees for animal, food fuel, and building timber

68
Q

carbon sequestration

A

The capture and storage of CO2 from the atmosphere by physical or biological processes, such as photosynthesis

69
Q

Forest regeneration

A

New trees and forest species become established after forest trees have been harvested or have died from fire, insect or disease

70
Q

how is peat formed

A

In certain conditions in waterlogged soils, dead organic matter is not fully decomposed, but accumulates as peat

71
Q

how does peat increase carbon in the atmosphere?

A

peats shrank decomposed and became eroded by the wind

72
Q

what does restoring wetlands do

A

Increases land carbon store, and decreases the atmospheric store

Biology IB YR12-13 (31 decks)

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