Lecture 23 - Future Climate Flashcards
1
Q
CO2 cycles
A
- for a long time, we were under a certain threshold, always cyclical CO2 levels
- 1950, passed the threshold, spike up that hasn’t gone back down - not cyclical anymore
2
Q
global land-ocean temperature index
A
trend is steeply upward which is an anomaly compared to before 1880
3
Q
sea/land ice mass
A
- sea = 13.4% decrease per decade
- land = 134 billion metric tons per year decrease
- dramatic rate of loss
4
Q
sea level
A
since 1870 (sea level 0), increase of 3.42 mm per year (which is a lot)
5
Q
ocean acidification
A
- force of carbonic acid into water causes acidification
- animals that create shells from carbonate are now engulfed in an acid bath (basically)
- now getting dissolved by increases acidification
6
Q
why is acidification a problem
A
acidification = dissolving of coral reefs, other skeleto-organisms in the ocean
7
Q
ecosystems at risk
A
- ocean ecosystems more at risk because of mixing of water and CO2 (carbonic acid etc) than land which doesn’t have these elements
8
Q
extinction
A
- some estimate 15-37% of all species could be endagered or extinct by 2050
- not just climate change - also habitat destruction, human encroachment
9
Q
what kind of habitats will be most affected by global warning
A
- Polar habitats - an extreme region, less ice/freezing
- Coastal/Oceanic - acidification, rise of sea level
10
Q
what species are most at risk? what factors might influence level of risk?
A
- specialist species - rely on a narrow amount of resources/environment
- generalists probably better with change
11
Q
what has been the most common response of animals to climate change in the evolutionary record? - especially terrestrial
A
- migration - move with the climate, tracking of preferred environment
- easier 55 ma
- now much harder because of human barriers - land development, private ownership of property (less open to wild animals)
