Lecture 32: Climate Change Flashcards
What is anthropogenic change driven by?
- Accelerating global population growth
* The ecological footprint of each human being on the limited resources that the earth provides
What does deforestation impact?
Soil stability, the water cycle, and biogeochemical reactions
Why is placing restrictions on fishing challenging?
Because marine systems are more difficult to study than terrestrial
What is the biggest concern with fish nets?
That they capture non-target species or damage seafloor habitants during net dragging from large ships
What are Coral reefs?
Colonies of tiny animals coexisting with photosynthetic algae called zooxanthellae
How is the relationship between Zooxanthellae and corals symbiotic?
Zooxanthellae produce food from photosynthesis which is shared with corals. Corals provide nitrogen to zooxanthellae
What occurs if the algae from corals is gone?
Coral do not build reefs
What causes algae to leave coral?
Soil erosion inhibiting photosynthesis
Aside from soil erosion, what also contributes to the death of corals?
Ocean acidification due to CO2 which prevents them from forming carbonic shells
What caused the death of the great barrier reef?
Unusually warm water
What greenhouse gasses has the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation added?
CO2 and CH4
Why is CO2 building up in the atmosphere?
Because the rate of CO2 added exceeds the ability of natural processes to remove it
What are the main Greenhouse gases?
CO2, CH4 and N2O
How has the industrial revolution affected greenhouse gases?
It has causes dramatic increases in their concentrations
What effect does the increase in greenhouse gases have on the atmosphere?
They absorb heat and raise the temperature of the atmosphere
How many mass extinctions have there been in geologic history?
5
What was the biggest mass extinction?
The Permian-Triassic
How does deforestation affect the carbon cycle?
Increased CO2 buildup in the atmosphere
What is the concern with the increasing CO2, CH4, and N2O in the atmosphere?
They are radiatively active causing them to absorb heat and raise the temperature of the atmosphere
Where are atmospheric CO2 concentrations recorded at ?
Mauna Loa Observatory
Which greenhouse gas contributes the most do Radiative forcing?
CO2
What contributes to radiative forcing?
Greenhouse gases, ozone and water vapor
What is radiative forcing?
The influence that a factor has on incoming radiation to the earth
Which factors contribute to earth cooling?
The cloud effect, particulate matter like aerosols that block incoming solar radiation
