Natural Reasons For Changes To The Water Cycle Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the main five reasons for changes to the water cycle?

A

Seasonal changes
Storm events
Droughts
El Niño and La Niña
Cryospheric processes

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2
Q

How does seasonal changes effect the water cycle?

A

Higher temperatures means less precipitation and more evapotranspiration in the summer.

Reduced flows in the winter as water stored as ice.

Reduced interception from autumn-winter as deciduous trees lose their leaves.

Increased evapotranspiration in the summer as deciduous trees have their leaves and there’s higher temperatures.

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3
Q

How does storm events effect the water cycle?

A

Sudden increase in rainfall
Increases flooding
Replenishment in water soil storage
Increased surface runoff as soil is over saturated
Unlikely to cause long term change

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4
Q

How does droughts effect the water cycle?

A

Major stores of water depleted
Flows of water decrease
Can be a long term change
Becoming more common due to climate change

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5
Q

How does El Niño and La Niña effect the water cycle?

A

El niño is 2-7 years warm temperatures.

La niña is 2-7 years cold temperatures.

Both in predictable ways.

Climate change is increasing the probability of El niños in the future.

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6
Q

Warm and cold air rise or sink?

A

Warm air rises

Cold air sinks

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7
Q

How does cryospheric processes effect the water cycle?

A

Through the process of accumulation glaciers and ice caps store lots of freshwater.

But the store sizes are shrinking.

Melting.

Causing sea levels to rise.

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8
Q

If all the glaciers and ice caps were to melt what would sea levels rise by?

A

600 metres

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