Quiz 4: Climate Change - Causes, Evidence, Effects, and Solutions Flashcards
What would most likely have the greatest impact on the ocean circulation system in the Atlantic Ocean?
complete melting of polar ice cap in summer
Most of the weather of the world is based upon changes in the moisture, pressure, and/or temperature of the
troposphere
In Canada, summers are warmer than winters because
the sun’s rays shine more directly onto these regions in summer.
What happens to water as it water warms
it expands
_______ is the ability of a surface to reflect solar radiation
albedo
Soot particles (“black carbon aerosols”) generally cause ________ of Earth’s atmosphere by ________ solar energy.
warming; absorbing
Human sources of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere include all of the following except
burning fuel wood
What is true regarding the greenhouse effect?
Increased levels of human-produced carbon dioxide have enhanced the greenhouse effect
What is a source not used to reconstruct past climate
diameter of ozone hole
The reports from Mauna Loa, Hawaii demonstrated a ______ in _________
an increase in CO2 from the 1950s to the present
What is false regarding climate models?
Climate models are not testable.
Using ice core samples that have been carefully analyzed, researchers have discovered that over the past 800,000 years,
there is a strong correlation between global temperatures and greenhouse gases
Scientists use proxies to study climate to measure
climate conditions for hundreds and thousands of years ago
What could happen to the boreal forests of northern Canada within the next century?
-Warmer soil could lead to fewer evergreen trees (e.g. cedar, pine, spruce)
-There could be a northward migration of spruce trees
-There could be an increased presence of temperate species such as the red maple
-These forest communities could vanish
Potential effects of climate change likely exclude
a reduced frequency of extreme weather events
There is an interesting connection reported between the wildfires in California and the melting of sea ice in the Arctic. Black soot particles from the California wildfires travel on long-distance air currents to the Arctic where they fall on ice surfaces creating ‘dark ice’ that absorbs solar radiation leading to faster melting. This situation is an example of
positive feedback loop
Carbon dioxide combines with water to form a weak _____; this has caused the pH of seawater to go
acid; down
Species have responded to global climate change in various ways. What is an example of how species have responded
-earlier blooming of flowering plants
-migrating to higher altitudes
-earlier hatching among many animal species
-shifting distribution ranges
Species have responded to global climate change in various ways. What is not an example of how species have responded?
coordinating by pollinators to better match the flowering patterns of the plants they pollinate
Small island nations in the Pacific Ocean (like the Maldives) are in the international spotlight because they
may be among the first nations to be completely flooded by rising sea levels
Shifts in the ranges of tree species due to climate change are referred to as
tree range migrations
A number of ecological consequences have been predicted for Canada as a result of the predicted climate change in coming decades. Which of the following is not an expected outcome?
The boreal forest will expand its range significantly by moving northward into the tundra and southward into temperate forest and grasslands
What may result in a positive feedback mechanism that would intensify climate change
Warmer temperatures result in the melting of permafrost
What global climate changes is most associated with increased hurricane activity
warmer oceans
