Siberian Tundra

Question 1

What is the key store that is undergoing the most dynamic change

Answer 1

Cryosphere

Question 2

The region within the Arctic circle is showing the …………………..response to climate change

Answer 2

Most rapid

Question 3

Describe the positive feedback albedo effect

Answer 3

Temperatures rise, both permanent, seasonal ice and snow cover reduces. The reflective surface of the ice retreats, exposing the darker surface of rocks and moss with a lower albedo rate. solar radiation is more easily absorbed by the ground and sea surface (darker), warming the air above and providing positive feedback as more ice then melts.

Question 4

What is the most visible sign that the Siberian ice is melting at a faster rate than before

Answer 4

Release of frozen woolly mammoth remains that loved between 11,500 - 45,000 years ago.

Invisible consequence = permafrost melting releasing vast amounts of methane and Carbon dioxide

Question 5

What makes methane worse than Carbon dioxide

Answer 5

Greenhouse gas - far more potency than Carbon dioxide to absorb and trap atmospheric heat

Question 6

What is the permafrost

Answer 6

Layer containing organic matter (frozen) Tens of meters thick

Question 7

The buried organic remains of mosses and vegetation represent a huge…………………

Answer 7

Carbon store

Question 8

When is methane produced

Answer 8

Anaerobic conditions for decomposers

Question 9

What is the Yedoma region and how much carbon is stored

Answer 9

Covers a million square km - composed of 50-90% ice and 2% carbon (400Gt)

Question 10

The entire global permafrost is thought to contain……GT carbon

How does this relate to the atmosphere

Answer 10

1,400

Almost twice the entire Atmospheric carbon content of around 800GT

Question 11

Give some benefits of the melting ice

Answer 11

Warmer conditions = growing seasons of plants are extending + growing conditions becoming more conducive in higher Carbon dioxide levels

The growth of Tundra vegetation is stimulated and draws in a significant quantity of atmospheric carbon - more carbon is absorbed by active vegetation than melting permafrost releases (for now).

Tundra = carbon sink

Question 12

If atmospheric temperatures rise much higher - more……………..thaws and the exchange will become………….

Answer 12

Permafrost

reversed

Question 13

How many Solomon islands have already disappeared from rising sea levels

Answer 13

5

Question 14

How much has the Gulf stream weakened since 1950

Answer 14

15% - weakest ever recorded

Massive slowdown - equivalent to halting all the world’s rives 3x over