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Biology 122 > Unit 5 (Ecology- The Climate Crisis) > Flashcards

Unit 5 (Ecology- The Climate Crisis) Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the three greenhouse gases we are learning about?

A
  1. CO2 (Carbon Dioxide)
  2. H2O Vapor (Water Vapor)
  3. Ch4 (Methane)
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2
Q

The greenhouse gas: CO2
1. How potent is it?
2. What percentage of human greenhouse gas emissions is it?
3. How long does it last?

A
  1. Not very potent.
  2. Carbon Dioxide makes up 82% of human greenhouse gas emissions.
  3. Thousands of years.
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3
Q

What does it mean for a greenhouse gas to be “potent?”

A

More potent= causing more global warming
Less potent= causing less (but still some) global warming

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4
Q

The greenhouse gas: CH4
1. How potent is it?
2. What percentage of human greenhouse gas emissions is it?
3. How long does it last?

A
  1. It is very potent.
  2. It makes up 9% of human greenhouse gas emissions.
  3. A few decades.
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5
Q

The greenhouse gas: H2O Vapor
1. How potent is it?
2. How long does it last?

A
  1. Very very potent.
  2. Only a few days.
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6
Q

If Venus had Earth’s atmosphere it would be _____ than the Earth.

A

Colder

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7
Q

What is Paleoclimatology?

A

The study of ancient climates.

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8
Q

What are four proxies of ancient climates?

A
  1. Ice Cores
  2. Ocean Sediment Cores
  3. Fossils
  4. Geochemistry of Rocks
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9
Q

What is a “Proxy?”

A

A representation of something else- in paleoclimatology, a representation of past climate.

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10
Q

What do Ice Cores show us about past climates?

A

They trap bubbles of ancient air so that we can see ancient atmospheric compositions.
(Ex. How much CO2, how much CH4)

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11
Q

What do Ocean Sediment Cores show us about past climates?

A

They show us past ocean temperature.
(How? Oxygen ratios)

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12
Q

How far back can we see in the past via ice core data? What do we typically use this data to measure?

A
  1. Up to a million years.
  2. We typically record CO2 levels.
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13
Q
  1. According to Ice core data what has been the max particles per million for carbon?
  2. In 2014 this number was surpassed…what is the new number?
A
  1. In the last million years carbon level haven’t been higher than 300ppm.
  2. 400ppm.
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14
Q

What important protist is found in ocean sediment cores? Why is it so important?

A
  1. Foraminifera
  2. Their shells are made out of Calcium Carbonate, which has oxygen.
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15
Q

How do we use Foraminifera to learn the temperature of the ancient ocean?

A

The amount of oxygen isotopes in their shells indicated ocean temp. when the shells formed.
-They can measure the ratio of oxygen isotopes to determine how much oxygen is in the atmosphere.
-The amount of oxygen in the atmosphere is a big factor in temp.

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16
Q

From what isotope can past temperatures be deduced from? Where is this isotope found?

A
  1. Stable Oxygen Isotopes.
  2. In fossils (specifically Foraminifera.)
17
Q

What are the two stable Oxygen Isotopes?

A

18O (Oxygen 18)
16O (Oxygen 16)

18
Q

What is the notation for “Light Water?”
What is the notation for “Heavy Water?”

A

Light: H2 18O
Heavy: H2 16O

19
Q

When we say “Heavy Water”, what does this mean?

A

This means the water is made the heavier oxygen isotope. It is literally slightly heavier cuz there ate two more neutrons.

20
Q

Evaporation wise, how are heavy and light water different?

A

Light Water: Evaporates easier
Heavy Water: Evaporates less easily
(Light water evaporates easier than heavy water)

21
Q

Heavy water is enriched in _____.
Light water is enriched in _______.

A
  1. Water Vapor
  2. Sea Water
22
Q

What is heavier, fresh water or sea water?

A

Sea water is heavier than fresh water. Fresh water is “lighter” than sea water.

23
Q

Why is the difference in evaporation between light/heavy water exaggerated at lower temps (when it’s colder)?

A

There isn’t much evaporation happening when it’s cold. So the lighter oxygen is what’s mostly sucked up.

24
Q

Thermometer readings over the past ____ years show a steady rise of about _____degrees C.

A
  1. 140 years
  2. 1.2 degrees C
25
Q

What have the IPCC, the NAS, and the EPA all concluded in regards to global warming?

A

Humans are at least the primary cause.

26
Q

What is percentage of scientists that agree that global warming is a real phenomenon and it is caused by human activity?

A

About 99% of all scientists.

27
Q

By 2100 an increase in _____ degrees celsius is expected.

A

2.7 degrees. (4.9 F)

28
Q

What are the four major consequences of global warming?

A
  1. The increase in severe weather events.
  2. Increase in droughts and fires.
  3. Receding glacier and snowcaps
  4. Receding polar ice
29
Q

Due to global warming floods and droughts will become much more common. Why?

A
  1. The air will warm.
  2. Warm air holds/takes in more moisture than cold air=drought.
  3. The sucked up water will crash down elsewhere=flooding.
30
Q

What is the immediate effect of drought on the land?

A

An increase in the quantity and severity of wildfires.

31
Q

Why is it such a concern that the glaciers and snowcaps are receding?

A

These are where rivers come from, and our source of fresh water.

32
Q

What is permafrost? Why is it so concerning that it is melting.

A
  1. It is calling permafrost because it is ice that is ALWAYS frozen.
  2. This ice stores a decent amount of Methane gas (a green house gas), so when it melts it will all be released and make everything even warmer.
33
Q

Why is it such a concern that all the white snow and ice is disappearing?

A

Ice reflects sunlight, reducing the overall temperature of the earth. If it disappears we will absorb more heat, making the Earth even WARMER.

34
Q

What two things cause Rising Sea Level?

A
  1. Melting Ice
  2. Thermal Expansion
35
Q

What is Thermal Expansion?

A

When molecules get warmer, they slightly expand.

36
Q

What is an Aquifer? What is happening to them? Why should we be worried?

A
  1. An underground source of freshwater.
  2. We are depleting them.
  3. We depend on them for freshwater.
37
Q

What is a consequence of depleting aquifers?

A

Land Subsidence
(The land caving in on itself because it supported itself through that water basin.)

38
Q

Why does global warming cause the expansion of tropical diseases?

A

If more places are warmer regularly, then the diseases can thrive there. (The only reason they don’t already is the cold winters kill them.)

Biology 122 (18 decks)

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