Whole Module Flashcards

1
Q

what is an example food chain for polar aquatic ecosystems?

A

zooplankton -> krill & cod -> halibut/seals/whales

arctic flora and fauna are much more productive as large animals (seals) are sustained by phytoplankton/zooplankton

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2
Q

what percentage of Greenland’s economy comes from fisheries?

A

92%

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3
Q

name a biodiversity initiative

A

convention on biological diversity (CBD) in 1993

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4
Q

what does the warmer atmosphere do to the hydrological cycle?

A

warmer atmosphere = more evaporation and condensation = more cloud formation = more precipitation and runoff

this can affect salinity and therefore thermo-haline circulation

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5
Q

what is the ocean-atmosphere exchange of CO2?

A

CO2 is dissolved in cold polar water (less energy for molecules to escape the liquid) and temporarily stored in the deep ocean

CO2 is then released in upwelling at the equator

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6
Q

what does the energy balance on Earth depend on?

A

incoming vs outgoing solar radiation

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7
Q

what is the climate determined by?

A

the large-scale circulation of the atmosphere and oceans, albedo, vegetation levels, and soil moisture

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8
Q

what is the global energy transfer?

A

energy is transferred from lower latitudes (energy surplus) to higher latitudes (energy deficit)

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9
Q

what is the overall global temperature change?

A

some trends of cooling, overall long-term of 1 degrees C in warming

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10
Q

what are some natural drivers of climate change?

A

solar variations, albedo feedback, orbit/wobble/tilt of Earth, hydrological cycle, glacial cycles, El Niño/ La Niña, volcanic activity

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11
Q

what are some human-induced drivers of climate change?

A

fossil fuels, urbanization, agriculture, methane emissions, deforestation

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12
Q

what are the physical impacts of climate change?

A

SLR, ocean warming, ocean acidification, extreme climate events, shrinking of arctic sea ice, changes in glacier mass balance, reduction of BD, intensification of the hydrological cycle

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13
Q

what is habitat destruction?

A

habitat destruction occurs when the physical environment required by a species is altered so that the species can no longer live there

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14
Q

what is the source for habitat destruction?

A

global forest watch, 2020

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15
Q

what is an invasive species?

A

they are non-native organisms that disrupt and out-compete the community they invade

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16
Q

what is genotype BD?

A

the genetic diversity that enables species to adapts and change

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17
Q

what is population BD?

A

diversity amongst the individual within a species which occupy a different area

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18
Q

what is community BD?

A

aka species richness

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19
Q

what was the Antarctic Treaty of 1959?

A

states that the Antarctic is strictly for peaceful purposes and it shall only be used for international scientific cooperation

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20
Q

what is the significance of the 1990s & Antarctic temperature trends?

A

up to the late 1990s, some of the highest atmospheric warming in the S hemisphere

since 1990s, has cooled with natural climate variability

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21
Q

what does permafrost contribute to the global CO2 sink?

A

it holds 1/3 of Earth’s soil carbon, stored in frozen organic matter

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22
Q

what is a DEW line?

A

Detection Early Warning System

Greenland was an important staging post during the cold war and WW2

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23
Q

what did the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea conclude?

A

a country has a 10yr period to make claims to an extended continental shelf/EEZ

if validated, they get rights to all resources above and below

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24
Q

what are the key properties of ocean water?

A

density and heat capacity

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25
Q

what are the effects of ocean acidification?

A

animals cannot adapt quick enough to build their skeletons in acidic water

reduces reproduction

coral bleaching

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26
Q

what are the effects of SLR?

A

salt marshes eroding, coastal squeeze, coastal flooding

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27
Q

what is the UN High Seas Treaty?

A

establishes marine protected areas and applies to 2/3 of the area of the ocean outside of national boundaries

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28
Q

is environmental policy post-political?

A

no. the problem can be solved through engineering and technology but the science does not align with some political agendas, making it political

29
Q

what are the top three strategies to reduce CO2 emissions?

A
  1. have one fewer child
  2. live car free
  3. avoid one trans-atlantic flight
30
Q

what percentage of global emissions does China emit?

A

27% - 9.8 billion tons of CO2 (bc they focus on exports)

31
Q

what are the three main reasons that environmental disruption is worse in the global south?

A
  1. resource curse
  2. waste dumping
  3. climate injustice
32
Q

what are the effects of ocean warming?

A

coral bleaching, increased migration to the north, reduced BD

33
Q

what percentage of the energy accumulated between 1971 and 2012 was from ocean warming?

A

90%

34
Q

what is the source for the energy accumulated between 1971 and 2012 was from ocean warming?

A

IPCC, 2013

35
Q

give an example of climate resilient infrastructure in SE Asia

A

indonesia sea walls and japan raising railroads

36
Q

describe high vs low income emissions in the global south

A

the top 20% are responsible for 7x the emissions of poorer households

37
Q

what is the source for high vs low income emissions in the global south?

A

research institute for humanity and nature, 2021

38
Q

what are some NBS examples in the UK

A

peatlands, woodlands, salt marshes, arable landscapes, urban street trees

39
Q

what are mobile sources of pollution?

A

cars, buses, planes, trucks, trains

40
Q

what are stationery sources of pollution?

A

power plants, oil refineries, industrial facilities, factories

41
Q

what are area sources of pollution?

A

farms, cities, wood burning fireplaces

42
Q

what are natural sources of pollution?

A

dust, wildfires, volcanoes

43
Q

describe the relationship between LMIC/pollution/children

A

in LMIC 98% of all children under 5 are exposed to PM2.5 levels above WHO guidelines

kids breathe faster (take in more pollutants)

closer to pollution sources (car exhaust)

44
Q

what is PM 2.5?

A

fine inhale-able particles with a diameter generally 2.5 micrometers or smaller

they come from construction sites, unpaved roads, smokestacks, and fires

they can cause lung damage, immune system effects, and cardiovascular disease

45
Q

what is the source for PM 2.5?

A

US environmental protection agency

46
Q

what are 6 ways to restore and conserve wetlands?

A

protective netting, trees, herbaceous fields, flood ponds, phytodepuration plants, and a buffer edge

47
Q

what is the source for the 6 ways to restore and conserve wetlands?

A

Benites, 2023

48
Q

impacts of oceanic pollution?

A

more than 8 million tons of plastic enter the ocean each year

80% of all of the debris in the ocean is plastic

49
Q

what is a fjord?

A

a fjord is a deep, high latitude estuary which has been excavated or modified by land-based ice

50
Q

why do fjords make excellent sediment traps?

A

bc they have over-deepend basins and are relatively young

they have spring blooms and autumn booms that increase PP

51
Q

how much does the arctic ocean contribute to the global carbon sink?

A

5-14%

52
Q

why is the polar ocean so good at uptaking CO2?

A

because the enhanced bioproductivity draws CO2 from the atmosphere to the ocean

the production of organic matter consumes dissolved inorganic carbon and decreases the oceanic effective partial pressure of CO2

53
Q

what are two example results of arctic climate change?

A

opening of the NW passage (NASA,2016)
collapsing of the NADW (Liu, 2017)

54
Q

what does an increase in GLIC surface runoff cause?

A

larger runoff sediment plumes in fjords and coastal oceans - this causes a negative impact on summertime marine productivity

55
Q

sea surface temperature is…

A

the most important determinant of overall coastal and oceanic marine BD

56
Q

how is the deep ocean affected by CC?

A

deep ocean ecosystems are sensitive to climate variability through its influence on the quantity and quality of surface primary production which controls the minimal amount of organic carbon that reaches the deep ocean

57
Q

what is the source for sustainable fishery management?

A

Costello, 2016

58
Q

what is the source for coral bleaching?

A

Sully, 2019

59
Q

what is the source for the importance of global environmental meetings?

A

Cambell, 2013

60
Q

what is the source for climate change in Greenland?

A

Nuttall, 2020

61
Q

how much does the top 1% emit compared to the poorest 50%?

A

the top 1% emits twice as much CO2 as the poorest 50%

62
Q

what is the source for the top 1% emit compared to the poorest 50%?

A

Oxfam, 2020

63
Q

what is the source for academics and flying?

A

Wynes, 2019

64
Q

what are some alternatives for academics to practice instead of flying?

A

more videoconferencing
changing promotional requirements so they don’t have to pick between giving a talk and getting a raise
more events packed into fewer, longer trips
more ground-based travel
carbon accounting fee

65
Q

what are some effects of antarctic tourism?

A

soil degradation, decrease in fauna, invasive species, ship striking marine mammals and ice, chemical pollution

66
Q

what is the source for antarctic tourism?

A

Tedejo, 2022

67
Q

describe the case study in Huanchaco, Peru

A

Coastal Huanchaco focuses on recreational fishing

The upland settlements have grown in a disorderly fashion and are particularly exposed to flash flooding and landslides on the steep hillsides north of the coast.

In 2017, a phenomenon called the “coastal El Niño” brought torrential rain to the town causing multiple casualties and property losses.

the key is to reforest and maintain the uplands of the coast so there is no erosion/mudslides that will cause flooding and property damage

68
Q

what is the source for PM 2.5?

A

Anderson, 2012

69
Q

what percentage of annual marine carbon burial do fjords contribute to?

A

11%