Chapter 5 (Climate Change)

Question 1

When you think about ocean currents- what does thermohaline circulation refer to?

Answer 1

Thermohaline circulation refers to deep ocean currents that are driven by differences in waters density, which is controlled by temperature and salinity. This also modifies the climate.

Question 2

What makes saltwater more likely to sink?

Answer 2

It has saline in it and is more dense than fresh water.

Question 3

What is ENSO?

Answer 3

El nino/ Southern oscillation (balancing system)

Question 4

If it’s an El Nino event- are the trade winds near the Eastern Pacific Strong or weak? How does that relate to the atmospheric pressure?

Answer 4

-Weak
-Decreased atmospheric pressure in pacific, Increase in indian

Question 5

What is the greenhouse effect? Did we cause it? How are affecting it?

Answer 5

-Re-emmitted heat comes into the atmosphere while some escapes into space.
-We did not cause it but have enhanced it, less heat is escaping into space while more re-emitted heat is entering the atmosphere.

Question 6

What makes a gas- a greenhouse gas?

Answer 6

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere

Question 7

What are the major greenhouse gases?

Answer 7

CO2, CH4, N2O, H2O, F-gases

Question 8

Which one do we emit the most of?

Answer 8

CO2

Question 9

Which one has the greatest impact on warming of the atmosphere?

Answer 9

CO2

Question 10

Why is there a seasonal cycle in atmospheric CO2 levels?

Answer 10

During the warm months, there are more plants to absorb the CO2

Question 11

How has the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere changed since the industrial revolution?

Answer 11

Increased tremendously

Question 12

What is the (approximate) current level od CO2 in the atm?

Answer 12

415ppm

Question 13

How can scientists determine what the concentration of CO2 was 100,000 years ago?

Answer 13

They drill in ice cores and analyze the air bubbles.

Question 14

How does the current concentration of CO2 compare to the last 800,000 years?

Answer 14

Very much increased, 415ppm above previous normal range

Question 15

How do we know the additional CO2 is from burning fossil fuels?

Answer 15

We analyze the carbon isotopes

Question 16

How has global temperature changed in the last few decades?

Answer 16

It has increased

Question 17

How do we think global temperature will change by 2100? What (general) areas of the globe will change the most?

Answer 17

-Global temp expected to increase (2-5 degrees?)
-The polar regions

Question 18

What is the IPCC? What is it made up of? What does it do?

Answer 18

-Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
-United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Worlds Meteorological Organization (WMO)
-Find out the physical factors of climate that impact climate change (working group 1), How climate change will impact social and economic factors (working group 2), and solutions/ strategies to address the problems

Question 19

How is weather different than climate? What signs are there that climate change is affecting weather events?

Answer 19

-Weather is short term while climate change occurs over a long period of time
-Increasing global temps, increasing storm severity, longer droughts.

Question 20

How does the amount of arctic ice change over the course of a year?

Answer 20

-Takes a dip in the fall months, then increases

Question 21

How has the minimum arctic ice coverage level changed over the past several years?

Answer 21

Has been decreasing (melting)

Question 22

How is a melting glacier different than melting sea ice?

Answer 22

Glaciers are formed on land, so when they melt, the ocean levels rise.

Question 23

What contributes to sea level rise?

Answer 23

Thermal expansion, glacier reduction, reduced water storage on land

Question 24

What has happened so far to sea level?

Answer 24

Sea-Levels are rising, more flooding from spring tides.

Question 25

What could happen if the sea levels keep rising?

Answer 25

Florida and Louisiana at risk of submersion, the spring tides that are flooding Florida may become more than just a spring thing.

Question 26

What is happening to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) current? How might this impact Europe and the Northeastern US?

Answer 26

-The north Atlantic subpolar gyre is sinking, the melting glaciers (freshwater) are causing the current to slow. -Could create colder winters (Ice age?)

Question 27

How might the amount of phytoplankton in the oceans be changing? How could that effect other marine organisms? What about us?

Answer 27

-The amount of phytoplankton is decreasing -Decreased food source (primary consumers) would decrease marine life as well. -Decrease aquatic life we may harvest for food. Phytoplankton are also a big source of oxygen.

Question 28

How might an ocean hot spot affect marine life?

Answer 28

Warmer water has less O2, would drive species away.

Question 29

Why might Coral reefs be especially sensitive to these changes?

Answer 29

Warmer temps decrease O2 and nutrients, they are more at risk for coral bleaching.

Question 30

Why are we so concerned about loss of coral reefs in the first place?

Answer 30

They protect coastlines, and are home to many marine species.

Question 31

Why are sea turtles particularly sensitive to climate change? What could happen to populations in the future?

Answer 31

-The temperature determines sea turtles sex. -Since higher temps produce more females, there may be fewer/ no males in the future

Question 32

How is the pH of the ocean changing?

Answer 32

The pH is decreasing

Question 33

What greenhouse gas is responsible for the ocean becoming more acidic? What acid is produced? What kind of marine organisms may be affected most? What life stages are most vulnerable for crabs?

Answer 33

-CO2 -Carbonic Acid -Crabs, snail/shell invertebrates, etc -Larval stage

Question 34

How will the sea level, temp, pH, circulation, and dissolved oxygen be affected by the increase in atmospheric CO2?

Answer 34

-rise -rise -decrease -slow -decrease amt able to be dissolved

Question 35

Where will species have to go to adjust to changing climate? How does this relate to exotic species? What might inhibit the ability of organisms to disperse?

Answer 35

-They may have to move upward in latitude or elevation. -Exotic species will come and disturb the habitat they move to -They may not be able to survive in the new habitat (not well adapted, too much competition, etc.)

Question 36

What in Phenology? Can you provide examples of how species are changing in phenology?

Answer 36

-The study of cyclic and natural phenomena. -They expand their ranges, spring (and all its activities, i.e. breeding) is coming sooner

Question 37

What determines how high global temperature will go?

Answer 37

How we deal with our greenhouse gas emissions.

Question 38

Why might it be more expensive to just keep emitting CO2?

Answer 38

-We would no longer have natural resources to pull from -would cost more to reverse the effects at that point as well, if they are even able to be reversed. -Costs more to recover from increasing natural disasters