climate change

Question 1

thermocline

Answer 1

= transition layer between warmer mixed water at the surface of the ocean and cooler deep water below
- temperature decreases rapidly in the thermocline
- there is no mixing between surface and deep water
- surface water is ~18C

Question 2

CO2 absorption by oceans

Answer 2

• only the surface water absorbs CO2
• there is a limit to the amount of CO2 absorbed by ocean limited by depth of surface water which is determined by ocean temperature
• some suggest amount of CO2 absorbed by ocean has declined 40-45C per annum, others believed capacity has increased

Question 3

future climate change

Answer 3

• variation in terms of location
• future increase depends on future activity
• poles will warm the most
• dry places likely to get drier, wet places likely to get wetter

Question 4

animal adaptations

Answer 4

• range shifts e.g. Eastern Phoebe (US bird) moving Northwards
• evolution e.g. more brown tawny owls observed in Finland as snow depth decreases, historically predominantly grey

Question 5

photosynthesis in 2050

Answer 5

• success and distribution of plants depend on temperature and water availability
• higher concentration of CO2 in atmosphere may mean greater availability for photosynthesis, but rate of photosynthesis most likely limited by light, water, nutrient availability

Question 6

plant responses, environmental studies

Answer 6

• FACE emitted CO2 locally in an artificial habitat to measure plant responses
• also models with infre red warming, affected competitive interactions between species

Question 7

indirect effects, environmental studies

Answer 7

• decomposition faster under warmer and wetter conditions
• Harvard forest, heating cables raised soil temperatures by 5C
• 60% increase in rates of soil respiration, increasing more CO2

Question 8

changes in habitat distribution

Answer 8

• changing temperature and precipitation
• Tundra loss

Question 9

species most affected by GCC

Answer 9

• slow moving species
• montane species, cannot shift range altitudinally
• species with a low tolerance of changes in environmental conditions

Question 10

effect on coastal ecosystems

Answer 10

• flooding of low lying areas
• flood deposits
• erosion of shorelines
• anchange water depth, temperature, tubridity and salinity in estuaries
• increase in storm surges

Question 11

effect on crops and agriculture

Answer 11

• initially positive effect on primary productivity as optimal temperature for production is reached, certain parts of the world have more productive agricultural land
• then decline in productivity due to limitations including water availabilty

Question 12

effect on livestock

Answer 12

• not priority when droughts are severe
• temperature stress decreases production, reproduction and increases mortality
• impact on food/forage production
• increase in parasites and diseases

Question 13

risk of wildfires

Answer 13

• increasing risk of peat fires in northern areas
• peat burns slowly and is difficult to stop as it can burn very deep down
• releases a lot of carbon

Question 14

effect on human mortality

Answer 14

• heat stress, asthma, cardiovascular and respiratory problems from heatwaves (direct)
• increase in communicable diseases and mortality from natural disasters (indirect)

Question 15

malaria

Answer 15

• anophelese (vector) has optimum temperature for breeding (20-30C)
• potential for vector spread