Climate Change

Question 1

Hysteresis

Answer 1

possibility of no return to first stable state

Question 2

Greenland Ice Sheet Disintegration

Answer 2

irreversible retreat of the ice sheet caused by rising temperatures, rising sea levels, less salinity, no snow boundary layer, less albedo, less reflection, most sun/heat absorption

Question 3

Permafrost Loss

Answer 3

abrupt increase in emissions of CO2 and methane through the thawing of frozen carbon-rich soils, greenhouse gas release, amplified warming

Question 4

Boreal Forest Shift

Answer 4

a shift in boreal forests, seeing expansion into tundra to the north and debark to the south, ecological shift, regional warming, increased disease/insects, increased forest fire, boundary brush burned, release of CO2

Question 5

Coral Reef Die-Off

Answer 5

rising temperatures pushing corals beyond tolerable levels of thermal stress into an alternative state dominated by macro algae, ecological change

Question 6

Amazon Rainforest Dieback

Answer 6

deforestation and hotter, drier conditions causing dieback of the rainforest and a shift towards savannah, biodiversity loss, decreased rainfall