Climate Change Final

Question 1

What are the three threats to oceans that make up the deadly trio?

Answer 1

Warming

Acidification

Eutrophication

Question 2

How does ocean warming impact corals?

Answer 2

If temperature increases algae are expelled.

Leads to coral bleaching.

Question 3

What is responsible for ocean acidification?

Answer 3

Higher levels of CO2 in water.

Less Carbonate ions.

Higher level of free hydrogen atoms (leads to acidification).

Question 4

Which solution has more hydrogen ions? A solution with a pH of 5 or a pH of 6?

Answer 4

5.

Question 5

Why does acidification appear to be happening faster in waters near the poles?

Answer 5

Colder water more readily absorbs CO2 –> leads to higher rates of acidification.

Question 6

What are the two causes of rising oceans?

Answer 6

Thermal expansion (water expands as it warms).

Melting ice and snow on land (glaciers and ice sheets).

Question 7

Which ice sheet is losing mass more quickly? Greenland or Antarctic?

Answer 7

Greenland.

Question 8

Which part of the Antarctic ice sheet is most vulnerable to global warming?

Answer 8

West Antarctic Ice Sheet

Question 9

Which Canadian coast is particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise?

Answer 9

East Coast

Question 10

Why are SIDS particularly vulnerable to climate change?

Answer 10

Small populations.

Limited resources.

Remoteness.

Susceptibility to natural disasters.

Fragile environments.

Question 11

What variables are most often manipulated in climate change experiments?

Answer 11

Temperature.

Precipitation.

CO2 concentration.

Ocean acidity.

Question 12

What are FACE experiments?

Answer 12

Free Air CO2 Enhancement.

Large buildings in middle of forest that would supply CO2 to areas of the forest.

Very expensive and large quantities of CO2 requires.

Question 13

What are some limitations associated with chamber experiments?

Answer 13

Lacks external validity.

Limited space.

Requires a lot of CO2

Expensive

Few replicates.

Question 14

What type of plant (C3 or C4) is more responsive to increasing CO2 levels?

Answer 14

C3.

Question 15

It is predicted that, in the long term, forestry and agriculture will benefit greatly from increasing CO2 levels.

Answer 15

False.

Question 16

What options do organisms have in the face of a changing climate?

Answer 16

Move.

Adapt.

Die.

Question 17

What are range shifts?

Answer 17

Species moving as a result of changing climates.

Question 18

Give an example of phenotypic plasticity.

Answer 18

Red squirrels changing the time that they breed at.

Plants changing the timing of transition between vegetative and reproductive growth stages.

Question 19

Give a specific example of observed microevolutionary change in response to climate change.

Answer 19

Climate driven habitat causes evolution in Threespine Stickleback.

Anole Lizard responding to extreme weather events.

Question 20

Give an example of a synchronization issue related to climate change?

Answer 20

Wood warbler becoming uncoupled from food resources driven by temperature.

Columbian ground squirrel hibernates for longer. Shorter forage season and cannot get enough food for next hibernation.

Increased temperature leads to abundance of mosquitoes that impact birds breeding times

Question 21

In a recent study, two groups of animals were found to have possibly benefitted from climate change. What are the two groups and what makes them so resilient?

Answer 21

Rodents and Insect-eaters.

Fast breeding rates.

Tend to not be specialists suited to a particular habitat.

Often live in burrows which provide insulation against changes in weather.

Question 22

Species extinctions in tropical areas are projected to be (more or less) widespread than in temperate areas?

Answer 22

More

Question 23

What animal is considered to be the first animal to go extinct due to climate change?

Answer 23

Bramble Cay melomys

Question 24

What extreme events can be most “easily” attributed to climate change?

Answer 24

Weather events.

Question 25

Tropical cyclones and hurricanes are expected to become (wetter or drier)?

Answer 25

Wetter.

Question 26

Globally, the frequency of the most intense cyclones/ hurricanes is expected to (increase or decrease).

Answer 26

Increase

Question 27

Give a few examples of how climate change can affect mental health.

Answer 27

Depression after disaster. PTSD Anxiety about warming planet. Substance use to cope.

Question 28

What regions of the world are most at risk of water stress?

Answer 28

Middle east and North Africa and South Asia. 2 Billion suffering from water stress.

Question 29

Give two examples of how climate change can impact water quality.

Answer 29

Increased sediment and pollutants from heavy rainfall. Saltwater intrusion. Increased pathogens. increased water temperature.

Question 30

A NASA study found that global yields of what crop might increase up to 2050?

Answer 30

Wheat

Question 31

Climate change will likely have a (more or less) detrimental impact on fisheries in temperature regions than in the tropics.

Answer 31

Less

Question 32

What are some of the determinants of human vulnerability to heat extremes?

Answer 32

Where you live. Socio-economic status. Age. Health status. Occupation.

Question 33

Which sector will potentially lose the most labour hours due to heat extremes?

Answer 33

Agriculture.

Question 34

What does HDI stand for?

Answer 34

Human Development Index

Question 35

Name the three elements required for a vector-borne disease.

Answer 35

Pathogen. Vector. Host.

Question 36

How is/ might climate change impact transportation?

Answer 36

Affect roads and railways in a negative way due to extreme temperatures. Air travel effected (harder to achieve lift due to heat).

Question 37

How is/ might climate change impact tourism?

Answer 37

Snow tourism (lack of snow). Forest and lake tourism (droughts, pests, fire). Beach and coastal tourism (sea-level rise, extreme storms).

Question 38

What are "zombie fires".

Answer 38

Fires that survive underground in winter months and then pop up again in spring.

Question 39

What are the two climate changes that are affecting the spread of the mountain pine beetle?

Answer 39

Summer droughts lead to weakened trees. Warmer winters does not kill enough beetles.

Question 40

How is/ might climate change impact Canadian wild salmon?

Answer 40

Warmer waters make salmon burn energy faster. Increase bacterial/ fungal infections. Die on route due to exhaustion and infection. Reach spawning grounds but fail to spawn.

Question 41

What are the impacts of melting permafrost?

Answer 41

Impacts to buildings and transportation built on permafrost. Releases GHGs.

Question 42

Describe two positive feedbacks associated with the melting cryosphere.

Answer 42

Global warming --> melts snow and ice --> more sunlight absorbed by ice free land --> more warming Global warming --> melts permafrost --> releases GHGs --> more warming

Question 43

Describe a human intervention strategy that might help natural ecosystems (or organisms) adapt to climate change.

Answer 43

Migration corridors. Refugias. Riparian woodlands to shade streams. Assisted migration of plants and animals. Albatross artificial nests.

Question 44

Describe some strategies to mitigate heat waves.

Answer 44

Cool roofs (white). Green roofs. Cooling centres.

Question 45

Describe a strategy that might help agriculture adapts to climate change.

Answer 45

GM crops Water use efficiency (rainwater harvesting, drip irrigation). Better forecasting methods.

Question 46

What are two broad strategies associated with demand-side climate change mitigation?

Answer 46

Improve energy efficiency. Energy conservation.

Question 47

Explain the energy efficiency dilemma.

Answer 47

As energy increases efficiency there is a tendency to use more frequently leading to higher usage.

Question 48

Is counting food miles an effective way to reduce GHG emissions? Why or why not?

Answer 48

No they are a partial indicator of environmental impacts. Ignore how food is transported (ship vs. air).

Question 49

Give two ways we can reduce GHG emissions from food.

Answer 49

Limiting food waste. Purchasing local food. Agricultural improvements. Eating less meat.

Question 50

When you electrify energy supplies, what are the two reasons demand goes down?

Answer 50

No need for mining, processing and transporting fossil fuels. Much less heat loss with electricity compared to combustion.

Question 51

What is a main challenge associated with electrification of energy supplies?

Answer 51

Regions of production are not near areas of requirement. Need large infrastructure to bring energy to areas of demand.

Question 52

Give some examples of supply side mitigation.

Answer 52

Renewable energies. Solar, wind, hydroelectric, etc.

Question 53

What are the three types of solar energy?

Answer 53

Solar electric (photovoltaics) Solar thermal (hot water) Passive solar (solar heat).

Question 54

What are the two types of geothermal energy?

Answer 54

Geothermal power station. Geothermal heat pump.

Question 55

What are some of the challenges associated with low carbon energy sources?

Answer 55

Cost/ infrastructure Variable output (wind and solar) Potential environmental impacts. Conflict over land use. Nimbyism

Question 56

What are two co-benefits of low carbon energy sources?

Answer 56

Less polluting. Safer.