D4.3 climate change

Question 1

what does the earths atmosphere act as

Answer 1

a greenhouse. in the gases such as methane or carbon dioxide absorb long wave radiation ( infrared radiation) upon reflecting from the earths surface

Question 2

what does the greenhuse effect do

Answer 2

keeps the earth much warmer than it otherwise would be. without it the temperature of earth would be below 0 celcius
visible energy from sun heats the ground, infrared heat heats the ground but is reflected

Question 3

what gases is earths atmophere made off

Answer 3

nitrogen, oxygen, argons, carbon dioxide, water vapour +other gases

Question 4

diagram if global warming effect

Answer 4

rays come from the sun
short wabed uv radiation passes through the atmosphere and is absorbed and some if reflected
long waved infrared radiation reflected back from eaths surface

Question 5

what is the most significant greenhouse gases

Answer 5

carbon dioxide and methane
which contribute to absorption of longer wave radiation

Question 6

what are anthropogenically released gases

Answer 6

released unaturally gases that enhance the greenhouse effect

Question 8

who and what releases co2

Answer 8

cell respiration and natural forest fires release coz, the enhances greenhouse effect is caused by combustion of fossil fuels in internal combustion engines and biomass (coals, plants etc) forest fires and deforestation

Question 9

who and what releases CH4

Answer 9

melting permafrost releases methane through methanogens in swamps and waterlogged soils as well as landfill sted where organic wastes have been dumped
methanogenic bacteria in guts of ruminants release methane during excessive cattle farming

Question 10

explain how the water cycle is accelerated by changes in heat content of atmosphere

Answer 10

• greenhouse gases like co2, methane and water vapour trap more heat in earths atmosphere
• as atmosphere gets warmer, more wtaer evaporated from water bodies
• more water vapour menas more cloud formation and precipitations -> traps more heat + glaciers melt and sea levels rise

Question 11

climate feedback loop ( positive)

Answer 11

when the end product of a process results in the amplification of the process that created it. global heating is associated with positive feedback cycles

Question 12

climate feedback loop- negative

Answer 12

when the end product of a process results in the reduction of the process that created it. very few changes that bring about negative feedback in global warming

Question 13

positive feedback cycle snow example

Answer 13

• increased in temperatures
• snow ice melts
• darker surfaces are revealed
  darker surfaces absorb more heat
• increase in temperatures

Question 14

positive feedback permafrost cycle

Answer 14

additionally permafros ice melts and the waterlogged detrits begins to decay, releasing methane, increasing global warming

Question 14

positive feedback cycle global warming fires droughts

Answer 14

increased heating in the atmosphere causes climate change and increase in widfire
dry out land becomes fuel for wildfires
wildfire release c02
more co2 means more trapping of heat

Question 15

what is a tipping point

Answer 15

when all enviormental changes and positice feedback cycles overwhelm the resiliance of ecosystem, tipping point is achieves wheby the ecosustem is converted from one stable form to another

Question 15

boreal forests change

Answer 15

these forests in northern areas are importants carbon sinks as the cold temperatures slow down cellular repiration and other organisms. and photosythesis captures co2
due to climate change, they might turn into carbon sources

Question 16

Where are boreal forests found?

Answer 16

canada, russia, scandanavia, alaska

Question 17

Why are boreal forests considered almost more important than tropical forests for conservation?

Answer 17

boreal forests store more carbon in soil and organic matterçover larger continuous area,acting as global climate regulator
less resiliant to warming due to cold adapted ecosystem
ct as massive carbon sink, critical more stabalizing atmospheric co2

Question 18

Why do boreal forests seem to be reaching a tipping point—releasing more CO₂ than storing it?

Answer 18

warming causes drier hotter summer
more wildfires releasing co2
thawing permafrost releasing methane
tree death reduced growth
decomposing organic matter release co2

Question 19

What are the main factors turning boreal forests from carbon sinks into carbon sources?

Answer 19

Wildfires: Release large amounts of CO₂; more frequent due to warming.

Thawing permafrost: Releases methane and CO₂ from long-frozen organic material.

Droughts: Kill trees, slow regrowth, and reduce CO₂ uptake via photosynthesis.

Pest outbreaks (e.g., bark beetles): Kill large areas of forest, leaving dry, flammable biomass.

Soil warming: Increases decomposition of detritus → more CO₂ release.

Question 20

What other factors are leading to the loss of boreal forests?

Answer 20

Logging and deforestation for timber and mining.

Infrastructure development (roads, pipelines).

Pollution (acid rain, industrial activity).

Climate change: Alters species ranges and disturbs forest balance.

Question 21

How is the destruction of boreal forests an example of a positive feedback loop?

Answer 21

Warming climate →

More wildfires, droughts, and permafrost thaw →

More CO₂ and CH₄ released →

Greenhouse effect intensifies →

Even more warming →

Forest degrades further →

Cycle repeats and worsens

Question 22

antarctic landfast ice

Answer 22

ice which is fastened to the shore. animals such as penguins and polar bears use it for hunting, nesting ground, breeding

Question 22

How does the melting of landfast ice and the subsequent loss of habitat affect walruses in the Arctic?

Answer 22

pacific walruses rely on sea ce as resting platforms walruses are forves to come to coastal beaches leads to overcorwing, stampeded and increased calf mortality distance in efeeding ground increases loss haitat reduced energy efficiency threatens population stability

Question 22

How does climate change and landfast ice melting affect emperor penguins and their breeding sites?

Answer 22

emporor penguins depend on ice to bread and raise their chicks climate change melt the ice ice melts before chicks can grow waterproof feather, they drown or die from cold melting also disrupts food chains, reduces krill populations- main food source became threatened species

Question 23

what is upwelling

Answer 23

warmer less salty water is less dense and floats on top of the denser, colder, saltier water. different layers mix as heat slowlu seeps deeper into the ocean by the action of current wind and tides.

Question 24

what happens when there is a greater difference in denseties between layers

Answer 24

micing becomes more difficult, oceans become more stable

Question 25

why is nutrient upwelling important

Answer 25

it brings up nutrient ruch water to the surface where consumers can feed on them contributing to nutrient cycling. this is also the most active sone because sunlight can only penetrate this far into the ocean. carbon containing detritus and feaces sink to the deap ocean by gravity.

Question 27

how climate change affects upwelling and ocean currents: surface ocean water becomes less dence

Answer 27

warmer temperature adds freshwater from melting ice reducing salinity and density. - lighter water floats on top, reducing vertical mixing and weakening circulation.

Question 28

how climate change affects upwelling and ocean currents:melting ice adds freshwater to ocean

Answer 28

faster melting due to water reduces salinity and density of ocean surface, further weakens deep water formation

Question 30

how climate change affects upwelling and ocean currents: atmospheric warming increases ocean stratification

Answer 30

warm water stays on top of cod water creating this layering stratification. this prevents nutrient-rich deeper water from mixing upward, decreasing upwelling and reducing marine productivity

Question 31

how climate change affects upwelling and ocean currents: warmer surface water absorbs less co2

Answer 31

warm water holds less dissolved gas. ocean becomes less effective carbon sinks, increasing atmospheric c02, accelerating global warming

Question 32

Global Impact of Disrupted Upwelling:

Answer 32

↓ Phytoplankton → ↓ Marine food webs → ↓ Fish populations ↓ Biological carbon pump → less carbon is sequestered in the deep ocean ↑ Ocean warming and acidification due to reduced CO₂ uptake Collapse of regional fisheries and marine biodiversity

Question 33

what happens to species that live at the highest elevation due to climate change

Answer 33

species have nowhere to go, migrate upslope - habitat loss - population decline -local or global extinction

Question 34

example of upslope range shift

Answer 34

in the tropics of papa new guinea species have been found to react more strongly to changes in temperature than species from temperature regions. strong upslope shifts of bird species on two independant new guinea mountains where found when comparing data from 1985 to 2017.

Question 35

how may competitive exclusion contribute to species extinction

Answer 35

as species shift upslope, they may invade habitats of existing species, especially those already at higher elevations. invasive competitors may: use resources more efficiently, be more adaptable to changing conditions, introduce new diseases or predators,introduce new diseases- lead to exctinction

Question 36

what are reef building coral composed of

Answer 36

calcium carbonate.

Question 36

example of poleward range shift

Answer 36

north american trees species: combination of higher maximum temperatures in summertime and lengthened growing season has increased the frequency of droughts. lower elevations and southern latitudes will no longer provide the cool et habitat prefered by some species as well as other northern american tree species.

Question 37

what do marine organisms due to these carbon compounds

Answer 37

marine organisms take dissolved carbon in forms of c02 and Hco3- ions out of the water and use it to make their carbonate shells.

Question 38

what are the organisms that build coral reefs called

Answer 38

coral polyps, they combine ca2+ from the sea with carbon to form molecules of calcium carbonate.(cac03) this molecule is the basis of coral reef.

Question 39

what is the equation of the formation of coral reefs

Answer 39

(Ca2+ + 2H2O- --> CaCO3 + CO2 + H2O)

Question 40

what is coral bleaching

Answer 40

the whitening of coral when corals are stressed

Question 41

what causes coral bleaching

Answer 41

poor water quality from pollution warmer ocean from global warming due to increased carbon emissions caused by the loss of symbiotic algae (zooanthella) from the tissue of the coral as a result of pollution of increased water temperatures

Question 42

ocean acidicfication

Answer 42

increased concentration of c02 in oceans

Question 43

what is the link of dissolves co2 and ocean acidification

Answer 43

due to burning fossil fuels and the slowing of coral calcification due to ocean acidification, atmospheric CO2 is absorbed by the ocean. results in a decrease in carbonate ion concentration, making carbonate ions unavailable to corals and other marine calcifiers.

Question 43

explain in detail ocean acidification

Answer 43

some carbon dioxide in the atmophere dissolves in the ocean where it reacys with water to form carbonic acid ( co2+H2O-> H2CO3) carbonic acid dissaciates into hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions (H2CO3 -> H+ + HCO3-) the added H= combnes with carbonate ions forming more HCO3- (H+ + CO32- -> HCO3-) less CO32- is available for calcification- the formation of calcium carbonate by marine organisms such as corals (CO32- + Ca2+ -> CaCO3)

Question 44

what are the consequences of ocean acidity

Answer 44

dying of coral reefs, molluscus, crustaceans death of photo and zooplankton such as foraminifers and coccolithophores which form essential components of ocean food chains. also responsible for the decrease in immunity of organism, increase in water noise and cloud formation- therfore disrupt the ecosystem and predetor prey relationships aswell as impacting guman society ad ecosystem from fishing etc.

Question 45

what is carbon sequestration

Answer 45

the capture and storage of carbon throug geological (peat formation) and biological ( photosynthesis, biomass storage...) processes

Question 46

carbon sequestration simple steps

Answer 46

- plants absorb co2 from the air and use it to build biomass - carbon move into soil trough dead roots, fallen leaves etc- soil microbes break down organic matter into soil organic carbon - microorganisms respire releasing c02 and stabilizing carbon soil- transform organic material through mineralization ad humidification - carbon compounds pulled deeper in soil and store carbon long term in form of humus or peat ( especially in wetlands) - soil organic matter builds up- storing carbon compound, feeding microbed over time

Question 47

how is carbon storage enhanced by efficient nature management

Answer 47

efforts to increase carbon sequestration afforestation forest regeneration restoration of peat forming wetland

Question 48

afforestation

Answer 48

involves planting trees in areas where they currently do not exist. a number of countries have commited to achieving numerical goals for planting as an initiative to reverse desertification and to enhance carbon sequestration

Question 49

forest regeneration

Answer 49

the restocking of forest that has been clercutted. usually achieved through planting seedlins in form of monocultures of trees which are comercially meaningful

Question 50

restoration of peat forming wetlands

Answer 50

peat is partially decayed organic matter that comes from unique waterlogged ecosystems such as bogs. it is comercially useful as fuel, heating etc. restoring peatland require the restoration of water levels, blocking drainage and restablishing native species such as sphaghum moss

Question 51

what was the hinewai reserve project

Answer 51

1,250 ha private nature reserve on Banks Peninsula. Former farmland now regenerating into native forest. Carbon stored through photosynthesis (plants) and soil carbon (via roots and microbes). Generates ≈ NZ$100,000/year in carbon credits through the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme.

Question 52

how did gorse go from pest to ecological ally- throny bush that came from western eaurope

Answer 52

🔸 Before: Invasive plant, hard to remove. Outcompeted pasture, spread rapidly after burning or grazing. 🔸 Now: Acts as a "nurse crop": protects native seedlings from wind and grazing. Fixes nitrogen in soil (gorse is a legume). As native trees grow taller, they shade and kill gorse naturally. Gorse now helps restore native forest rather than harm it.

Question 53

5 key benefist of carbon sequetsration project

Answer 53

High carbon capture → Native forests + soils store more CO₂ than farmland or pine plantations. Prevents soil erosion → Roots stabilize slopes; helps in areas with rain or steep terrain. Boosts biodiversity → Hundreds of native plant and animal species return and thrive. Protects water systems → Less runoff and sediment = healthier rivers, wetlands, and coasts. Supports local economy & community → Carbon credits, eco-tourism, education = long-term support.

Question 54

phenology

Answer 54

is the study of the timing of seasonal activities in animals and plants

Question 55

factors that influence phenological events

Answer 55

- temperature= warmer temps trigger growth - day length=longer day more active plants - rainfall= affects germination - soil temperature and nutrients= needed for root activity and growth - pollinators or prey availability= species time life cycle to match food or pollinators - climate change= disrupts natural timing

Question 56

what are the 2 main factors which determaine the timing of biological events

Answer 56

photoperiodism and temperature

Question 57

photoperiodism

Answer 57

day length is an important enviormental signal which triggers developmental transition like flowering in plants. some crop plants only flower when day is longer

Question 58

temperature effect on biological events

Answer 58

decreasing temperatures in autumn are responsible for cessatuon of growth in deciduous trees. increasing temperatures in spring are for many plants a trigger for budburst= emergence of new leaves

Question 59

how is change in leaf color triggered

Answer 59

triggered by shorter day length and cooler temperatures plants stop producing chlorophyll, revealing other pigments

Question 60

how is migration of birds triggered

Answer 60

changes in daylight hours temperature drop food availability birds migrate to areas with better climate and food source

Question 61

flowering in plants triggered by what

Answer 61

photoperiod temperature increase in spring rainfall ensures flowers bloom when pollinators are active

Question 61

how are ripening fruits triggered

Answer 61

temperature and sunlight hormonal signals like ethylene warmer temperatures speed up fruit development and sugar accumulation

Question 62

how is leaf bud formation

Answer 62

rising temperatures after winter increasing day length signals spring moisture availability spring rains

Question 63

what is recorded scientifically and through citizen science projects

Answer 63

phenological changes such as onset of budburst or blossoming

Question 64

distruption to the synchrony of phenological events

Answer 64

climate change disrupts because migratory animals depend on food availability of plants and insects,changes to the seasonal appearence of those causes a desychronisation, leaving animals with inadequate suppplies of food.

Question 65

example of synchrony with reindeer and srub arcic mose ear

Answer 65

both grow and thrive in greenland or north canada. due to climat changes the spring growth of the plant is advances. this therfore impacts the migrotory pattens of the reindeer that mostly feeds on it.

Question 66

case study of synchron of phenological events cuckoo

Answer 66

cuckoo is small brood parasite among breeding birds in switzerland that leaves its breed for songbirds to raise. it overwinters in africa warmer temperatures mean earlier start in spring, brood sycnhronization becomes mroe difficult. this makes the rearing of young birds start earlier and eat caterpillers so the cuchoo arrives it is too late

Question 67

example of synchrony in alpine pterigan

Answer 67

change of plumage in bird species. warming temperatures in alpine regions lead to decline of the alpine ptmarmigan= disrupted sychrony between loss of snow cover and camoflauging plumage.

Question 68

explain consequences of changed temperatures on insect life cycle

Answer 68

-increased number of generation= increase temps means insect reproduce more have higher metabolism - expansion of geographic areas that where cold, introduce pests to new areas -outbreak of plant diseases=more insect=more transmission - increase overwintering survival as they survive i cold season - desynchronization with natural enemies - loss of sychrony with host plant= hatch earlier than plant development

Question 69

evolution as consequence of climate change

Answer 69

changes in the environment can lead to changes in elective pressure species

Question 69

insect life cycle example

Answer 69

spruce bark beetle is one of the most destructve forest insects in europe. responsible for the killing of more than 50 million norway spruce- they bore into bark laying eggs that emerge feeding on phloem tissue. warmer winters mean they can have more cycles and therfore damage even more trees.

Question 70

example of evolution as consequence of climate change

Answer 70

tawny owel which now show darker plumage compared to light colours as there is less snow coverage.