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biology > D4.3 - climate change > Flashcards

D4.3 - climate change Flashcards

1
Q

anthropogenic

A

originating in human activity

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2
Q

climate change

A

long term changes in patterns of temperature and precipitation

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3
Q

bud setting

A

process where a plant uses current stores of energy to prepare leaves and flowers for the next season

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4
Q

budburst

A

when a leaf or flower petal unfolds

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5
Q

carbon sequestration

A

removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it as carbon

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6
Q

causation

A

indicates that one event is the result of another event occuring

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7
Q

correlation

A

statistical way of describing relationships between factors from the extent at which they change together at a constant rate

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8
Q

landfast

A

attached to the shore or land

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9
Q

permafrost

A

permanently frozen layer of soil under the Earth’s surface

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10
Q

photoperiod

A

number if hours the sun shines in a day

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11
Q

temperate

A

a region characterised by mild temperatures

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12
Q

what is the relationship between greenhouse gases and temperature?

A

correlation between rising concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane since the start of the industrial revolution and rising global temperatures

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13
Q

what is the enhanced greenhouse effect?

A
  1. UV light (shortwave) passes from the sun through the atmosphere where it is absorbed by the earth
  2. Infrared radiation (long-wave) is emitted back out
  3. Greenhouse gases absorb the infrared waves and re-emit this back into the Earth
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14
Q

how have humans increased the concentration of carbon dioxide and methane?

A

carbon dioxide - combustion of fossil fuels
methane - cattle and rice agriculture

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15
Q

what evidence is there for correlation of climate change?

A

Antarctic ice core data shows a positive correlation between temperature and carbon dioxide concentration over thousands of years

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16
Q

what evidence is there for causal links of climate change?

A

setting up bottles with different carbon dioxide concentrations and measuring temperature change inside the bottles when a light is applied

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17
Q

what is a positive feedback cycle?

A

when the outcome of an action causes more of that action to occur, making it more intense

18
Q

how can release of carbon dioxide from the deep ocean cause global warming?

A
  1. Carbon dioxide is released from the ocean into the atmosphere
  2. More infrared radiation is trapped, enhancing the greenhouse effect
  3. Oceans absorb heat trapped in the atmosphere
  4. Carbon dioxide is less soluble in warmer water, so is released again/
19
Q

how can loss of snow and ice cause global warming?

A
  1. Warmer temperatures causes ice and snow to melt
  2. Less reflection and more absorption of solar radiation
  3. Global temperatures increase again
20
Q

how can melting permafrost cause global warming

A
  1. Warmer temperatures of Earth’s surface
  2. Permafrost melts and releases trapped methane into the atmosphere
  3. Increased concentration of methane traps more infrared radiation into the Earth’s surface
  4. Warmer global temperatures
21
Q

how is methane produced?

A

organic matter in anaerobic conditions by archeans

22
Q

when does peat form?

A

when organic matter does not fully decompose due to acidic or waterlogged soil conditions

23
Q

how does decomposition of peat cause global warming?

A
  1. Warmer surface temperature of Earth
  2. Reactions involving enzymes increase in speed, including peat decomposition
  3. More carbon dioxide and methane is released back into the atmosphere
  4. Increased concentration of methane and carbon dioxide traps more infrared radiation
24
Q

how can increased amount of drought and fires cause climate change?

A
  1. Warmer temperatures increase the risk of drought and fires
  2. Trees and plant matter burn and release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
  3. Increased carbon dioxide concentration means more infrared radiation is trapped
25
Q

what is net carbon accumulation?

A

absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis than they release during respiration

26
Q

what is the impact of global warming on boreal forests?

A

boreal forests are becoming lesser net carbon accumulators due to warmer temperatures and decreased snowfall

27
Q

what is the impact of climate change on boreal forests?

A

climate change may cause boreal forests to reach a tipping point where less carbon dioxide is absorbed than is released, initiating a positive feedback cycle

28
Q

what is legacy carbon combustion?

A

combustion of undecomposed organic matter releases carbon stored from many thousands of years ago

29
Q

what are the causes of increased carbon dioxide concentration in boreal forests?

A

warmer temperatures have increased the frequency and intensity of forest fires, releasing stored carbon

30
Q

what are the causes of decreased carbon dioxide absorption in boreal forests?

A
  1. lack of water means less photosynthesis occurs and less carbon compounds are made as less carbon dioxide is taken in
  2. prolonged drought leading to forest browning
31
Q

what is forest browning?

A

needles lose chlorophyll and drop off, meaning photosynthesis doesn’t occur as light energy isn’t absorbed

32
Q

how is melting sea ice impacting walruses in the arctic?

A
  • walruses use sea ice for resting
  • lack of ice means walruses need to use lots of energy to find other resting areas and may face predation
33
Q

how is melting land-fast ice impacting emperor penguins in antarctica?

A
  • penguins use land-fast ice as breeding grounds
  • land-fast ice is now breaking out earlier before the chicks are independent, and can kill chicks
34
Q

what is the process of nutrient upwelling?

A
  1. Trade winds blow east to west near the equator
  2. Surface water forms currents which moves towards the poles
  3. Cool, nutrient rich water from the bottom of the ocean moves upwards to replace the warmer surface water
35
Q

how are the nutrients in nutrient up-welling used?

A

phytoplankton use nutrients to produce biological molecules to build biomass to start marine food chains

36
Q

how can climate change impact nutrient upwelling?

A
  • changes of winds and ocean currents changes the time and extent of nutrient upwelling
  • warmer temperatures prevent nutrient upwelling, causing decreased nutrient cycling, primary production and energy flow
37
Q

how has global warming caused upslope range shifts of temperate species?

A
  • tropical-zone montane birds in New Guinea
  • increased competition due to other bird species moving upslope to find optimal temperatures
38
Q

how was global warming caused poleward shifts of temperate species?

A
  • North American tree species move towards poles as temperatures have increased to find optimal conditions
39
Q

how can coral reefs collapse due to global warming?

A
  1. Increased carbon dioxide concentration - this means more is absorbed into the oceans, causing ocean acidification, lowering the pH, making it more difficult to absorb carbon from the water so corals aren’t able to maintain their exoskeleton as calcium carbonate shells dissolve
  2. Increase water temperature - causes coral bleaching where corals expel algae and both species die, reducing food sources and habitats for other species, causing the ecosystem to collapse
40
Q

what are 3 biological approaches to carbon sequestration?

A
  1. Forest regeneration and afforestation - replanting trees in deforested areas or growing new trees in order to increase photosynthesis to store carbon dioxide as biological molecules
  2. Restoration of peat-forming wetlands - land is excavated so that rainwater accumulates and native species are reintroduced to reestablish areas as carbon sinks
  3. Peat formation - occurs in waterlogged soils in temperate and boreal zones and very rapidly in some tropical ecosystems
41
Q

what are arguments for planting non-native trees?

A

species can be chosen that grow faster to quickly store more carbon

42
Q

what are arguments against non-native species?

A

lost conservation opportunity and mono-culture may cause nutrient loss

biology (22 decks)

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