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22 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Describe:
The Greenhouse Effect |
Solar radiation from the sun passes through the clear atmosphere
Most radiation is absorbed by the earth's surface and warms it. Some solar radiation is reflected by the Earth and the atmosphere. *some of the infrared radiation passes through the atmosphere, and some is absorbed and re-emitted in all directions by greenhouse gas molecules. The effect of this is to warm the Earth's surface and the lower atmosphere. |
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How are earth's temperature and greenhouse gas concentrations related?
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Increases in earth's temperature are closely related to increases in greenhouse gas concentrations, especially carbon dioxide.
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What are some of the observed consequences of global warming?
(5 points) |
1) Alteration of regional climatic patterns.
2) Increased melting rates of ice caps, glaciers, etc. 3) Rising sea levels. 4) Changes in species distributions. 5) Changes in reproduction and survivorship. |
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What are 3 ways that global warming will alter regional climatic patterns?
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1) Influence of temperature on precipitation, wind, etc.
2) Drought stress in arid environments. 3) Increasing aridity and agriculture. |
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What are 3 examples of greenhouse gases?
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Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)
Methane (CH₄) Nitrous Oxide (N₂O) |
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Name 3 geographic examples of how global warming is affecting ice caps/glaciers.
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1) Alaska's Muir Glacier (1941 - 2001)
2) Greenland 3) Antarctica |
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How is permafrost tied in with greenhouse gas emissions?
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Permafrost holds 30% of the earth's soil carbon.
Releases CO₂ and dissolved organic carbon as it melts. |
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What are some of the ways GW will affect ice caps, glaciers and permafrost?
What are some examples? |
Global warming will increase melting rates for ice caps, glaciers, and permafrost.
Some examples of where this already happening are: - Alaska's Muir Glacier - Greenland - Antarctica |
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Describe how Global Warming will affect sea levels.
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It will result in rising sea levels as:
- Water is released from melting ice. - Thermal expansion increases ocean volume - It will have impacts on cities and coastlines. |
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Describe "sea ice" and "sea water" in terms of how they deal with solar radiation.
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Sea ice has high reflectance
Sea water has lower reflectance (i.e. it has a higher absorption of solar radiation) |
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How will Global Warming alter plant an animal distribution?
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Temperature is a determinant of distribution.
We will see expansion and compression of distributions |
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What was the example of how GW has affected Southern California's marine ecosystem?
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Increased ocean warming since 1970's has lead to a 50% decline of cold-water, northern fish species.
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How will GW impact reproduction and survivorship?
What are 2 examples of this? |
Reproduction is linked to temperature and season with some organisms. If there is warming, it will be percieved that "Spring is coming earlier every year".
EXA(s): The fruiting season for fungi has gotten longer in southern England over the last 50 years GW is affecting the survivorship of coral via a process called "coral bleaching". |
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Global Warming for $400, Alex:
The lengthening of fruiting season for fungi in southern England. |
What is, "How GW is affecting reproduction"?
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In terms of impacts due to GW, what is coral bleaching an example of?
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How GW is affecting survivorship.
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Describe the process of coral bleaching.
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Coral reefs get their color from the symbiotic algae Zooxanthellae.
GW puts stress on them (via an increase in water temperature) They are forced to leave the corals causing "coral bleaching). |
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GW is a _____ & _____ relationship.
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...cause & effect...
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Which greenhouse gas is the primary culprit in terms of GW?
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Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)
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How are global temperatures and CO₂ related?
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They have been shown to be positively correlated.
i.e. as CO₂ concentrations have increased, average global temperatures have increased. |
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The observed and predicted consequences for GW are nearly all (positive/negative).
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...NEGATIVE.
durr |
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GW can be said to be a _____-level experiment.
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...Biosphere
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True/False:
N₂ is a greenhouse gas. |
FALSE.
N₂ is simply atmospheric nitrogen. N₂O (nitrous oxide) is a greenhouse gas. |
