Homework answers / question archive / Global Climate Change – Online Lab Activity Objectives You will: • View evidence for climate change and logically evaluate the evidence • Analyze species distribution patterns and hypothesize future changes • Calculate your personal carbon footprint and evaluate the effect of your choices on the environment Directions Individually complete the following activity

Global Climate Change – Online Lab Activity Objectives You will: • View evidence for climate change and logically evaluate the evidence • Analyze species distribution patterns and hypothesize future changes • Calculate your personal carbon footprint and evaluate the effect of your choices on the environment Directions Individually complete the following activity

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Global Climate Change – Online Lab Activity Objectives You will: • View evidence for climate change and logically evaluate the evidence • Analyze species distribution patterns and hypothesize future changes • Calculate your personal carbon footprint and evaluate the effect of your choices on the environment Directions Individually complete the following activity. Be sure to complete all parts of the activity and answer all questions. You may type your answers directly on this document. You must submit your completed document to the turn in link on Blackboard. Part I: Background Information – Read the following information and answer the questions. Weather vs. Climate Weather refers to specific atmospheric events or conditions that happen over a period of hours or days. A tornado, a hurricane, an overcast sky, a thunderstorm and today’s temperature all describe the weather. Weather is highly variable from day to day and from one year to the next. Climate refers to the average weather conditions in a given place over many years, usually more than 30 years to account for the range of natural variation from one year to the next. Global climate change refers to the pattern of changes happening around the world over many years. The average temperature is often used to ostensibly describe climate because it has been increasing globally for many decades. Yet, as outlined below, there are many factors besides average temperature that characterize global climate. In sum, weather and climate are not synonymous. Weather is a term to describe daily characteristics of the atmosphere, while climate refers to the long-term trends or patterns in the atmosphere and its effects on land and water. Just because there is a blizzard during January (weather) doesn’t mean we are entering another Ice Age (climate). Evidence for Climate Change Scientists need large amounts of data to understand trends in global climate patterns, and to detect changes in these patterns. Reliable written records of climate extend back to the 1880s. To determine the climate patterns prior to the 1880s, scientists used indirect evidence, called proxies, to determine climate during past time periods. Climate proxies that serve as source of data include tree rings, ice cores, sediment (soil) cores, patterns of glacial ice at the poles and the ratio of stable oxygen isotopes in coral reefs. Analysis of historical records and more recent data has revealed an undeniable shift in global climate. • Each of the last three decades has been successively warmer at Earth’s surface than any preceding decade since 1850. SP21 • During the last two decades, ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica have been losing mass, glaciers have continued to shrink worldwide, and Arctic sea ice and Northern Hemisphere spring snow cover have continued to decrease in extent. • The rate of sea level rise since the 1850s has been greater than the mean rate during the previous 2,000 years. • Atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) – carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) – have increased to levels greater than have been documented in the last 800,000 years. SP21 Impacts of Climate Change Alterations to the water cycle Melting glaciers near the pole and melting permafrost in tundra ecosystems not only releases additional CO2 into the atmosphere, but also affects runoff and the availability of freshwater. Changes in weather patterns Increased GHG concentrations and global average temperature affect weather patterns at a regional level. Longer and more intense heat waves in urban areas are documented, as well as drought, especially in semiarid regions of the world, including the western U.S. where many food crops are grown for distribution across the U.S. Other climate related extremes, such as longer and more intense hurricanes, cyclones, floods and wildfires, are expected. Sea level rise As global ice sheets melt near the poles, there will be large and irreversible sea level rise; the extent of sea level rise depends on the magnitude of global average temperature increase. Sea level rise will affect both human and natural communities along coastlines. Shifts in available habitats for species As average global temperature increases and regional weather patterns occur, species that live on land in freshwater and marine ecosystems must adapt to changing conditions or become extinct. Ecological data have already indicated shifts in habitat quality, foraging and nesting resources, and interactions with other species. Some species, especially those adapted to a wide range of conditions will become more abundant, while other species adapted to very specific or specialized habitats and resources will become threatened or extinct. Food insecurity Climate change has negatively affected yields from agricultural crops in many regions in the world. The four most important crops, wheat, corn, rice and soybeans, have had global reductions in yields. In addition, shifts in marine habitats will affect the abundance of fish, crustaceans and mollusks. As a result, these and other foods scarcer, which in turn drives up the cost of food in increases the risk of regional conflict over resources. Changes in disease patterns Warmer temperatures drive shifts in the geographic patterns of pathogenic microorganisms. For instance, Chagas Disease, a tropical illness, has become more common in the Northern Hemisphere. Similar shifts are expected in other tropical and sub-tropical diseases. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2013). Climate change 2013: The physical science basis. Summary for policy makers. Retrieved from: http://www.ipcc.ch/ Questions: 1. What observations do you make about the evidence for climate change provided above? You must include at least 3 observations. • • • • SP21 2. Rank the impacts of climate change listed above based on how critical you think they are. 1 (most critical): 2: 3: 4: 5: 6 (least critical): 3. Explain your reason for ranking the impacts in the order you did in two or three sentences. Part II: Video Clip from the Chasing Ice Documentary – Read the information below, click the link to view the video clip from this documentary, and answer the questions below. Chasing Ice is a documentary that was filmed in 2012. The goal of this documentary was to record the real changes that are occurring to the Earth’s glaciers and share them with the public. These researchers hope that by showing the public visual evidence instead of data it will help more people realize the extent of the impacts of climate change. This video clip shows a glacier calving event. Calving is when glaciers break off massive chunks into the ocean. Click here to view the video clip -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC3VTgIPoGU Questions: 1. What was the relative size of the ice that was lost during this calving event? 2. What are your thoughts after viewing this calving event and the other images provided in the video clip? Part III: Shift in Available Habitats for Species Activity – Read the information below, view the images, and use them to answer the questions. Climate change is impacting the available habitats for species (as mentioned in the Background Information section). Species are found in a specific geographical area known as their range. Scientists can record data on the location of specific species and compare it over the years to determine how species’ ranges have shifted. Looking at past range shifts can also allow scientists to predict how the ranges will change in the future. In this activity you will view images of the range of the Marsh Rice Rat (Oryzomys palustris) 21,800 to 15,600 years ago and at the present. You will make observations of the ranges and compare them. You will also use the information you gather to predict where the Marsh Rice Rat will be located in the future. SP21 Image 1: This image shows you the amount of ice present in North America 21,800 years ago, 15,600 years ago, and 900 years ago. Image 2: This image shows you the range of the Marsh Rice Rat 21,800 – 15,600 years ago. Image 4: Marsh Rice Rat (Oryzomys palustris) Image 3: This image shows you the range of the Marsh Rice Rat at the present. Adapted from the Jove Climate Change Activity SP21 Questions: 1. What happened to the amount of ice present in North America since 21,800 years ago? Why do you think this change occurred? 2. What was the range of the Marsh Rice Rat 21,800 – 15,600 years ago? 3. What is the range of the Marsh Rice Rat at the present? 4. Based on the ranges provided, predict where the Marsh Rice Rat will be found 100 years from now. Explain the reasoning for your prediction. Part IV: Carbon Footprint - Read the following information and answer the questions. A carbon footprint is the calculation of the greenhouse gases produced by an entity. We can talk about carbon footprints for events, products, corporations, human behaviors or individual people. While it may not be possible to incorporate every variable, you are able to estimate your carbon footprint, based on your normal lifestyle. There are many websites that help you calculate your carbon footprint. One major reason for calculating your carbon footprint is to then develop strategies to decrease that number. Questions: 1. Choose any footprint calculator online (google “carbon footprint calculator”) and calculate your carbon footprint. Insert a screenshot (including the time and date) of your carbon footprint below. 2. What are 3 things you could do to decrease your carbon footprint? • • • SP21 BIOL 120 – UNIT 4: ECOLOGY EXAM REVIEW GUIDE *This review may not include of all of the material you may find on the exam. Any information covered in the recorded lecture videos could be included on the exam, however this review guide is intended to help you as you study for the exam. ? INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY o What is ecology? o What are the levels of organization in ecology in order from largest to smallest? o What is biodiversity? o When is an ecosystem considered to have high biodiversity? o What are biotic factors? What are examples of biotic factors? o What are abiotic factors? What are examples of abiotic factors? o Which types of factors are present in ecosystems? o Which types of factors are present in communities? o Make sure to understand the meaning of the following words: ? Biosphere ? Community ? Biome ? Population ? Ecosystem ? Individual ? GLOBAL WEATHER PATTERNS & CLIMATE o What are the two components of climate? o How is weather different than climate? o Which type of sunlight (direct or indirect) will cause warmer temperatures? o What causes it to be warmer in the summer than the winter? o Which areas of the earth are warmer/colder? Why? o How are the wind currents related to precipitation? o How do mountains and wind affect precipitation? ? AQUATIC & TERRESTRIAL BIOMES o Be able to describe the type of water, defining characteristics, location, and organisms for each of the aquatic biomes (Lakes, Rivers, Wetlands, Oceans, Coral Reefs, Estuaries) o Be able to describe the location, temperature, precipitation, and organisms for each of the terrestrial biomes (Tropical Rainforest, Desert, Grassland, Savanna, Temperate Forest, Taiga, Tundra) o Which terrestrial biome is very diverse? Why? o Be able to read and describe the biome temperature/precipitation graph. ? ECOSYSTEMS o What is essential to an ecosystem? o What do we use to show energy flow and the cycling of nutrients? o Be able to compare and contrast food chains and food webs. o What do the arrows show in a food chain/web? o Be able to identify and label the trophic levels on a food chain or food web. o What are producers? What are examples of producers? o What are consumers? What are examples of consumers? o What are the subdivisions of consumers? Which levels of consumers contain herbivores? Which levels of consumers contain carnivores or omnivores? o What are decomposers? What are examples of decomposers? o Will the majority of the organisms on a food chain/web be producers, consumers, or decomposers? o Where does the initial energy for a food chain/web come from? o What percentage of energy is passed from trophic level to the next? o o o o How much of the sun’s energy (in percentages) does each trophic level receive? Why isn’t all of the energy passed on to the next level? Why are there only up to 4 levels of consumers? Be able to describe what happens in each of the nutrient cycles and how the nutrients are passed through ecosystems (carbon cycle, water cycle, phosphorus cycle, nitrogen cycle) ? COMMUNITIES o What are interspecific interactions? o What is competition? What is the impact of competition on both species? o What is mutualism? What is the impact of competition on both species? o What is commensalism? What is the impact of competition on each species? o What is parasitism? What is the impact of competition on each species? o Be able to identify examples of each of the types of interspecific interactions. o What is species diversity? What are the two components of species diversity? o What is species richness? What is relative abundance? o Be able to determine if two communities have the same species richness or relative abundance. o How is plant species diversity connected to animal species diversity? o How does species diversity affect the spread of pathogens? o What are keystone species? Why are they important? o What is succession? o What are the differences between primary succession and secondary succession? ? POPULATIONS o What is a population? o What is population density? o Be able to describe the 3 population dispersion patterns (clumped, uniform, random). o Be able to identify the 3 population dispersion patterns if given a picture of the population. o Which population dispersion pattern is most common in nature? o What events cause population sizes to change? o What is exponential growth? Be able to identify a graph showing exponential growth. o What are limiting factors? o What are the two types of limiting factors? Be able to describe and give examples of each. o What is carrying capacity? Be able to identify if a population has reached carrying capacity based on the shape of a population size graph. o What are boom and bust cycles? What causes them to occur? o What does it mean if a species is K selected? What does it mean if a species is R selected? Be able to compare and contrast these types of species. ? ECOLOGICAL ISSUES o What is an invasive species? Why do invasive species “take over” ecosystems? o What are the impacts of invasive species on native species? o What are examples of invasive species? (You should know where they are from and where they spread to as well as how they harm the ecosystem) o What are potential solutions for invasive species? o Why is the human population considered overpopulated? o What type of growth is the human population showing? o What are the impacts of human overpopulation? o Why are habitats being destroyed? How much of the Earth has been altered? o What are potential solutions for habitat loss/deforestation? o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o What are examples of pollutants? What is the main cause of air pollution? Why is the ozone layer important? What has caused the ozone layer to be depleted? How is ground-level ozone formed and what is it also known as? What are the two main sources of methane? What are the impacts of air pollution? What are potential solutions for air pollution? Be able to compare and contrast nonrenewable and renewable energy. Also be able to identify examples of each. How does trash pollution affect water ecosystems? How does soil pollution affect water ecosystems? How do nitrates and phosphates affect water ecosystems? What are the steps that take place during eutrophication? Why are low oxygen levels in the water a problem? What are the main sources of nitrogen and phosphorus in the Chesapeake Bay? What are potential solutions for water pollution? What is bioaccumulation and why is it an ecological issue? What is climate change? How much has the temperature changed in the past 100 years? In the past 30 years? Is everywhere on the Earth warming? What is the main cause of climate change? Be able to describe how the increase in greenhouse gases has resulted in an increase in temperature. Which are the two most common greenhouse gases? What has happened to the amount of greenhouse gases since the Industrial Revolution? What are the impacts of climate change? Why are we considered to be in the 6th mass extinction? What is sustainability? Make sure to understand the meaning of the following words: ? Pollution ? Eutrophication ? Dead zone ? Mass Extinction