Anthropogenic causes of climate change + Positive feedback cycles
What is the albedo effect?
Solar radiation reflected into space, light colours reflect more light and dark colours absorb more light
What is a tipping point?
Ecosystem transitions from a stable condition to another due to changes in the environment
What is ocean stratification dependent on?
Temperature and Salinity
What is the competitive exclusion principle?
Two species cannot coexist within the same ecological niche due to similar needs.
What do you call an illegally parked frog?
Toad
What is permafrost?
Rock or soil that is at (or below) 0℃ for 2+ years
What is a benthic feeder? Provide an example.
Organisms that feed on bottom of ocean e.g. walruses
Why is nutrient upwelling important?
To sustain important lifeforms in the marine ecosystem such as phytoplankton
What is the effect of climate on latitude and range shifts?
Global warming has caused species to shift their ranges. Species are also moving to higher latitudes to escape the warming climate.
What is the first animal of the Chinese zodiac?
Rat
What are 3 differences between CO2 and CH4?
CO2: 79% of greenhouse gases + long lifespan + doesn’t react with oxygen + less effective at trapping heat + produced by cell respiration, burning fossil fuels
CH4: 11% of greenhouse gases + short lifespan + reacts with oxygen + 28 times more effective than CO2 + produced by landfill sites, agriculture, melting permafrost
What will happen to the Amazon rainforest if the tipping point is reached?
Widespread dieback + savannah
Why is the effect of climate change on ocean currents an example of a positive feedback loop?
Warming the surface = decreasing density = less mixing = less CO2 absorption = more in the atmosphere = more global warming
What are peatlands and what are their risks?
Peat is a type of soil made from partially decomposed plants due to wet oxygen-deprived environments. They are the largest carbon sinks. The risks are that they are fire hazards, burn for a long time and are hard to put out, and burning releases a lot of carbon into the air, worsening climate change
How many elements are in the periodic table?
118
Explain how global warming will impact 4 components of the weather
Temperature: More frequent heat waves
Wind: Changing wind patterns, wind droughts + extreme wind speeds
Humidity: More humid as warmer air carries more water vapour (absorbs + radiates heat)
Precipitation: Heavier rainfall + snowfall
Explain how forests become carbon sources. Provide an example
As temperatures rise, forests will face droughts, which makes them prone to fires → fires release CO2 in detritus (dead organic materials)
E.g. Amazon Rainforest: released 20% more CO2 than it absorbed
Example the relationship between hard corals and zooxanthellae
Mutualistic relationship
Algae benefit by having a substrate to attach to
Coral benefit from the carbs produced by algae
When the ocean water becomes warmer, the coral ejects the zooxanthellae, leading coral bleaching
What are the geological and biological processes of carbon sequestration?
Geological: Uptake of carbon by aquatic organisms that build shells, and by settling of detritus from the ocean surface into the deep ocean
Biological: Carbon fixation in photosynthesis and growth in biomass storage in vegetation and wood
What is a group of pandas called?
Embarrassment
Explain the positive feedback loop of the ocean temperature rising
CO2 is absorbed by ocean + Higher temperatures accelerate metabolism in organisms + Increased breakdown of organic materials leads to higher CO2 concentration + Partial pressure of CO2 in water increases + CO2 is more likely to return to atmosphere
What are 4 impacts of melting sea ice on polar bears?
Decline in body condition, fewer cubs surviving, smaller litters, change in diet
Why is climate change a threat to reef-building corals (including the chemical reactions too)?
The corals’ skeletons are made out of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), through absorption of carbonate ions in the seawater. The concentration of these ions is already very low. Dissolved CO2 makes the concentration even lower.
CO2 + H2O → H2CO2 → H+ + HCO-3
H+ + CO32- → HCO-3
This will ultimately lower the concentration of carbonate ions that are needed for the corals’ skeletons, rendering them weaker.
What are the concerns with both afforestation and reforestation?
Sometimes, reforestation involves planting fast growing non-native species plantations or monocultures of commercially important species. It’s difficult and expensive to plant anything else. But monocultures result in a risk of disease and reduction of diversity. Tree planting after clear cutting will not restore the fully integrated ecosystem with its original emergent properties
What’s the official term for the fear of long words?
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia