Unit 6
o The troposphere
o The stratosphere
o The mesosphere
o The thermosphere
o The exosphere
o The main layers are the troposphere and the stratosphere.
o The layers differ in temperature, density and composition
what are the layers of the atmosphere.
is the ability to secure affordable, reliable and sufficient energy supplies for the needs of a particular country.
• is an issue governments deal with to make the right choices between using resources available to them to produce energy and maintain national security.
• It may be cheaper to buy energy from another country, but in a situation of conflict, it would be risky to lose out on energy sources.
what is Energy security
the process by which a body of water becomes enriched in dissolved nutrients (such as phosphates) that stimulate the growth of aquatic plant life usually resulting in the depletion of dissolved oxygen
What is eutrophication.
is the landmark multilateral environmental agreement that regulates the production and consumption of nearly 100 man-made chemicals referred to as ozone depleting substances (ODS). When released into the atmosphere, those chemicals damage the stratospheric ozone layer, Earth’s protective shield that protects humans and the environment from harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
What is the Montreal Protocol
as “any single identifiable source of pollution from which pollutants are discharged, such as a pipe, ditch, ship or factory smokestack.”
what is point source pollution
o This is a natural phenomenon that maintains suitable temperatures for life on Earth.
o This effect is caused by gases in the atmosphere reducing heat losses back into space.
o They trap heat energy from the Earth’s surface and re-radiate it back to Earth.
o Many gases do this, including carbon dioxide, water vapour and methane.
what is the greenhouse effect
demand for water may be exceeding supply, water infrastructure may be inadequate, or institutions may be failing to balance everyone’s needs.
What is water scarcity.
industrialized countries and economies in transition to limit and reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions in accordance with agreed individual targets. The Convention itself only asks those countries to adopt policies and measures on mitigation and to report periodically.
What is the Kyoto Protocol.
is a systematic process of evaluating the likely environmental consequences of a proposed project or development, aiming to ensure that environmental considerations are integrated into decision-making.
what is Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Differential heating → maximum insolation at equator,
low at poles due to angle + albedo
Drives ___________: Hadley, Ferrel, Polar cells
redistribute heat
Reduces extreme temperatures between equator and
poles
Winds and ocean currents act together to transfer
energy globally
Circulation powered by uneven solar energy
distribution.
What is the tricellular model:
Explain Carbon Capture and Storage
carbon capture and storage (CCS), the process of recovering carbon dioxide from the fossil-fuel emissions produced by industrial facilities and power plants and moving it to locations where it can be kept from entering the atmosphere in order to mitigate global warming. Carbon capture and storage is a three-stage process—capture, transport, and storage—designed to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into Earth’s atmosphere by separating it from emissions before it can be discharged. Captured CO2 is compressed before it is transported. A similar process called carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) converts some of the captured carbon into concrete, carbonate rock, plastics, and biofuels before storing the rest.
the amount of dissolved oxygen used by microorganisms in the biological process of metabolizing organic matter in water. The more organic matter there is (e.g., in sewage and polluted bodies of water), the greater the BOD; and the greater the BOD, the lower the amount of dissolved oxygen available for higher animals such as fishes.
What is Biochemical oxygen demand: BOD
The measures water quality based on the presence or absence of indicator species. As organic pollution increases, sensitive species disappear because they cannot tolerate:
What is the Trent Index.
the rate of delivery of direct solar radiation per unit of horizontal surface
What is insolation
Under the influence of ultraviolet (UV) light, oxygen molecules (O2) are split into oxygen atoms (O).
o Oxygen atoms are very reactive – they can combine with an oxygen molecule (O2) to form ozone (O3).
o When ozone absorbs UV radiation, it splits into an oxygen molecule and an oxygen atom.
o The oxygen atom can react with another oxygen atom to form an oxygen molecule, or can combine with an oxygen molecule to form ozone.
• Since ozone is continuously made from oxygen atoms and converted back to oxygen, the ozone layer is an example of a dynamic equilibrium.
What is good ozone.
Explain Carbon Dioxide removal (CDR)
defining carbon dioxide removal (CDR) as human interventions that extract CO₂ from the atmosphere and store it durably in land, ocean, geological reservoirs, or products.
There are three main categories of removal approaches—biological, geochemical, and engineered—ranging from afforestation and soil carbon sequestration to enhanced mineral weathering and direct air capture.
While conventional, nature-based methods currently account for nearly all CDR activity, emerging technological approaches are rapidly advancing, supported by rising public and private investment.
is the process by which large, continuous habitats are divided into smaller, isolated patches, often due to human activities, leading to negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem health.
Habitat fragmentation
Created in the 1960's the trade in wild animals and plants crosses borders between countries, the effort to regulate it requires international cooperation to safeguard certain species from over-exploitation.
What is CITES
: a habitat supplying the factors necessary for the existence of an organism or species
: the ecological role of an organism in a community especially in regard to food consumption
What is a niche
Using examples, discuss the potential impacts of climate change on ecosystem services. [9]
Answers may include:
Pros/Cons renewable energies
– Comes from a natural source – Sustainable (replenishes over time) – Low carbon footprint (fewer greenhouse gases)
– Not always sustainable – Low carbon footprint (fewer greenhouse gases) – Low environmental impact
See answer notes
is a graphical representation designed to show the biomass or bioproductivity at each trophic level in an ecosystem.
What is an ecological pyramid.
is a graphical representation of progress over time, following an "S" shape. It reflects a natural project or business cycle—from slow beginnings to rapid growth and eventual stabilization.
S-curve
is a significant climate pattern characterized by periodic fluctuations in sea surface temperatures and atmospheric pressure in the tropical Pacific, influencing global weather and climate variability.
The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)