Consequences of Global Climate Change
- Created by: JCodlin
- Created on: 06-05-21 13:17
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- The Consequence of Global Climate Change
- Ecological Changes
- Temperature rise causes plants to grow quicker which creates more food for herbivores.
- Precipitation changes cause wetland habitats to shrink/grow.
- Timing of flowering, migration and nesting may change = species dependent on the timings may die.
- Eg. Pollinating insects emerge earlier/later than normal = not around when flowers need them.
- Distribution of species may change = colonise areas that are better suited.
- Species that are most likely to move are those that live in a habitat close to its range of tolerance.
- Changes in Climatic Processes
- Wind Pattern Changes
- Polar regions are warming faster than areas near Equator = temperature differences that create jet streams are getting smaller.
- Jet-streams in N.Hemisphere are moving more slowly and meandering more.
- Creates "Rossby Waves" which carries cold air to S and warm air to N. This creates slow moving weather systems = weather events last longer eg. drought, flood.
- Changes in Rainfall
- Increased temperatures cause more evaporation, which causes more precipitation.
- Higher ground temperatures also mean higher air temperatures so water vapour travels longer before it falls as rain.
- Increased temperatures cause more evaporation, which causes more precipitation.
- Wind Pattern Changes
- Changes in Cryosphere
- Reductions in amount and duration of ice cover.
- Changes in the extent and speed of glaciers.
- Changes in ice thickness and area.
- Changes in Ocean Currents
- North Atlantic Conveyor
- Meltwater from Greenland Ice sheet, dilutes seawater causing salinity to drop. This reduces the flow rate of water as it is less likely to sink (less dense).
- El Nino and La Nina
- El Nino (changes in wind direction) causes droughts in NE Africa, S. Africa and China.
- La Nina (wind strength) - less predictable future weather patterns.
- North Atlantic Conveyor
- Impacts of Climate Change on Human Society
- Health (increased disease, food poisoning.)
- Scarce Water Supplies
- Food Supplies (harder to grow)
- Impacts on infrastructure: Road stress heat, Track buckling.
- Sea Level Rise
- Thermal Expansion of Water = warm atmosphere heats seawater which expands, raising sea levels.
- Melting Land Ice = meltwater flows into the sea which increases sea levels.
- Ecological Changes
- Sea Level Rise
- Thermal Expansion of Water = warm atmosphere heats seawater which expands, raising sea levels.
- Melting Land Ice = meltwater flows into the sea which increases sea levels.
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