Sources of evidence of climate change

information about the sources of evidence used to find out the climates of past generations

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  • Created by: Phil
  • Created on: 31-05-13 09:17
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  • Peat bogs
    • these are patches of partially decayed organic matter
      • hard to grow crops
        • anaerobic and acidic soil makes decay slower
    • peat is good to reconstruct climates because
      • pollen from plants falls off the plant onto the ground and is stored on the surface of peat bogs
      • Pollen grains have a tough outer layer which makes them hard to decay
        • pollen from plants falls off the plant onto the ground and is stored on the surface of peat bogs
      • each species has its own specific pollen which allows scientists to identify which plant species were about
        • certain plants only grow in certain conditions so their presence in a peat layer can be indicative  of the climate during that time
          • peat forms in layers so the the age of the peat layer can be tracked
            • each species has its own specific pollen which allows scientists to identify which plant species were about
              • certain plants only grow in certain conditions so their presence in a peat layer can be indicative  of the climate during that time
                • peat forms in layers so the the age of the peat layer can be tracked
      • Sources of Evidence for Climate Change
        • Tree Ring - analysis
          • trees produce a new layer of xylem vessels underneath the bark every year
            • the diameter of the tree ring is indicative of the season that they were produced
              • spring = big rings (due to this being the period where the tree grows the most)
              • Winter/Autumn = little or no growth at all
              • Summer = narrow rings
            • samples can be taken by cutting the tree down and looking or by taking a core sample to work out the diameter of the tree rings
          • Also called 'dendrochronology'
        • Tempreture records
          • these are collected by the people who lived in the areas during the time
          • less valid because the equipment used was less accurate since the people recording did not have todays developed technology

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