PS101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: West Nile Fever, Sea Level Rise, Chlorofluorocarbon
Document Summary
Climate change is any long-term change in weather patterns, can have natural or human causes, not just weather. Global warming is a rise in average temperatures. Chlorofluorocarbons cfc (industry) o: methane (cows) o. Phenological indicator - indication of climate change through plant and animal life cycle, and how the environment has influenced them. Ocean water levels - ocean levels are rising, therefore losing freshwater supply. As temperature increases, so does carbon dioxide, showing a strong correlation. Climate change is happening faster than at any time in the last 55 million years. Change is happening faster than earth"s ecosystems can adapt - humans can move, animals can"t. Catasrophic changes likely (state shifts, tripping point) the catastrophic changes are not sustainable and a new state is established o o. Global warming leads to the melting of ice caps, much of the solar radiation is not reflected, but rather more warmth is absorbed by the planet (feedback effect) o o.
