ESCI 1012 Lecture Notes - Lecture 24: Lyme Disease, Invasive Species, Cool Air
Document Summary
Of top few meters may melt by 2050, rest by 2100. Warm air can hold more moisture than cool air so increased temperatures can greatly increase precipitation as well as storms, flooding and landslide risks. Warm air can hold more moisture than cool air so increased temperatures can also greatly increase evaporation. Extreme events are what is going to pick up. As well as risk of drought, freshwater loss, decreased crop yields and desertification (increase in arid and semi-arid areas) along with wildfires. Earlier snowpack melt would also contribute to spring flooding and summer droughts. Melting is not always due to temperature alone. In some areas, pollution covers snow surfaces to increase absorption of solar radiation (changing temperatures and environment) Biggest change by humans is habitat degradation/loss where we change landscapes. Changes in climate can also ease spread of invasive species with subsequent loss of diversity and spread of diseases (remarkably effective natural hazards)
