ECOLOGY midterm: Global Warming Essay

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dpf

21 Jan 2023

School

De La Salle Lipa

Department

Biology

Course

ECOLOGY

Professor

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Document Summary

One of the major issues that the world is facing today is global warming which gives rise to adverse effects that we are experiencing now. Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide (co2) and other air pollutants and greenhouse gases collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight in the solar radiation that has bounced off the earth"s surface . Usually, radiation would escape into space, but the pollutants can last for years to centuries in the atmosphere, which traps the heat and causes the planet to get hotter, this is known as the greenhouse effect. Although there are hundreds of reasons for climatic changes, man-made actions are the biggest contributors to the said crisis. Human activities that harm the environment include deforestation, the use of fossil fuels, the production of industrial waste, and many more. All of these are the products of man"s need and greed that severely damages not only the climate but also the ecosystem.

Related Questions

Put the steps of the greenhouse effect in order, beginning with the Sun emitting radiation and ending with Earth's surface experiencing an additional rise in temperature.

The Sun emits radiation

Earth's surface experiences a further temperature increase

answer bank:

-Earth's surface and greenhouse gases emit infrared radiation

-Greenhouse gases absorb infrared radiation released from the Earth's system.

-Greenhouse gases re-emit infrared radiation that came from the Earth system.

'-Some of the infrared radiation re-released from greenhouse gases returns back to Earth's surface

-Solar radiation penetrates the atmosphere.

-solar radiation warms the atmosphere and Earth's surface.

This laboratory relates to the following Terminal Course Objective(TCO):

8 Given the two major problems of global warming and ozone layerdepletion, compare and contrast the causes, environmental andhealth impacts, as well as the success or failure of internationalpolicies to solve these problems.

Introduction

We have heard for a long time that air pollution and theaccumulation of greenhouse gases lead to global warming. In theanimation below the rise in global temperature and the rise in sealevel is predicted by a model built by the Intergovernmental Panelon Climate Change (IPCC). This model is based on a number ofassumptions on the amount of ozone, particulate matter and otherair pollutants.

Depletion of the Ozone Layer

Solar radiation emits electromagnetic waves with a wide range ofwavelengths. Visible light is the part of the electromagneticspectrum that can be detected by the eye's photoreceptors.Ultraviolet radiation has slightly shorter wavelengths than visiblelight and can cause damage to the biological tissues that absorb itby destroying protein and DNA molecules. The damaging effects ofultraviolet radiation are mitigated by the ozone (O3) in theatmosphere. The ozone in the stratosphere is called the OzoneLayer. Without the Ozone Layer, it is doubtful that any life onearth could survive. Since World War ll, many atmosphericscientists began to measure the concentration of ozone in thestratosphere around the South Pole. They have noted someinteresting trends. In the exercise below we will explore the issueof Ozone Depletion.

Wind Circulation in the Atmosphere

Wind circulation in the atmosphere is largely responsible for ourweather, our climate zones, and the movement and concentration ofgreenhouse gases and other air pollutants. The learning objectbelow demonstrates the circulation of winds vertically andhorizontally around the earth.

Man and Global Climate Change

The role of man in the creation of greenhouse gases and globalwarming has long been debated. The Intergovernmental Panel onClimate Change (IPCC) commissioned a model to judge the effects ofman on global temperature, the role of natural environmentalprocesses, and the combination of both. This model is exploredbelow.

One of the greenhouse gases that can be directly related to theactivities of man is carbon dioxide (CO2), which is a product ofindustrial and transportation activities. While it is true thatother processes, like respiration, can produce CO2, it is simple tolook at the concentration of CO2 before and after the industrialrevolution and clearly see the effects of man.

Concern about greenhouse gases led to representatives of 166nations to sign the Kyoto Protocol of 1997, which attempted tolimit emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Therise of the global economy has complicated the issue, as isdemonstrated in the learning object below.

Greenhouse Gases and Health

In recent years we have been measuring the Air Quality Index (AQI),which is a measure of such pollutants as ozone, particulate matter,and CO2. In the exercise below you may explore the AQI in citiesacross the U.S.

Let's look at two locations less than 500 miles apart thatrepresent both ends of the spectrum of the issue of greenhousegases and global warming. Explore both virtual field trips andevaluate them in terms of whether they contribute to the greenhousegas problem or help reduce it.

Kuala Lumpur

Rainforest / Terraced Rice Fields

Exercises

Exercise 1. Have a class debate between people representing thedeveloping countries and people representing the developedcountries OR write an essay comparing and contrasting the two.Characterize each side in terms of the issues surroundingpopulation growth, energy use, resource use, and sustainabledevelopment. Find common interests between the two.

Exercise 2. Look at the two virtual field trips and define each ofthe environments depicted in terms of the global carbon cyclediagram below. Assuming that the cycle is in balance, how wouldeach site change the balance.

Exercise 3. Develop a series of international agreements that wouldlead to the kind of reductions in greenhouse gas emissions calledfor in the Kyoto Protocol and that would satisfy the concerns forglobal equity between developed and developing countries.

Exercise 4. Using the table below keep track of your dailyactivities and how they affect the greenhouse gas crisis in theworld. What does each activity produce? Are the products positiveor negative. How do the sizes (volumes of gas) of the variousproducts vary? After you have created your table define yourpersonal global carbon footprint. Do you have a positive effect ora negative one?

periwinklesalmon351

There are lots of reports about the "greenhouse effect" on the news these days. These reports invariably contain dire predictions about the effects of elevated levels of CO2, resulting from air pollution, on climate changes and global warming. Consider all of your observations as you address the following questions. 13. What do plants do with CO2 present in the atmosphere? 14. Would you expect photosynthesis to be more or less efficient under "greenhouse effect" conditions? 15. Predict the overall response of plants to elevated CO2 levels. 16. How might the "greenhouse effect" be impacted by plants' response to it?

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ECOLOGY midterm: Global Warming Essay

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