How the climate has changed in the past Show The climate is constantly changing with average temperatures varying from year to year, 2 events of extreme climate change include - Medieval warm period: 500 - 1100 AD How do scientists know about past climate changes Because there is various evidence to prove it: - Fossils of animals and plants in regions they are not found today - Evidence of glaciation in regions that are now snow free - Evidence from rocks showing us the climate conditions when those rocks were formed - Evidence from ice cores in Greenland and Antarctica showing us how much carbon dioxide was in the atmosphere when the ice was formed. The natural causes of climate change VOLCANIC
ERUPTIONS SUNSPOTS MILANKOVITCH MECHANISM How climate change affected people and the environment during the Little Ice Age Caused by reduced sun spot activity, 1300 - 1870 and average temperatures were at least 1°C below those today ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS SOCIAL IMPACTS How large, long term climate change led to extinction at the end of the last Ice Age At the end of the Ice Age (10,000 - 15,000 years ago) temperatures rose by 5°C in a very short period of 1000 years. During this period various large animals (MEGAFAUNA) died out, with about 130 species becoming extinct. Examples include, Mammoths, giant beavers and Sabre-toothed tigers. It is an example of Mass Extinction Causes
of extinction: How the greenhouse effect works -
Greenhouse gases retain heat from the Sun that would otherwise be reflected from the Earth back into space. The types of human activities increasing the greenhouse gases - Energy supply (39% of CO2), which burns coals, gas and oil, most US and Chinese electricity is produces by burning coal. - Nitrous oxide is produces by jet engines, fertilizers and sewage farms. Human activities also reduce the ability of the environment to absorb greenhouse gases, especially CO2. The main cause of this is deforestation, which has 2 effects. How greenhouse gas levels have changed over time Human activities have increased the amount of CO2, produced and reduces the ability of the environment to absorb it. Since the industrial revolution the levels of the greenhouse gases has risen, contributing to the enhanced greenhouse effect. CO2 1850-280 ppm --- 1950-323 ppm--- 2012-394 ppm Who the main producers of greenhouse gases are Recent changes in CO2 are a result of burning fossil fuels such as gas, coal and above all, oil. CO2 is created when making cement and steel. The largest contributors are China, Russia, India and Japan. What scientists might happen to climate change and sea-levels in the future The most obvious impact of rising temperatures is rising sea levels. Sea levels have risen by about 200mm since 1870. This has come about for 2 main reasons: - As temperatures rise so water expands - this thermal expansion takes places independently of melting ice. There could be a rise in sea level of between 300 mm and 1000 mm depending on how we tackle global warming. The air masses that affect the UK and what weather they bring Tropical Maritime: Atlantic Ocean Tropical Continental: Southern Europe and North Africa -Warm and dry Polar maritime: Greenland and Arctic
Sea Polar Continental: Northern Europe Arctic Maritime: Arctic Ocean How the UK's climate could change in the future - Alter the seasonal pattern of air masses the UK - Warm the seas around the UK meaning warmer temperatures, but more evaporation and rainfall - Make unusual weather extremes more common, such as the summer 2012 floods and summer 2003 heat wave - Disrupt the warm ocean current that affect the UK, potentially making out climate cooler The challenges our changing climate might bring - MEDC UK ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS ECONOMIC IMPACTS How climate change might affect people in the developing world (LEDC) BANGLADESH ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ECONOMIC IMPACTS How did climate change during the Little Ice Age affect food production correct answer s?Cooling caused glaciers to advance and stunted tree growth. Livestock died, harvests failed, and humans suffered from increased famine and disease. The Little Ice Age illustrates changes to climate that occur when the Sun is less active and cooling of Earth is exacerbated by volcanic eruptions.
How did climate change during the Little Ice Age impact the societies affected by it quizlet?How did climate change during the Little Ice Age impact the societies affected by it? Average temperatures declined, shortening growing seasons in some regions. Precipitation was more irregular, meaning drought was more common in some regions. Enslaved people adopted many methods of resistance.
What is the Little Ice Age quizlet?A century long period of cool climate that began in the 1590s. Its ill effects on agriculture in Europe were notable. The removal of trees faster than the forests can replace themselves.
What has an important bearing on temperature and rainfall in northern Europe?The North Atlantic warming and cooling cycles are known as the Atlantic Multi-Decadal Oscillation (AMO) and they affect temperature, rainfall and wind patterns over Europe, Africa and North and South America.
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