Transcript Carbon cycle

Humans and
Ecology:
What are we
doing, what
should we do,
what can we do,
and does it
matter?
Why are species going extinct?
The complex molecules that
comprise organisms are
based on carbon
Fig 55.14
Carbon cycle
Solar energy: incoming and
outgoing
http://www.esr.org/outreach/climate_change/basics/basics.html
http://www.esr.org/outreach/climate_change/basics/basics.html
CO2 and other greenhouse gases keep heat
from radiating back into space
http://www.esr.org/outreach/climate_change/basics/basics.html
CO2 levels in Hawaii and average
global temp.
Fig
55.21
Aren't these temperature increases
just because of increased
urbanization?
Fig
55.21
Aren't these temperature increases just
because of increased urbanization?
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast15nov_1.htm
http://www.cabq.gov/albuquerquegreen/images/urban_heat_island.jpg/image
A poorly sited temperature sensor in Marysville, California. The
sensor is situation right next to an asphalt parking lot, instead in the
middle of a grassy field, as it is supposed to be. The sensor is also
adjacent to several several air conditioners that blow their exhaust
into the air nearby.
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1419
Annual average maximum and minimum unadjusted temperature
change calculated using (c) maximum and (d) minimum
temperatures from good and poor exposure sites (Menne 2010).
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1419
Poor sites showed a cooler maximum
temperature compared to good sites.
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1419
For minimum temperature, the poor sites were slightly warmer.
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1419
The net effect was a cool bias in poorly sited
stations
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1419
http://www.esr.org/outreach/climate_change/basics/basics.html
Gases trapped in
ice core bubbles
can tell us about
past climate
conditions.
http://www.esr.org/outreach/climate_change/basics/basics.html
http://www.esr.org/outreach/climate_change/basics/basics.html
Recent increases in global temperature have
reversed a slight cooling trend
Vikings in
Greenland in
the 12001400’s
As the
climate
cooled, the
Vikings
were forced
to abandon
their
outposts
370
Effects of global
warming are already
visible
http://www.worldviewofglobalwarming.org/pages/glaciers.
html
Relative contributions to Global Warming
~300 m people
~500 m people
~2.5 b people
Humans and
Ecology:
What are we
doing, what
should we do,
what can we do,
and does it
matter?