Transcript Y8GeU2EClimate change PPwk7

What is the impact
of global climate
change on different
biomes
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A quick review of some of the
causes of climate change
Before that – what could be
happening because of
climate change?
Most places will be warmer
Some will get drier
Some will be wetter
Some biomes will change so
much that the plants and
animals will no longer be
able to live there
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What are the main causes
Certain gases – known as greenhouses gases
(GHGs) – being added to the atmosphere by man.
GHGs trap the sun’s heat.
Carbon dioxide is the main GHG, and it comes
from burning fossil fuels to make electricity and
to power cars, buses and aeroplanes.
Carbon dioxide is also very necessary for plants
in a process called photosynthesis.
Plants do not eat food to help them grow. They
make the stems and leaves and fruits
themselves, with the help of sunlight, from
water and carbon dioxide.
So more CO2 is not an entirely bad thing for
plants, provided that they are not kept short of
water.
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January temperature worldwide
Which
pole is
pointing
towards
the sun?
Who is
having
summer
now?
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July temperature worldwide
Who is
having
summer
now?
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Impacts of climate change
Temperature 2011-2030
Which climate
zones will be
the most
affected by
temperature
change?
Which climate
zones will be
the least
affected by
temperature
change?
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Impacts of climate change
Temperature 2080-2099
Is the pattern
still the same?
What has
changed
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Annual Precipitation worldwide
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About the models
We know what has happened in the past.
From that we can make a good guess about what is likely
to happen in the future.
These guesses about the future are called ‘models’.
When you are making a model, you take what you to view
as the most important ideas – e.g. if it was a model car,
that might be the shape and the colour, but unless you
wanted it to be a working model, you may not be too
concerned about getting the engine quite right, nor have
the dashboard style absolutely correct.
Where as, if your model had opening doors or and
opening bonnet, then perhaps you would have other ideas
about what is important.
In the same way, when meteorologists are modelling
climate, they have different ideas about what to keep in
and what can be left out.
But lets look at the result of some these models:
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Impacts of climate change
Precipitation
Think how much rain the blue places in Northern Europe
get already – if they get another 100mm or more ,what
effect will this have? Similarly the brown areas!
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Now these are only very broad
generalisations
There will be local variations
For example, in SE England, they are due
to loose precipitation and they only have
about 500mm now.
Whereas in Wales and Scotland, they are
likely to get more and they are already
wet or very wet!
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But in general
The Arctic tundra will get
warmer – temperature rise in
these areas is already more
marked than anywhere else on
the planet. The rainfall is more
mixed – some parts will be
drier and some will be wetter.
What effect do you thing this
will have?
Do you know what is already
being affected?
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Traditionally the Nenets of Northern Russia
travel across the frozen Ob River in November
and set up camp in the southern forests around
Nadym. These days, though, this annual winter
pilgrimage is delayed. Last year the Nenets,
together with many thousands of reindeer, had
to wait until late December when the ice was
finally thick enough to cross.
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Impacts of climate change on
deciduous forest
Acid Rain from coal-burning is another threat, as is global
warming, which in particular may change rainfall patterns.
It would appear that in most deciduous forest areas, climate
change will bring more rain, higher temperatures, more CO2 in
the atmosphere and a longer growing season.
What effects do you imagine this would bring?
Also as we found there are a variety of tree types in
deciduous woodlands, some are more inclined to do well on the
Northern edge, while others are quite happy on the Southern
limits.
So possibly the area that we think of as the limit to the
deciduous forests would move north, as would the southern
boundary.
In addition the trees, that people in some areas thought of as
the most common, might be happier further north and they
could be replaced by other species altogether.
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Impacts of climate change on Mediterranean
climate and vegetation
Look back at slides 6, 7 and 12 – what
changes do you see?
What is the Mediterranean climate like
now?
So what do you think it will be like along
the Mediterranean in 50 years time?
What climate do you think it is going to
be similar to? What kind of plants and
animals are going to be there?
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Impacts of climate change on the desert
Look back at slides 6, 7 and 12 – what
changes do you see?
What is the desert climate like now?
So what do you think it will be like along the
desert in 50 years time? Is there much change?
Which of these 2 pictures will be the most
common? (They are both of the Sahara). Why?
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Impacts of climate change on the Savannah
Look back at slides 6, 7 and 12 – what
changes do you see?
What is the Savannah climate like now?
So what do you think it will be like along
the Savannah in 50 years time? How do
you think what you see growing/living
there might change? Which picture?
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Impacts of climate change on the rainforest
Look back at slides 6, 7
and 12 – what changes do
you see?
What is the rainforest
climate like now?
So what do you think it will
be like along the rainforest in
50 years time?
Which picture do you think
might be most common? Why
do you think that?
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In conclusion
In general,
What will happen to the temperature?
If it is wet already, how is the weather
likely to change?
If it is dry already, how is the weather
likely to change?
Will any of the areas we have looked at
have a chance of doing better than
before?
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Finally, one thing we have not
mentioned
Life is likely to get more unpredictable for all of
us.
The tropical storms that until now have only
really affected areas closer to the equator, are
likely to bring heavy rain and high winds closer
to the poles, in temperate regions.
So damage to biomes in more temperate areas
will get more wind and flood damage that they
are used to.
As will the areas that are currently quite dry
for most of the time. You will see items on the
news over the coming decades showing places
being flooded that were never expecting it.
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Homework
From what you have learnt today (and with
more research if you fancy it), if climate
change goes ahead as it seems it might,
what are they saying about where you
live? When you are drawing your pension,
what will it be like if you are in the same
place as you are now?
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