Transcript The Polesx - Fort Bend ISD

The Poles
Overarching Question
• Who is responsible protecting our poles and why should they protect it?
Make Observations
• Polar Seas Video
What are key characteristics of the poles?
What are key characteristics of the poles?
• Cold
• Covered in Ice
• White
• Fairly Barren
What do you think would be beneficial adaptations of organisms for these
environments?
What are the differences between the Arctic
and the Antarctic?
Arctic
Antarctic
The Arctic
The Arctic (0° C  −40° C)
The Geography
• Surrounded by continents
• Consists of mainly sea ice
• Icebergs are seasonal  Sea Ice takes
several years to accumulate
• Home to native people
• Exploitation of Natural Resources
Mammals
• Endothermic, covered in full, have live birth, have mammary glands, breath
with lungs
• How can the mammals of the Arctic survive freezing temperatures?
Mammals
• What are three possible effects on Polar Bears if the Arctic continues to
warm?
Arctic Fox
Harp Seal
Beluga
Walrus
Narwhals
Polar Bears
Polar Bears
have
translucent
fur and black
skin. Why?
The Antarctic
The Antarctic (−28.2° C  −60° C)
Geography
• Mainly Land Ice
• Icebergs are year round  Sea Ice
accumulates annually
• Surrounded by ocean
• No natural human population
• One of the driest places on Earth, how?
Krill is King
• Krill are planktonic crustaceans (phylum arthropods)
• Basis of the food web
Birds
• Endothermic, shelled eggs, water repellent feathers, breath with lungs
• Most have hollow bones but Penguins have solid bones. Why?
• Why can Penguins thrive in Antarctica while other organisms cannot?
Petrels
Emperor Penguin
Gentoo Penguin
Adelie Penguin
Chinstrap Penguin
Rock Hopper Penguin
What are the differences between the Arctic
and the Antarctic?
Arctic
Antarctic
• Native peoples
• Icebergs are seasonal
• Surrounded by continents
• Mainly sea ice
• Sea ice accumulates over years
• Sparsely populated
• Icebergs year round
• Surrounded by ocean
• Sea ice accumulates annually
• Landmass covered by ice
• Polar Bears
• Penguins
Environmental Issues
Effects of Climate Change
What is Climate Change?
• “Climate is the long-term, prevailing pattern of temperature, precipitation,
and other weather variables at a given location.”- NOAA
• “Climate change can result in extended periods of heat and drought at one
extreme and extensive glaciation at the other.” –NOAA
• Current Climate Change is linked to the increase in Greenhouse Gases
Greenhouse Gases
• Gases Include: Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and Water
• ARE gases THAT trap heat in our atmosphere, that keep our Earth from
completely freezing (they are necessary)
• ^ in green house gases leads to an unusual warming of our atmosphere
• Not to be mistaken with Clorofluorocarbons
What do you observe?
Decreased Albedo  Increased Heating
• Albedo is the proportion of light or radiation that is reflected by a surface
(Latin: whiteness)
Would a black shirt or a white shirt have a higher albedo?
Would the blue water or the ice have a higher albedo?
How does albedo help to counteract the Greenhouse effect?
Case Study
• Why Climate Change Affects the Poles Differently
Climate Change on the Arctic
• Decrease in sea ice 
• Increase in permafrost melt  Increase in Methane 
Climate Change on the Arctic
• Decrease in sea ice  Decrease in Arctic Habitat  Decrease in Organism Population
• Increase in permafrost melt  Increase in Methane  Increase in Greenhouse Gases
Climate Change on the Antarctic
• ???
• Sea Ice growing and stronger winds
Climate Change Discussion
• What drives the deep water circulation?
• Organisms are fit a certain niche, what happens when the environment
changes?