Goal 2.

6
Earths Climate and
Biodiversity

Lesson 1
What is Climate?

Think About It

What is the climate like here in

Clemmons?

Focus Question

What factors determine the

climate of an area?

A. Climate Basics
1. What is climatology?
the study of Earths climate and the factors that
affect it

2. What is climate?
long-term weather patterns of an area

What are three main factors that climate

describes about an area?
Temperature
Precipitation
Wind

Weather or Climate?
3. Weather or Climate?
a. Its rainy and
warm today.

weather
b. Clemmons has 4
seasons with a
moderate amount of
rain and wind.

climate

Weather Cloudy with a

chance of meatballs!

http://www.allmoviephoto.com/takeoverAd.html?http://www.allmoviephoto.com/photo/2009_cloudy_with_a_chance_of_meatballs_013.html

Factors That Affect Climate

Latitude

http://www.brockmann-consult.de/iavisa-info-web/data-set-generation.html

Factors That Affect Climate

Topographical Effects

http://www.sonoma.edu/users/f/freidel/global/figure%2002-20.jpg

Factors That Affect Climate

Air Masses

A tropical island in
the Atlantic Ocean
has a maritime
tropical climate
(warm and humid)
because its climate
is controlled by the
mT air mass.
http://www.atmos.illinois.edu/earths_atmosphere/images/airmasses_fronts/air_masses.gif
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/bahamas-guide/

Ocean Currents Determine

Climate Write notes on Lesson!
a. Currents affect climate
i.

East coasts have warm currents. (The Gulf

Stream causes our climate to be humid
subtropical.)
ii. West coasts have cold currents. (The
California current from the Bering Sea
causes California to have a Mediterranean
climate that is cool and dry.)

Proximity to Oceans

http://earth.usc.edu/~stott/Catalina/images/Oceanography/surface%20currents.jpg

Ocean Currents Determine

Climate Write notes on Lesson!
b. Coastal climates are more temperate
than continental (interior) climates
i.

Differential heating of water and land means

that oceans take longer than continents to
cool down after summer (Remember how long
hurricane season lasts? Until November 30th!)
warm up after winter

ii. Oceans act as air conditioning in summer

and heaters in the winter.
iii. Our coastal communities such as the
Outer Banks or Wilmington are cooler in the
summer and warmer in the winter.

Lesson 2
Climate Classification and Biomes

Focus Question
How are Earths climates
classified?

Climate Classification
The Koeppen Classification Scale

http://theweatherchannelkids.com/climate-code/be-eco-friendly-for-the-animals/tropical-climate/

Climate Classification
1. Tropical
Constant high
temperatures
Up to 600 cm
of rain
Dramatic
vegetation and
high
biodiversity
http://accessscience.com/search.aspx?rootID=798501

Climate Classification
2. Dry (arid or semiarid)
cT air
dominates
Low
precipitation
Vegetation is
scarce
http://accessscience.com/search.aspx?rootID=798501

Climate Classification
3. Humid subtropical
The North
Atlantic (Gulf
Stream)
Marine West
Coast
Mediterranean
http://www.solcomhouse.com/gulfstream.htm

Climate Classification
4. Northern
Clashing
tropical and
polar air masses
Rapid, violent
changes in
weather
Summer and
winter temps
can be extreme
http://accessscience.com/search.aspx?rootID=798501

Climate Classification
5. Subarctic and
Tundra
Subarctic is a
subclass of
continental
climates
Tundra is a
subclass of
polar climates

http://accessscience.com/search.aspx?rootID=798501

Climate Classification
6. Greenland and
Antarctica
These are
constantly cold
Cold air holds
less moisture
than warm air
so precipitation
is generally low.

http://accessscience.com/search.aspx?rootID=798501

http://www.squidoo.com/machupicchuruins?utm_source=google&utm_medium=imgres&utm_campaign=framebuster

Microclimates
1. What is a microclimate?
A localized climate that
differs from the main
regional climate
a. The microclimate of a
very high mountain is
classified as high
elevation.
b. These microclimates
are called uplands and
highlands.

A Llama in at Machu Picchu

in the Andes Mountains

Heat Islands
2. What is a heat island?
a place in which the
climate is warmer than
the area around it lots
of buildings and little
vegetation.
Where would you expect to find
heat islands in the
Piedmont?
Greensboro, WinstonSalem, Raleigh

http://www.weatherquestions.com/What_is_the_urban_heat_island.htm

Biomes

Biomes are large geographic

regions which have similar
climate; and plants and
animals with similar
adaptations.

http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/polar/images/polar_bear_sm.jpg

http://sasd.k12.pa.us/uploadedImages/ShalerAreaMS/Staff/GuidishD/tundra.jpg

BiomesTundra (Polar Zone)

Climate
Average temperature constantly low
low precipitation (cold air/ no
convection)
Very long winters!
Vegetation
grasses (shallow roots)
Animals
Polar bears (big and fat!)

Air Masses cP and A

Soil permanently frozen

The Tundra

BiomesTaiga
Climate
Avg temperatures - low most
of the year
Avg precipitation - little
mostly snow!
long winters
Vegetation
evergreen trees (needle like
leaves conserve water)
Animals
grizzly bears, elk, moose
(hibernate/migrate)
Air Masses cP and A
Soil supports trees

US!
Biomes Deciduous Forests
Climate
Average temperatures warm, humid summers/
dry, cool winters
Average precip moderate
4 seasons
Vegetation
seasonal forests drop
leaves to conserve water
Animals
black bears, foxes, deer

Air Masses maritime and

continental
Soil rich and thick

http://www.solcomhouse.com/gulfstream.htm

Biomes Deserts
Climate
Average temps usually high/ can be cold
at night

Average precipitation -

extremely low
Semi-arid have rainy
seasons
Vegetation
cactus - stores water
Animals
coyote, javelina, mountain
lions active at night
Air Mass cT
Soil light-colored, salty, thin
due to lack of water

Monument Valley, Utah

http://www.formalaffair.us/static/.2011/gallery/desert_14.jpg

BiomesGrasslands
Climate
Average temperatures Summer and winter temps can
be extreme!

Average precipitationlow

Tropical
Grasslands Savannahs

to moderate
4 seasons (temperate)
Vegetation
grasses dominate thrive on
fire
Animals bison, wolves, prairie
dogs (grazers)
Air Masses mT and cP
Soil temperate grasslands can
be very rich (grainbelts)
Temperate Grasslands North Dakota in the winter!

BiomesRainforests
Climate
Average temperatures constantly high
Average precipitation high (600 cm/yr)
Vegetation
rain forest large leaves
to capture sunlight
Animals
jaguar, tapirs, primates
many live in trees

Air Mass mT
Soil intensely weathered

Lesson 3
Climate Changes

Think About It

What causes the seasons?

Focus Question

What factors can change

Earths climate?

Ice Ages
1. What is an ice age?
periods of extensive glacial coverage
a. An interglacial interval is a warm period.
b. We are currently in an interglacial period.
c. Earths climate should warm up during an
interglacial period!

Ice Ages

Global temperatures were about 5 degrees Celsius lower than normal.

http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/images/LastIceAgeMap.gif

Seasons
2. What causes the seasons?
the tilt of the Earth as it orbits the sun We are
tilted towards the sun during our summer and away
from the sun during our winter.

http://kennedy-outerspace.wikispaces.com/file/view/seasons.gif/168395377/seasons.gif

http://www.galapagosonline.com/Galapagos_Natural_History/Oceanography/Currents.html

El Nio
3.

What is El Nio?

the warming of a current

that is usually cold;
occurs along the S.
American coast every 27 years

During El Nio
a. California and the Gulf
Coast can experience
severe weather due to a
southern shift in the jet
stream.
b. There are fewer
hurricanes in the Atlantic.
Recent Major El Nio Years 1982 and 1998

El Nio Currents Affected

Change Can Be Natural

1. What type of studies provide
evidence of past climatic
changes?
(Before thermometers, that is!)
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.

tree rings
ice-core samples
fossils & pollen samples
radio-carbon samples

http://titlemn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/tree-rings1.jpg

Dendrochronology is
the study of tree rings.

Natural Variations in Climate

2. Five natural variations that can lead to
changes in Earths climate include
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.

Solar activity (sunspots)

Change in Earths orbit (more elliptical)
Change in Earths Axis Angle (nutation)
Earths wobble (precession)
Volcanic activity

We will look at each one separately

Solar Activity
2a. Fewer sunspots decrease Earths temperatures.

http://www.global-warming-and-the-climate.com/images/sunspot-lenght-&-teperature.gif

Earths Orbit
2b. When Earths
orbit elongates to
become more
elliptical, it passes
closer to the sun
and temperatures
rise!

http://grendelreport.posterous.com/ipcc-corruption-included-ignoring-facts-and-s

http://www.cgrer.uiowa.edu/people/carmichael/atmos_course/ATMOS_PROJ_99/bilskemp/natural_variability.html

Earths Tilt
2c. If the angle of the tilt of Earths axis increased

(nutation) there would be more temperature

contrast between summer and winter.

Earths Wobble (precession)

2d. If Earth were to wobble towards the star
Vega, winters will be colder in the N.
hemisphere.

http://www.shiftoftheage.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/precession-earth-spintop.jpg

Volcanoes

2e. Large volcanic eruptions tend to

cool the Earth.
This cooling is due to volcanic ash and dust blocking out
solar radiation.

Tambora,
1815

Lesson 4
Climate Change: Manmade or
Natural?
You Decide!

Think About It

What causes climate change?

Focus Question

Are people causing climate

change?

One Major Issue

The issue of climate change is probably one
of the most important of our day.
No scientist questions that we have
experienced warming and cooling lately.
The question is the cause of the warming is
it caused by people releasing carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere or by natural forces
such as the sun and water vapor?
There are two main groups of scientists
those who believe that climate change is
manmade and those who believe that
climate change is natural.

Manmade Climate Change

Whos On This Side?
1. United Nations
IPCC
(Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate
Change)
2. Al Gore (Former
Vice President)
3. James Hansen
(NASA)

Manmade Climate Change

Basic Belief About Cause of
Climate Change
People are causing
climate change by
burning fossil fuels
and it will cause
catastrophic
changes on Earth
An Inconvenient
Truth?

Manmade Climate Change

The Role of Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide
(usually referred to
as carbon
emissions),
released by burning
fossil fuels, is
warming the
atmosphere.

Manmade Climate Change

Evidence to Support View?
1. Carbon dioxide
studies showing that
levels have gone up.
2. Climate studies
represented by a
discredited graph
known as the
hockey-stick graph
3. Computer models
showing extreme
warming

Manmade Climate Change

What to Do About Climate
Change?
1. Reduce our use
of fossil fuels or
buy carbon
credits to offset
usage
2. Use alternative
sources of
energy

Natural Climate Change

Whos On This Side?
1. William Gray (Hurricane
Expert from Colorado
State University)
2. Willie Soon
(Astrophysicist from
Harvard)
3. Joe Bastardi
(Meteorologist formerly
with Accuweather)

Natural Climate Change

Basic Belief About Cause of
Climate Change
Climate has always
changed, it is
natural, and
caused mostly by
changes in the
output of the suns
radiation.

Natural Climate Change

The Role of Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a trace greenhouse gas
and is not the major cause of global
warming.

vs.
A trace greenhouse gas or the Sun? Which is more
powerful? Hmmmm

Natural Climate Change

Evidence to Support View?
1. Climate studies showing
the Medieval Warming
and the Little Ice Age
2. Sunspot data showing
that global temperatures
go up and down with
sun spot activity
3. Ice core data that shows
that carbon dioxide
levels go up AFTER
temperatures go up.

What to Do About Climate

Change?
Natural Climate Change

1. Adapt for future

changes!
2. Stop scaring people
with outlandish
climate change
scenarios!
(Climatologist Timothy
Balls words)

Lesson 5
Biodiversity

Think About It

What do you think is the biggest

threat to the survival of
species?

Focus Question

What factors threaten

biodiversity and how can
people reduce their impact on
the biosphere?

Biodiversity
1. The biosphere is
all life on Earth!
2. Biodiversity refers to
the number and
variety of species on
Earth
Genetic biodiversity is
the difference in
genetic makeup
within a species.

There are 1.6 million known

species on earth.
Most of these known species
are insects!
There are an estimated 11.4
million species yet to be
discovered!
www.istockphoto.com

Biodiversity
a. The biome with the
most biodiversity is
the rainforest b/c it has the
most water available for
living things

b. The biomes with the

least biodiversity are
the desert b/c it has the
least water available and
the tundra b/c it is very
cold and there is little
liquid water available.

B. Factors That Reduce Biodiversity

1. Human Population Growth
a. People have the greatest impact on Earths
natural resources because
they have an unequaled capacity to modify
their environment (See next slide)
b. As our population grows the demand for
natural resources
increases as well

A (Very) Modified Environment!

Ski resort in the
desert of Dubai

http://mytko.org/random/ski.jpg

http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4b10d98d0000000000571a63-400-300/a-ski-resort-in-the-middle-of-the-desert.jpg

Factors That Reduce Biodiversity

c. 75% of all species
become extinct due
to habitat loss.
(Why? If its habitat is
destroyed, where
will it live? What will
it eat?)
A growing population
demands more
natural resources!

tpeblog.wordpress.com

2. Habitat Alteration
a. Ecosystems with a high biodiversity are
more stable b/c
they are able to recover more quickly from
harmful events such as disease and drought

b. Habitat alteration
is the changing of a natural habitat (in these
examples, human-caused)
includes monoculture, deforestation, and
urbanization

Habitat Alteration
i.

Monoculture can be
defined as the planting of
just one species in a field.
Basically, one crop take the
place of many species.
This decreases
biodiversity!
A monoculture can lead to
crop failure if a disease
wipes out the single
plant species.
http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/kabernd/seminar/2004/Grp4/monoculture.html

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Deforestation/Images/slash_and_burn_children.jpg

Habitat Alteration
ii.

Deforestation is the removal of trees without

adequate replanting.
It reduces biodiversity b/c animals are left without
homes and food (not to mention, people are also left
homeless!)

Habitat Alteration
iii. Urban Development: People moving
to urban areas can reduce
biodiversity when...
a. natural habitats are lost as forests are
cleared and wetlands are filled
b. large volumes of solid waste and
pollution are produced

3. Invasive Species
a. An invasive species is one that is not
native to an area.
b. Invasive species reduce biodiversity in
one of two ways
They have no natural enemies so they can
take over an ecosystem. (Burmese python)
Native species have no defenses against an
exotic species.

Invasive species take over!

This is kudzua local invasive species!

Invasive Species of North

Carolina
https://www.defenders.org/sites/default/files/
publications/north_carolina.pdf
The Emerald Ash Beetle
Its getting close to NC!
http://stopthebeetle.info/

4. Pollution
a. The major source of near-shore pollution
sewage water

b. High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in human

wastewater creates...
blooms of cyanobacteria that die and use up the oxygen
in the water as they decompose

c. Pumping untreated sewage into the ocean

creates
large dead zones on the ocean floor where there are no
living organisms

5. Overharvesting
a. Overharvesting is
excessive fishing of aquatic animals
excessive harvesting of a plant

b. Examples of species that might be

overharvested here in North Carolina are
Ramps (wild leeks)
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/20/dining/20forage.h
tml?pagewanted=all&_r=0

c. This leads to a reduction in biodiversity by

reducing the population of harvested species.

C. Global Impact
1. The loss of biodiversity affects our
survival needs on a global scale!
Food
Water
Air
Shelter
Energy

2. To prevent death, famine, exposure, find

cures for diseases, and even prevent
wars, we need to preserve biodiversity!

BioRanger!

What are ways people can

reduce their impact on the
biosphere?