Unit 9 · Global Change

Importance of stratospheric ozone ● (core concept) — The stratospheric ozone layer is important to the evolution of life on Earth and the continued health and survival of life on Earth.

Causes of ozone depletion ● (core concept) — Stratospheric ozone depletion is caused by anthropogenic factors, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and natural factors, such as the melting of ice crystals in the atmosphere at the beginning of the Antarctic spring.

UV exposure effects ● (core concept) — A decrease in stratospheric ozone increases the UV rays that reach the Earth's surface. Exposure to UV rays can lead to skin cancer and cataracts in humans.

CFC substitutes (HFCs) ● (core concept) — Ozone depletion can be mitigated by replacing ozone-depleting chemicals with substitutes that do not deplete the ozone layer. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are one such replacement, but some are strong greenhouse gases.

Montreal Protocol ● (core concept) — The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty that phases out the production and use of ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Principal greenhouse gases ● (core concept) — The principal greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Water vapor residence time ● (core concept) — While water vapor is a greenhouse gas, it doesn't contribute significantly to global climate change because it has a short residence time in the atmosphere.

Greenhouse effect ● (core concept) — The greenhouse effect results in the surface temperature necessary for life on Earth to exist.

Global warming potential (GWP) ● (core concept) — Carbon dioxide, which has a global warming potential (GWP) of 1, is used as a reference point for the comparison of different greenhouse gases and their impacts on global climate change. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have the highest GWP, followed by nitrous oxide, then methane.

Effects of increased greenhouse gases ● (core concept) — Global climate change, caused by excess greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, can lead to rising sea levels resulting from melting ice sheets and ocean water expansion, and disease vectors spreading from the tropics toward the poles. These problems can lead to changes in population dynamics and population movements in response.

Kyoto Protocol ● (core concept) — The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement under which participating industrialized countries committed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate change through geologic time ● (core concept) — The Earth has undergone climate change throughout geologic time, with major shifts in global temperatures causing periods of warming and cooling as recorded with CO2 data and ice cores.

Effects of climate change ● (core concept) — Effects of climate change include rising temperatures, melting permafrost and sea ice, rising sea levels, and displacement of coastal populations.

Sea-level change and marine ecosystems ● (core concept) — Marine ecosystems are affected by changes in sea level, some positively, such as in newly created habitats on now-flooded continental shelves, and some negatively, such as deeper communities that may no longer be in the photic zone of seawater.

Circulation changes and heat transport ● (core concept) — Winds generated by atmospheric circulation help transport heat throughout the Earth. Climate change may change circulation patterns, as temperature changes may impact Hadley cells and the jet stream.

Ocean conveyor belt ● (core concept) — Oceanic currents, or the ocean conveyor belt, carry heat throughout the world. When these currents change, it can have a big impact on global climate, especially in coastal regions.

Climate change and soil ● (core concept) — Climate change can affect soil through changes in temperature and rainfall, which can impact soil's viability and potentially increase erosion.

Polar amplification ● (core concept) — Earth's polar regions are showing faster response times to global climate change because ice and snow in these regions reflect the most energy back out to space, leading to a positive feedback loop.

Ice-albedo feedback ● (core concept) — As the Earth warms, ice and snow melts, meaning less solar energy is radiated back into space and instead is absorbed by the Earth's surface. This in turn causes more warming of the polar regions (the ice-albedo positive feedback loop).

Arctic methane feedback ● (core concept) — Global climate change response time in the Arctic is due to positive feedback loops involving melting sea ice and thawing tundra, and the subsequent release of greenhouse gases like methane.

Ice-dependent species ● (core concept) — One consequence of the loss of ice and snow in polar regions is the effect on species that depend on the ice for habitat and food.

Cause of ocean warming ● (core concept) — Ocean warming is caused by the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Ocean warming effects on marine species ● (core concept) — Ocean warming can affect marine species in a variety of ways, including loss of habitat, and metabolic and reproductive changes.

Coral bleaching ● (core concept) — Ocean warming is causing coral bleaching, which occurs when the loss of algae within corals cause the corals to bleach white. Some corals recover and some die.

Ocean acidification ● (core concept) — Ocean acidification is the decrease in pH of the oceans, primarily due to increased CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere, and can be expressed as chemical equations.

Ocean CO2 absorption ● (core concept) — As more CO2 is released into the atmosphere, the oceans, which absorb a large part of that CO2, become more acidic.

Human contributors to ocean acidification ● (core concept) — Anthropogenic activities that contribute to ocean acidification are those that lead to increased CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere: burning of fossil fuels, vehicle emissions, and deforestation.

Acidification and coral shells ● (core concept) — Ocean acidification damages coral because acidification makes it difficult for them to form shells, due to the loss of calcium carbonate.

Invasive species ● (core concept) — Invasive species are species that can live, and sometimes thrive, outside of their normal habitat. Invasive species can sometimes be beneficial, but they are considered invasive when they threaten native species.

Invasive species traits ● (core concept) — Invasive species are often generalist, r-selected species and therefore may outcompete native species for resources.

Controlling invasive species ● (core concept) — Invasive species can be controlled through a variety of human interventions.

Factors leading to endangerment ● (core concept) — A variety of factors can lead to a species becoming threatened with extinction, such as being extensively hunted, having limited diet, being outcompeted by invasive species, or having specific and limited habitat requirements.

Extinction vulnerability ● (core concept) — Not all species will be in danger of extinction when exposed to the same changes in their ecosystem. Species that are able to adapt to changes in their environment or that are able to move to a new environment are less likely to face extinction.

Selective pressures ● (core concept) — Selective pressures are any factors that change the behaviors and fitness of organisms within an environment.

Competition and endangerment ● (core concept) — Species in a given ecosystem compete for resources like territory, food, mates, and habitat, and this competition may lead to endangerment or extinction.

Strategies to protect endangered species ● (core concept) — Strategies to protect animal populations include criminalizing poaching, protecting animal habitats, and legislation.

Endangered Species Act ● (core concept) — The Endangered Species Act provides for the protection of species listed as threatened or endangered and the conservation of the habitats they depend on.

HIPPCO ● (core concept) — HIPPCO (habitat destruction, invasive species, population growth, pollution, climate change, and overexploitation) describes the main factors leading to a decrease in biodiversity.

Habitat fragmentation ● (core concept) — Habitat fragmentation occurs when large habitats are broken into smaller, isolated areas. Causes of habitat fragmentation include the construction of roads and pipelines, clearing for agriculture or development, and logging.

Fragmentation scale varies by species ● (core concept) — The scale of habitat fragmentation that has an adverse effect on the inhabitants of a given ecosystem will vary from species to species within that ecosystem.

Climate change and habitat loss ● (core concept) — Global climate change can cause habitat loss via changes in temperature, precipitation, and sea level rise.

Domestication and biodiversity ● (core concept) — Some organisms have been somewhat or completely domesticated and are now managed for economic returns, such as honeybee colonies and domestic livestock. This domestication can have a negative impact on the biodiversity of that organism.

Mitigating biodiversity loss ● (core concept) — Some ways humans can mitigate the impact of loss of biodiversity include creating protected areas, use of habitat corridors, promoting sustainable land use practices, and restoring lost habitats.

CITES ● (core concept) — The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement that regulates international trade in threatened and endangered species.