Climate Change

Global warming refers to a recent increase in Earth’s average surface temperature. During the past century, the temperature has risen by almost 1°C (about 1.3°F). That may not seem like much. But consider that just 10°C is the difference between an ice-free and an ice-covered Earth.

Effects of Climate Change
How has global warming affected Earth and its life? Some of its effects include:

  • Decline in cold-adapted species such as polar bears.
  • Melting of glaciers and rising sea levels.
  • Coastal flooding and shoreline erosion.
  • Heat-related human health problems.
  • More droughts and water shortages.
  • Changing patterns of precipitation.
  • Increasing severity of storms.
  • Major crop losses.


Suspected cause of Climate change
Scientists agree that Earth's climate has changed drastically throughout its history, many attribute this to the recent increase in temperature. Unfortunately in the past 100 years we have seen the most drastic temperature change leading many scientists to believe we have something to do with it.

As we burn fossil fuels carbon dioxide (CO2) is released which then accumulates in the atmosphere and thickens the layer of green house gasses. This acts as an insulator and does not let reflected heat from the earths surface leave the planet causing increased temperatures 

ozone depletion

Ozone is trioxygen, or O3 and makes up a layer of the atmosphere responsible for blocking out UV radiation. CFC's (chlorofluorocarbons) break down O3 and create holes in the ozone. CFC's were found in aerosol cans prior to 1979 and CFC-12 was used in car air-conditioning before 1995. 
Increased UV radiation reaching earths surface is a problem because it is a mutagen and can cause skin cancer and other health problems.
Since the ban on CFC's much of the ozone depletion issue has subsided and the ozone has even began to repair.
  • Fewer cougars in the western US state of Utah led to an explosion of the deer population. The deer ate more vegetation, which altered the path of local streams and lowered overall biodiversity.

  • In Africa, where lions and leopards are being lost to poachers, there is a surge in the number of olive baboons, who are transferring intestinal parasites to humans living nearby.

  • In the oceans, industrial whaling led a change in the diets of killer whales, who eat more sea lions, seals, and otters and have dramatically lowered the population counts of those species. 

Human Impact

Files:

When goats moved in to the Galapagos the hairy bastards ate all the tortoise's food. Something had to be done. Watch this amazing marksman dispatch goats from an airborne chopper.
practice files will be updated shortly 

Helpful links

Climate change
Starlings (invasive species)
tuna fishing