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Climate change - Coggle Diagram
Climate change
Evidence
Ice cores
Temperature can be analysed from trapped gas particles within the ice, types of gases can also be analysed
Can show temperature changes from (so far) 400,000 years ago
Organisms, fossils and sediment can also be analysed to see what organisms lived in the see at that time and how they differ to the modern day.
Tree rings
Each year a tree grows a ring is left as a marker of its previous size, growing different sizes depending on the climate
The number of rings suggests the age of the tree, any anonymously sized tree rings can suggest distinct changes in climate- e.g a large ring = warm climate promoting high levels of growth and/or carbon dioxide concentration
Pollen analysis
Pollen collects at the bottom of lakes in sediment, this can be identified to suggest what plant species where living in that area at a specific time.
These plants prefered climate is compared to with modern specimens to give an estimation on what the climate was like then since a certain species was thriving or declining
Records (temperature)
Since 1850, global and small scale temperatures have been recorded and these can be compared and plotted to suggest a climate trend
Causes
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Non-human
Orbital changes
Changes between a circular and elliptical (oval) causes variations in solar radiation which will be likely to cause more or less global warming (hence glacial (cold) / interglacial (warm) periods in the modern (Quaternary) period)
The Earth's axis tilt causes the northern and southern hemispheres to alternate having more amounts of the suns radiation
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Volcanic activity- when a volcano erupts then the material ejected reflect the suns rays cooling the earth's surface in the short-term
Solar output- this varies causing warmer and cooler periods where the rays are stronger and weaker (it does not have a major affect)
Affects
Environmental
Glaciers melt causing higher sea levels, flooding land and habitats, destroying polar habitats
Coral bleaching occurs due to higher temp and pH levels in the sea killing the coral and destroying habitats
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Distribution of species- some species might migrate to find food or suitable habitats in order to adapt to changing climates.
Reduced biodiversity- Species die out from habitat destruction or low food abundance, becoming unable to adapt to the changing climate
Social
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Water availability- areas could experience droughts and therefore loss of agriculture earnings and migration since areas become inhospitable
Lower rates of agriculture- this leads to less food available and less earnings, likely increasing starvation and poverty in LICs.
More extreme weather- more money needs to be spent on defences and monitoring so to protect civilians, areas might be damaged and therefore loss of life/assets/income
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