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Climate change - causes and impacts - Coggle Diagram
Climate change - causes and impacts
Factors affecting climate
Factors within the earth
Atmospheric and ocean circulation systems
Energy from the equator is transferred toward the poles through atmospheric and ocean circulation systems. Ocean circulation systems are caused by winds and difference in water temperature and salinity.
Important Tri cellular model
Greenhouse gases that trap heat and warm the land, oceans and atmosphere
A rise in the concentration of greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere increases the amount of energy absorbed raising global temperatures.
Volcanic activity
Volcanic activity can have a short term effect on climate. Emissions from volcanic activity include ash and gases such as sulphur dioxide. The latter reacts in the atmosphere forming a sulphate aerosol that reflects solar radiation back into space and causes global cooling.
Feedback cycles
Positive feedback
Speeding up warming
Negative feedback
Slowing down warming
Factors outside the earth
Solar radiation emitted from the sun
The amount of energy reaching the earth’s surface can vary according to the amount of energy emitted from the sun and the position of the earth in relation to the sun.
Tilting and orbit of the earth
The tilting of the earth influences how much solar energy is absorbed and results in seasonal changes.
Definitions
Weather
Conditions over a short time scale at a local level
Climate
The ‘average’ weather over the long term at a regional level
Impacts of climate change
Higher temperatures
From 1880 to 2013, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels went up by over 40% and the global temperature increased by 0.85°C
Higher temperatures will affect the hydrological cycle. With a rise in temperature, more water will evaporate resulting in some regions experiencing greater rainfall.
Extreme weather patterns are likely to become more frequent, longer in duration and more intense.
Sea level rise
With the increase in global temperature, sea levels rose by an average of 19cm between 1901 and 2013
Impact on water resources
Increase in global temperatures, sea level rise and changes in precipitation patterns could affect the quantity and quality of water available.
Climate change can lead to either reduced water resources or flooding, causing extreme conditions in multiple places of the world
Impact on agriculture and fisheries
Agriculture
Some regions are expected to become more favourable for agriculture due to increase temperature and precipitation and other regions will be adversely affected by climate change.
Increase in mid to high latitudes regions
Decrease in low latitude regions
Fisheries
Death of some species unable to cope with higher temperature range leading to loss of biodiversity.
Coral reefs are also vulnerable to damage by increase occurrence of severe storms. Increase in ocean acidity as a result of higher atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
Impact on ecosystems and biodiversity
Range shifts
With a change in climatic conditions of temperature and rainfall, there is likely to be a general shift of biomes with animals and plants moving towards the poles and upwards in elevation.
Changes in migration patterns
Migratory species usually move in response to seasonal changes. Climate change could alter the timing of migration and mating e.g. warmer temperatures could result in some birds nesting and having offspring earlier.
Impact on coastal systems and low lying areas
Storm intensity
Storms, including tropical cyclone out at sea can generate high energy waves that hit the coast with the potential to cause coastal erosion, inundation, damage to settlements and even loss of life. Changing weather patterns are increasing coastal exposure to extreme storm events
Impact on human health
Heatwaves
Heatwave episodes can result in cardiovascular and respiratory problems especially within the elderly and urban poor.
Storms and intense rainfall
Storms and floods could lead to injury or death by drowning.
Loss of harvest from extreme weather conditions could increase malnutrition.
Disease
A rise in temperature could result in a rise in the number of cases of disease as a result of an increase geographical range of disease vectors, such as malaria or dengue carrying mosquito.