Explain how radiation of different wavelengths is involved in the
greenhouse effect
- Incoming short wave radiation passes through the Earth’s atmosphere
- Converted to longer wave radiation
- Atmosphere absorbs longer wave radiation
Outline effects of a temperature rise on plants
- Rate of photosynthesis increases as temperature increases
- Rate of transpiration increases as temperature increases
- Shift in plant distribution
Explain why the concentration of CO2 varies with the seasons
- CO2 is a raw material for photosynthesis
- There is an increase in the rate of photosynthesis in the summer
- Therefore less CO2 in the air during the summer as it is being used for photosynthesis
- Increase in CO2 in winter because less photosynthesis due to trees losing leaves in winter
Consequences of a global temperature rise on artic ecosystems
- Increased rates of decomposition of detritus from permafrost
- Expansion of the range of habitats available to temperate species, increased competition
- Loss of ice habitat
- Arctic species forced to migrate
- Extinction of species
- Changes in distribution of prey species affecting higher trophic levels
- Increased success of pest species/pathogens
- Rise in sea level
Explain the relationship between the rise in concentration of atmospheric
carbon dioxide and the enhanced greenhouse effect
- Carbon dioxide and methane are greenhouse gases
- These gases occur naturally
- Human activity increased the normal level of CO2
- Sun gives off light as short radiation
- Some short wave radiation is absorbed by the earth and some is reflected
- Short-wave radiation from the sun is re-radiated as longer wave radiation in the form of heat
- Infrared captured by greenhouse gases
- Which increases the atmospheric temperature
- At a higher rate than normal, which threatens ecosystems
- CO2 concentration positively correlated with global temperature
- Link accepted by most scientists, but no proof man made increases in CO2 have caused global
warming
Explain how the process of photosynthesis affects CO2 concentrations in
the atmosphere during a typical year and the likely consequences on
Earth of the yearly rises in CO2 concentrations
- Photosynthesis uses CO2
- CO2 fixed into organic compounds by photosynthesis
- Lowering CO2 level in atmosphere
- Seasonal fluctuations of CO2 levels could be related to photosynthesis
- Caused by increased photosynthesis during summer
- Enhanced greenhouse effect caused by raised levels of CO2
- Causing global warming
- Rising of ocean levels
- Changes in weather patterns
- Ocean acidification
- Alter food webs
- Loss of habitat
- Changes in distribution of plants and animals
- May lead to extinction
Outline the causes and consequences of enhanced greenhouse effect
- Burning fuels releases CO2
- Deforestation reduces CO2 uptake
- Methane emitted from cattle/melting permafrost
- Heating of the atmosphere
- Melting of glaciers
- Changes in species distribution
Discuss the possible effects of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide
concentration on food webs
- Carbon dioxide is the limiting factor of photosynthesis
- More photosynthesis with higher CO2 levels
- Increased temperature therefore faster photosynthesis
- But increased temperature therefore faster transpiration
- Stomata have to close so less CO2 absorbed
- No effect from CO2/temperature if light intensity is limiting
- Overall effect on plants is hard to predict
- More growth of plants
- More food for first consumers
- More growth of first consumers
- and so on for second and third and other consumers
- Length of food chain might increase
- Number of species at each trophic level might increase
- Flooding might destroy food webs in low lying areas
Explain how the emission of gases, can alter the surface temperature of
the earth
- Increase in temperature is called global warming
- This is caused by the greenhouse effect
- A natural phenomenon that has occurred over million of years
- Main gas responsible is CO2
- Other gases like methane also cause effect
- Shortwave radiation from the sun enters atmosphere
- Warms the surface of the earth
- Longwave radiation emitted by the surface of the earth
- Is absorbed by greenhouse gases
- Human use of fossil fuels has increased levels of atmospheric CO2
- Rapid rise in temperature over hundred years
- Animals relates methane
- Greenhouse gases emitted by volcanic activity
Potential harmful effect of increased CO2 concentration on the ecosystem
and state measurements that reduce CO2 concentration
- Global warming
- Leads to altitude shifts of species
- Increased competition
- Rising of sea levels affects costal ecosystems
- Melting ice caps leads to changes in salinity
- Increased frequency of coral bleaching
- Changes in weather patterns
- Increased microbe activity in permafrost
- Rapid ecological change favours emergent pathogens
- CO2 absorption by photosynthesis must be encouraged
- Avoid deforestation
- Reduce burning of fossil fuels
- Use solar energy
- Insulating homes
- Using mass transport
- Eating local foods
List the gases which increase the greenhouse effect and their sources
- Carbon dioxide: Burning fossil fuels
- CFCs: Aerosols
- Nitrogen oxides: Fossil fuel burning
- Methane: Paddy fields/biomass burning