BIOLOGIST

 

 What are greenhouse gases? How do these gases relate to Global Warming? 		 Greenhouse gases are gases that absorb heat from the sun. These gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and water vapor. These gases cause Global Warming because they increase the earth’s temperature.

 How do increased amounts of these gases affect global and local climates? Give data as evidence.		 Increased amounts of these gases raise global and local climates. Too much of these gases cause an unnatural amount of heat in the atmosphere. Because of the greenhouse gases, the earth’s average temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit. 
Since the late 19th century, when more greenhouse gases have been produced, surface temperatures have increased 0.6 to 1.2 degrees Fahrenheit. The last 15 years have been the warmest years because of new technological developments, which cause more build-up of greenhouse gases.

 How does the amount of CO2 released by plant respiration and the decomposition of organic matter compare to that released by human activities? Historically, was this always true? 		 The amount of CO2 released by plant respiration and the decomposition of organic matter is ten times of that released by human activities. However, what is different about the CO2 released by human activities is that it is not balanced out. The CO2 that is released by plants have been in balance with the CO2 absorbed by plant photosynthesis. Nevertheless, things have changed because of the increased CO2 that is released. This increased CO2 is caused by burning of energy to run automobiles, to heat houses, and to power factories. The main cause is the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas.

 What effect does change in climate due to increased greenhouse gases have on rate of evaporation, average precipitation, soil moisture, storm frequencies, and sea level? How does this impact specific ecosystems? How does it affect agriculture?		 Cause: change in climate due to increased greenhouse gases
Effects: 

A) As the temperature increases, the rate of evaporation goes up.
B) As the rate of evaporation climbs up, the average precipitation will also go up because rain comes from evaporation.
C) Soil moisture decreases because the heat in the air keeps it from being warm.
D) Rainstorms become more frequent due to increased rates of evaporation.
E) Sea level continues to rise. It has risen 4-10 inches over the past century. Experts predict that the sea level will rise 2 feet along the coast. Warm temperatures cause oceans to expand and glaciers to melt, which in turn raises the sea level.
F) Ecosystems will shift poleward (cooler areas) to remain within their climate requirements. What happens to most ecosystems will depend on whether rainfall increases or decreases. 
a) Forests in North America could shift by 200 miles to the North. Forest types may disappear and loss of living trees may also occur. 
b) Grazing activities on rangelands could be harmed by climate change. The geographical extent and the plant composition of rangelands could be altered. 
c) Deserts will expand poleward and toward the equator. 
d) Impact on non-tidal wetlands depends on changes in the amount of rainfall. In dry areas, droughts will lower water tables, which will make the land dryer.
e) The outer boundaries of coastal marshes and swamps will erode; new wetlands will form inland; chances of flooding will increase.
f) Sea level rise brought on by climate change will increase the chances of extreme floods or low flows of water in National Parks and National Forests.
G) Agriculture will be affected by climate change because soil moisture, temperature, precipitation, water availability, erosion, insects, and carbon dioxide will change. Warm temperatures can cause droughts and extreme temperatures can affect the functioning of plants. Floods caused by sea level rise can ruin crops. Extreme weather events such as floods, heavy rain, high winds and hail caused by climate changes will also damage crops. Temperatures will spread crop pests. High temperatures will cause weeds to migrate.

 Temperature extremes, air quality & ground level ozone, extreme weather events, and vector-borne diseases are all influenced by change in climate. Explain each of these and their impacts on humans.		 6) Temperature extremes, air quality & ground level ozone, extreme weather events, and vector-borne diseases are all influenced by change in climate. Explain each of these and their impacts on humans.

A) Temperature extremes could affect the functioning of plants, as mentioned above. Humans will be affected because of food availability. 
B) Change in climate can cause an increase in air pollutants, pollens, and mold spores. These relate to respiratory and allergic disorders. 
C) Disease-carrying insects that move to wet grounds may spread and contaminate drinking water. 
D) Heat waves will become more serious. This can cause illnesses and deaths due to the increased intensity of the heat waves. Extreme precipitation, droughts, floods, storms, and fires cause injury and death. Heat waves and winter storms can cause cardiac and respiratory deaths.
E) Changes in temperature can transmit diseases such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and encephalitis. These diseases are spread by vectors like mosquitoes and rodents. The vectors move to different environments. Changes can also expose people to new diseases. Malaria, characterized by severe chills and fever, could cause one million extra deaths due to Global Warming. Severe droughts are related to meningitis. 
 

 Describe and document some of the health effects of ozone depletion.

 Ozone depletion increases ultraviolet-B radiation in the atmosphere. UV-B radiation suppresses the immune system of humans and animals. Excess exposure to this radiation can increase risks of skin cancer and cataracts. Ultraviolet radiation can cause sunburn of the cornea and conjunctiva (“snow blindness” or “welder’s arc flash”). This condition can also cause eyelid spasms, photophobia, severe pain, profuse tearing, and blurred vision. Long exposures to UV-B can produce cataracts, which is the clouding of the lens. Other affects include the alteration of immunologic responses that deal with cancers and the reduction of immunization rates. This radiation can cause lupus, and relates to medication reactions and carcinogenic genetic mutations. Overexposure to ultraviolet radiation can provoke herpes simplex virus infections of the oral cavity.

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