Climatic Changes Interaktiv

The Evidence of theClimatic Changes in Germany

• Main effects of the climatic changes

2. Impact on:• agricultural areas• the Alps• the North Sea• cities• rivers & lakes

Main effects of the climatic changes

The impact on different regions in GermanyChoose one!


The impact on agriculture in GermanyGeneral

harvest depends on climate

• better growing of plants

• period of growing starts earlier & lasts longer

• increase of harvest & quality of harvest of plants which need a lot of warmth

• less fertility of the ground

• spreading of pests, insects & diseases

• higher water evaporation

The impact on agriculture in GermanyEvidence: higher temperatures

• moist ground in early spring

• danger of flooding & erosion

• damage of plants by hail

• minerals are washed out of the ground

The impact on agriculture in GermanyEvidence: changing precipitation

• plants can do photosynthesis better

• depends on the kind of plant

The impact on agriculture in GermanyEvidence: higher carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere

• change seeding dates• cultivate different kinds of plants• change kind of fertilization• protect plants against pesticides• adjust to the water conditions• protect fields against erosion

The impact on agriculture in GermanyHow can farmers adjust to the climatic changes?

The impact on agriculture in GermanyConclusion

farmers have to adapt to the new climatic conditions

agriculture is able to deal with the climatic changes

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The impact on cities in GermanyGeneral

The impact on cities in GermanyEvidence: extreme weather situations

heat waves

temperature differences between cities and surrounding countryside up to 10°C

danger to the health of people


Colon - view of the Dom


heat waves

Temperature differences between cities and surrounding countryside up to 10°C

danger to the health of people

heavy rain

possibility of violent thunderstorms, floods and even tornadoes

strain to the urban sewage system,destroying of cities

financial problem for cities danger to the health of the inhabitants

The impact on cities in GermanyConclusion

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The impact on the North SeaGeneral

Main climatic changes:

rising temperature

increase of wind and storm

rise of Mean Sea Level

danger of floods

changes in Ecosystem

The impact on the North SeaEvidence: higher temperature

rise of the average temperature until middle of the 21st

century: +1.8°C

Temperature

The impact on the North SeaEvidence: wind & storm

increase of the average wind speed until middle of the 21st century : +1%

Average wind speed

The impact on the North SeaEvidence: wind & storm

rise of the storm intensity until middle of the 21st century: +1%

Storm intensity

The impact on the North Sea

•rise of MSL ( mean sea level) of the North Sea

a) during the last century : 25 cm ( in contrast: 15 cm worldwide) b) until the end of 21st century : 50 cm

Evidence: rise of the mean sea level

higher sea level

The impact on the North Sea

•Increase of the storm floods at the north sea

a) in the next decades : rising of water level :10 – 30 cm b) until the end of 21st century : rising of water level : 60 - 80 cm

Evidence: danger of floods

storm flood

The impact on the North SeaEvidence: changes in Ecosystem

intrusion of foreign species

expulsion of local species

changes in ecosystem

changes of food basis

The impact on the North SeaScenario: best case scenario

smallest rise ofaverage temperatureuntil end of the 21st century: +1.9°C

smallest rise ofaverage storm intensity until end of the 21st century:+0%

Temperature Storm intensity

The impact on the North SeaScenarios: best case scenario

Impact of the best case scenario:moderate effects on the ecosystemno changes in the living conditions of the coast dwellers

The impact on the North SeaScenarios: worst case scenario

maximum increase ofaverage temperatureuntil end of the 21st century: +4,5°C

maximum increase ofaverage storm intensity until end of the 21st century:+3%

Storm intensityStorm intensityTemperature

The impact on the North SeaScenario: worst case scenario

Impact of the worst case scenario:massive effects on the ecosystemdramatic changes in the living conditions of the coast dwellers

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The impact on rivers & lakes in GermanyGeneral

• more droughts low water level

• glacial melting more floods

flood

The impact on rivers & lakes in GermanyEvidence: rivers warm up

rivers warm up

fish die

oxygen content falls

fish have to breathe on the surface

fish dive deeper to escape thewarm water

seabirds do not find enough food

power plants can not be cooled

no security of energy supplies

decreasing fish industry

bad food supply,less reproduc-tion among fish

unemployment

The impact on rivers & lakes in GermanyConclusion

fish dying no security of energy supply

fish dying

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The impact on forests in GermanyGeneral

Main changes:rising temperature changing hydrologic balance decrease of the water supply too little water in summer

• spreading of different trees influenced by the temperature & rainfall

• pests profit from climatic change• more pests live through the winter

rising number of pests• area where you can find pests is extended

The impact on forests in GermanyEvidence: pests

The impact on forests in GermanyEvidence: the bark beetle

• ca.150 types of bark beetle in Germany

• live mostly in weak trees & favor conifers

• climatic change helps beetle to extend into new areas

bark beetle

The impact on forests in GermanyEvidence: Oak Processionary Moth

• harmful for humans

• coverage was Mediterranean region

has extended all over Germany & Europe

• causes allergies

Oak Processionary Moth

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The impact on the alps in GermanyGeneral

•greenhouse effect•regional climatic

changes

(rainfall staying away)

•de-icing of glaciers

( up to 30%)•de-icing of permafrost•reduce durance of snow covering

some areas

The impact on the alps in GermanyEvidence: de-icing glaciers

natural disasters: breaking down of glaciers causing

avalanches glaciers breaking into glacial lakes

causing huge waves

glacier covered with foils

The impact on the alps in GermanyEvidence: de-icing permafrost

Retreat of permafrost:destabilisation of rocksaffects basements of buildings and lift

stations

perm frosted ground

The impact on the alps in GermanyEvidence of higher temperatures on nature

more species are able to live in the Alps:new species are dominant“old” species can not survive in the Alps &

can not settle anywhere elseextinction of many species

Ptarmigan

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VocabularyWords you do not know

English word Explanation

increase to become more

fertility / fertileareas of land or soil where crops can be grown successfully

pests destructive insect that attacks plants

evaporationprocess whereby water is changed from a liquid to a gas (water vapor)

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precipitationthe falling to earth of any form of water ( for example rain or snow)

moist lightly wet



photosynthesisprocess by which plants generate carbohydrates and oxygen from carbon dioxide, water, and light energy

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fertilizationchemical compounds to make plants more productive

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sewage system system transport sewage through cities

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average measure of the "middle" of a value

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expulsionact of forcing someone to leave a certain place

intrusion entry into a foreign area

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coast dwellers people or animals living on the coast

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drought period where to less rain falls

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power plantsindustrial facility for the generation of electric power picture

unemployment not having a job

oxygen content amount of oxygen in the atmosphere

reproduction the process of generating offspring

food supply availability of food


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conifer kind of tree picture


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permafrostground which is frozen all over the year

de-icing melting of ice and snow

glacier huge mass of ice picture



avalanchesslide of large masses of snow and ice rolling down a mountain picture

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basement a floor of a building below ground level

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extinctiondeath of every member of a species, species is no longer in existance

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power plant

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conifer

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glacier

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avalanche

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SourcesWhere have we got our information?

http://clear.eawag.ch/menu d.htmlhttp://www.proclim.ch/ClimateFacts.htmlhttp://news.swiss-science.ch/news/newsarchive.jsp

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Climatic Changes Interaktiv