Humans and Ecology:

What are we doing, what should we do, what can we do, and does it matter?

Why are species going extinct?

The complex molecules that comprise organisms are based on carbon

Fig 55.14 Carbon cycle

Solar energy: incoming and outgoing

http://www.esr.org/outreach/climate_change/basics/basics.html

http://www.esr.org/outreach/climate_change/basics/basics.html

CO2 and other greenhouse gases keep heat from radiating back into space

http://www.esr.org/outreach/climate_change/basics/basics.html

CO2 levels in Hawaii and average global temp.

Fig55.21

Aren't these temperature increases just because of increased urbanization?

Fig55.21

Aren't these temperature increases just because of increased urbanization?

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast15nov_1.htm

http://www.cabq.gov/albuquerquegreen/images/urban_heat_island.jpg/image

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1419

A poorly sited temperature sensor in Marysville, California. The sensor is situation right next to an asphalt parking lot, instead in the middle of a grassy field, as it is supposed to be. The sensor is also adjacent to several several air conditioners that blow their exhaust into the air nearby.

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1419

Annual average maximum and minimum unadjusted temperature change calculated using (c) maximum and (d) minimum temperatures from good and poor exposure sites (Menne 2010).

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1419

Poor sites showed a cooler maximum temperature compared to good sites.

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1419

For minimum temperature, the poor sites were slightly warmer.

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1419

The net effect was a cool bias in poorly sited stations

http://www.esr.org/outreach/climate_change/basics/basics.html

Gases trapped in ice core bubbles can tell us about past climate conditions.

http://www.esr.org/outreach/climate_change/basics/basics.html

http://www.esr.org/outreach/climate_change/basics/basics.html

Recent increases in global temperature have reversed a slight cooling trend

Vikings in Greenland in the 1200-1400’s

As the climate cooled, the Vikings were forced to abandon their outposts

370

Effects of global warming are already visible

http://www.worldviewofglobalwarming.org/pages/glaciers.html

~500 m people~300 m people ~2.5 b people

Relative contributions to Global Warming

Humans and Ecology:

What are we doing, what should we do, what can we do, and does it matter?