Deck 28: Global Climate Change

Question 1

The absorption of thermal (long-wave)radiation emitted by the Earth's surface and atmosphere by naturally occurring chemical compounds in the atmosphere is a phenomenon referred to as the ________ effect.

Answer 1

greenhouse

Question 2

Deforestation is a major cause of the recent rise in concentrations of the atmospheric gas ________.

Answer 2

carbon dioxide

Question 3

General circulation models consistently predict an increase in both average global ________ and average global precipitation.

Answer 3

temperature

Question 4

________ levels were about 100 metres lower during the last glacial maximum than they are today, and are expected to rise higher in the future as a consequence of global warming.

Question 5

Samples of pollen taken from ________ cores in lake beds have allowed scientists to reconstruct the vegetation of many regions of the past 20 000 years.

Question 6

Albedo, an index of the ability of a surface to reflect solar radiation back to space, is relatively high for vegetation and low for ________.

Question 7

The process of ________ controls uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the oceans.

Question 8

According to general circulation models, warming is expected to be most significant during the ________ season and in northern latitudes.

Question 9

Atmospheric scientists have developed complex computer models of Earth's climate system called general ________ models.

Question 10

In response to an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide, plants generally

A)decrease their water-use efficiency.
B)increase their rate of photosynthesis.
C)open their stomata more.
D)increase water loss from transpiration.

Question 11

Plants exposed to higher atmospheric carbon dioxide often partially close the ________ in their leaves to reduce water loss.

Question 12

Within the past century, the major source of carbon emissions into the atmospheric has been

A)deforestation.
B)volcanic eruptions.
C)the combustion of fossil fuels.
D)forest fires.

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT true?

A)A large proportion of ocean water is not available for carbon dioxide uptake.
B)As the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide increases, the oceans take up more carbon dioxide.
C)When carbon dioxide dissolves in water, some of it is transformed into carbonates.
D)The thermocline causes the ocean to have a higher capacity for absorbing carbon dioxide.

Question 14

Decomposition proceeds faster under warm and ________ conditions.

Question 15

Which of the following gases in the atmosphere is NOT considered a greenhouse gas?

A)carbon dioxide
B)nitrogen
C)water vapour
D)ozone

Question 16

Plants usually react to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide by increasing their rate of ________.

Question 17

When carbon dioxide dissolves in ocean water, much of it is transformed into ________.

Question 18

The atmospheric concentration of ________ has increased by more than 25% in the past century, largely due to the burning of fossil fuels.

Question 19

Deforestation is a major cause of increased atmospheric concentrations of

A)carbon dioxide.
B)ozone.
C)oxygen.
D)chlorofluorocarbons.

Question 20

A major source of aerosols resulting from human activities is sulfates and soot from the burning of ________ fuels.

Question 21

Which of the following is most likely to occur as a consequence of global climate change?

A)increases in sea levels, coastal erosion, flooding, and salinity of aquifers
B)increases in sea levels, coastal erosion, flooding, and a decrease in salinity of aquifers
C)increases in sea levels and coastal erosion and decreases in flooding and salinity of aquifers
D)an increase in sea levels and decreases in coastal erosion, flooding, and salinity of aquifers

Question 22

Mosquitoes will die at temperatures ________ or humidity ________.

A)> 25°C; < 50%
B)> 35°C; < 25%
C)< 35°C; >25%
D)> 45°C; < 5%

Question 23

The Athabasca Oil Sands are believed to be one of the world's largest deposits, holding ________ barrels of crude.

A)170 000
B)1)7 million
C)1)7 billion
D)1)7 trillion

Question 24

Most plants respond to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide by increasing their photosynthetic rate.

Question 25

Humans are causing the first instances of significant climate change in Earth's history.

Question 26

Greenhouse gases existed naturally in the atmosphere before the industrial revolution.

Question 27

Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide are rising.

Question 28

The Earth's terrestrial ecosystems are net producers of carbon.

Question 29

Warm and humid conditions are challenging for human beings and can reach past our tolerance range. In 1936, the highest death toll due to these conditions resulted in ________ deaths in Canada.

A)225
B)520
C)780
D)4700

Question 30

Deforestation causes a decrease in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.

Question 31

As aerosol concentrations increase

A)the amount of radiation reaching the Earth's surface increases.
B)temperatures decrease.
C)ozone is formed more rapidly in the stratosphere.
D)the polar ice caps melt.

Question 32

Which of the following biomes is most likely to increase its primary productivity in response to an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide?

A)temperate coniferous forest
B)tropical rainforest
C)temperate grassland
D)temperate deciduous forest

Question 33

Carbon dioxide is the only greenhouse gas that is increasing as a result of human activities.

Question 34

The general circulation models developed by atmospheric scientists predict that in the future

A)temperatures, sea levels, variability of climate, and precipitation will all increase.
B)temperatures, sea levels, and variability of climate will increase while precipitation will decrease.
C)temperatures and sea levels will increase while variability of climate and precipitation will decrease.
D)temperatures and precipitation will increase while sea levels and variability of climate will decrease.

Question 35

Several greenhouse gases are more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.

Question 36

Which of the following is most likely to occur as a consequence of global climate change?

A)The distributions of plants and animals will move closer toward the equator.
B)The distributions of plants and animals in mountains will move downward to lower elevations.
C)The rates of decomposition and microbial activity will increase, thus increasing emissions of carbon dioxide.
D)The distribution of tropical rain forests will increase.

Question 37

A mean daily increase of 1°C would shift the North American corn belt

A)175 km due north.
B)175 km south west.
C)175 km north east.
D)nowhere. There would be no shift.

Question 38

In response to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide, primary productivity is more likely to increase in seasonally dry environments than in seasonally moist environments.

Question 39

As a consequence of global climate change, crop production is likely to

A)increase in both developed and developing countries.
B)increase in developed countries and decrease in developing countries.
C)decrease in developed countries and increase in developing countries.
D)decrease in both developed and developing countries.

Question 40

Most plants respond to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide by partially closing their stomata, reducing water loss due to transpiration.

Question 41

What are thought to be the major causes of the recent rise in atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide?

Question 42

Discuss the anticipated changes in the distribution of plants, animals, and ecosystems in response to global climate change.

Question 43

Describe the potential impacts of global climate change on agricultural production.

Question 44

The proportion of the world's population exposed to malarial infection is expected to increase as a consequence of global climate change.

Question 45

General circulation models predict that global warming will be greatest during the winter months and in northern latitudes.

Question 46

Most species of agricultural crops will benefit from a rise in carbon dioxide concentrations by increasing crop yields.

Question 47

Describe the potential impacts of global climate change on coastal environments.

Question 48

Minimum, or night, temperatures have increased more dramatically than maximum, or day, temperatures within the past century.

Question 49

How do plants respond to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide? Do all plants respond the same way?

Question 50

Aerosols reduce the amount of radiation reaching Earth's surface and thus have a cooling effect.

Question 51

Discuss the major trends expected to occur in the global climate as greenhouse gases in the atmosphere continue to rise.

Question 52

Is there an argument for studying ecology from a global perspective? If so, what would be the challenges?

Question 53

The albedo of vegetation is higher than it is for snow and ice.

Question 54

As a consequence of global climate change, plant and animal distributions will generally shift toward higher latitudes and elevations.

Question 55

As a consequence of global climate change, human populations in low-lying coastal areas will become threatened by rising sea levels.

Question 56

Discuss the roles of terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems in absorbing carbon dioxide.