Exam 3
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Identify the biological impacts resulting from fossil fuel CO2 emissions.
What are criticisms of using lab rats to set sage limits to human exposure?
Explain how burning wood for heat (wood -> CO2 + heat) does not produce a net increase in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.
?
What does EROI stand for?
Energy Return on Investment
EROI =
Energy acquired / energy spent
Which energy source has the highest EROI and what is it?
Hydro; 100
What are the physical changes of burning fossil fuels?
• Temperature increasing • Greater frequency of extreme weather events • Sea level rising (glacier melt (50%) + thermal expansion (50%)) • Acidification
Acidification
CO2 + H2o –> 2H+ + CO2-/3
What are the biological changes of burning fossil fuels?
Northward shifts in distribution “Feed-need” disjunction Shifts in phenology
What are the fates of trees in the changing climate?
• Migrate to track “temperature window” • Adapt to altered conditions (in place) • Disappearance (extirpation)
phenology
study of environmental conditions that trigger important life events (e.g., loss of leaves in the fall) timing of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena (usually in relation to climate)
Phenology shifts
Herbivores 6 days earlier, upper trophic levels > 3 days earlier - decoupling between predator and prey - elevated temps: - predators don’t concur with prey - some bit of overlap
Green sea turtle sex is determined by
Temperature they are incubated at
What is the “pivotal temperature” for sex determination of green sea turtles?
29°C
What are the unexpected consequences of seawalls holding back rising tides?
seawalls holding back rising tides + sea level rise = no beach to lay eggs for turtles
How has the climate change discussion has changed direction?
From “is it happening?” and “do humans’ actions contribute?” to “what do we have to do to reduce eventual severity and adapt to changes”
What are approaches to dealing with with global change?
• Reduce energy use • Shift from fossil fuels to alternative energy (electrification) • Carbon capture and storage • Geoengineering • Birth control?
What are ways of reducing energy use?
• More efficient vehicles —> less vehicle use • More efficient buildings • “Smart growth”: build and renovate in ways that make things accessible
Which law regards efficiency of buildings?
Local Law 97
The Local Law 97 states:
By 2030, carbon emissions have to be reduced by a certain amount to avoid
How does carbon capture and storage work?
Suck CO2 out of atmosphere and make it solid, then bury it somewhere
What are the functions of geoengineering?
• CO2 removal - Pull CO2 out of atmosphere - Reforesting/replanting: as trees grow, they remove more CO2 from water • Solar radiation management
What is the difference between carbon capture and geoengineering?
Geoengineering uses nature