GEO217 - Climate Change Effects Quiz

GEO217 - Climate Change and Sustainability

• Course instructors: Mohamed Mahmoud, PhD and Tarek Abdel Shafy, PhD
• Contact information for instructors provided
• University: Galala University, powered by Arizona State University

Global Warming Impacts on Climate and Risk Factors

• More extreme weather events (storms, cyclones, flooding)
• More frequent, hotter, and longer heat waves
• Rapid glacier melting causes landslides, flash floods, and reduced water availability
• Disturbed rainfall patterns lead to more droughts, more extreme precipitation events, more intense rainfall, floods, and disrupted water supply.
• Sea-level rise causes saline water intrusion, loss of land/assets, and increased coastal flood frequency/severity.
• Air pollution increases exposure to particulate matter and ozone, increasing hospitalizations and deaths from respiratory diseases (e.g., asthma).

The Impact of Climate Change on the Water Cycle

• Climate change is primarily a water crisis, evidenced by worsening floods, rising sea levels, shrinking ice, and droughts.
• Extreme weather events make water more scarce and unpredictable.
• These impacts threaten sustainable development, biodiversity, and access to water/sanitation.
• Flooding and rising sea levels can contaminate land and water resources with saltwater or fecal matter, damaging infrastructure (wells, toilets, and wastewater treatment facilities)
• Droughts destabilize communities and trigger civil unrest and migration.
• Growing water demand necessitates energy-intensive pumping, transportation, treatment, and contributes to the degradation of critical water-dependent carbon sinks (e.g., peatlands).
• Water-intensive agriculture (particularly meat production and biofuel crops) exacerbates water scarcity.

Climate Change and Water Cycle Diagram

• Global warming alters nearly every stage of the water cycle.
• These changes will put pressure on drinking water supplies, food production, and property values.

Evaporation

• Warmer air holds more moisture, increasing water uptake from oceans, lakes, soil, and plants.
• Drier conditions negatively impact drinking water supplies and agriculture.

Precipitation

• Extra warm, wet air cools, resulting in heavier rain/snowstorms.

Surface Runoff

• Heavier rainstorms increase surface runoff (water flowing over the ground after a storm).
• Runoff can strip nutrients, carry pollutants, and introduce dirt/undesirables into water bodies, making water purification more expensive.
• Runoff before entering a channel can be a non-point source of pollution.

Surface Runoff (continued)

• Runoff transports sediments and contaminants, harming fish and wildlife.
• Fertilizer runoff causes algae blooms (eutrophication), suffocating aquatic life and creating a stinky mess.
• Warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen, further harming fish and aquatic life.

Oceans

• Warmer temperatures and increased acidity challenge sea creatures.
• Fish migration towards cooler waters impacts fishing industries and human consumption.
• Melting ice sheets and glaciers increase sea levels, jeopardizing coastal properties.

Snowpack

• Snowpack melts in spring, replenishing water supplies.
• Warmer temperatures shift precipitation from snow to rain, reducing water storage for later use.
• Rain accelerates snowmelt, leading to drier conditions and impacting water supplies for regions that rely on snowmelt.

Implications of Sea Level Rise

• Ice sheets and glaciers melt into oceans, causing sea level rise.
• Ocean warming and expansion (due to heat absorption) further contribute to sea level rise.
• Future sea level rise depends on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Massive ice melt in Antarctica and Greenland is a major threat.
• Sufficient ice on Earth could raise sea levels by 70 meters.

The Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture

• Increased droughts and floods challenge farmers/ranchers and threaten food safety.
• Warmer water temperatures disrupt fish and shellfish ecosystems.
• Climate change makes it harder to maintain past agricultural practices.
• Evolving factors such as farming practices and technology also impact agricultural production.

Climate Change Impacts on Crop Yield

• Increased temperature impacts crop yields depending on the crop's optimal temperature for growth and reproduction.
• Warming may benefit some crops or allow farmers to shift to crops suited for warmer regions.
• Extremely high temperatures negatively impact crop yields.

Higher CO2 Levels and Crop Yields

• Elevated CO2 levels can stimulate plant growth; however, other factors limit potential yield increases.
• Increased CO2 reduces nutritional value in food crops (e.g., wheat, soybeans, rice).
• Human health is threatened by increased pesticide use (due to pest pressures/reduced efficacy).
• Extreme temperatures/precipitation harm crops and reduce yield.

Dealing with Drought

• Increased temperatures lead to drier soils, potentially requiring increased irrigation.
• Reduced water availability during dry seasons can create challenges for irrigation.

Climate Change and Food Insecurity

• Climate change impacts food security (global/regional/local).
• Disrupted food availability/access, and reduced/affected food quality.
• Increased extreme weather events/spikes in food prices disrupt food delivery.
• Adaptation options like changes in crop management/ranching practices, and irrigation improvements are harder in developing countries.

Climate Change Impacts on Livestock

• Heat waves directly threaten livestock.
• Heat stress reduces fertility, milk production, and increases vulnerability to disease.
• Drought reduces forage/feedstock availability.
• Higher summer temperatures and reduced precipitation worsen drought effects.

Climate Change Impacts on Livestock (continued)

• Climate change increases prevalence of parasites and diseases.
• Earlier spring/warmer winters allow parasites/pathogens to survive more easily.
• Increased atmospheric CO2 can increase pasture productivity but reduce quality, forcing cattle to eat more to maintain nutritional benefits.

Climate Change Impacts on Fisheries

• Many aquatic species migrate to colder areas.
• Increased ocean acidity from atmospheric CO2 harms shellfish.
• Climate change links to marine diseases (oyster parasites, salmon diseases, coral bleaching).