HW Assignments PDF

All “HW” is to be done before the class it is assigned for because HW will relate to lecture activities. I won’t grade your answers to the readings but some of these same questions will be on the exams so it is to your advantage to do them each week. HW quizzes are graded and are part of the lectur...

All “HW” is to be done before the class it is assigned for because HW will relate to lecture activities. I won’t grade your answers to the readings but some of these same questions will be on the exams so it is to your advantage to do them each week. HW quizzes are graded and are part of the lecture activity grade; we do not have them every week. 1. What is the IPCC and what do they do? (Look it up.) PCC stands for Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The IPCC is the scientific group assembled by the United Nations to monitor and assess all global science related to climate change. 2. Examine the IPCC Climate Change Report 2023. Read part of the summary for policy makers on pages 4-6. What are two things you already knew? What is one thing you read here but don't understand? Over this period, it is likely that well-mixed greenhouse gases (GHGs) contributed a warming of 1.0°C to 2.0°C8, and other human drivers (principally aerosols) contributed a cooling of 0.0°C to 0.8°C, natural (solar and volcanic) drivers changed global surface temperature by –0.1°C to +0.1°C, and internal variability changed it by –0.2°C to +0.2°C. Q: Should we be more concerned about the change in temperature or the increase in temperature? Already knew that the GHGs were main contributors to the changes to our climate, but didn’t know how the other factors contributed to the cooling of the global surface temperature. I also thought water vapor would be a greater contributor to climate change AR5 is the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Look at Figure SPM.1: (a) on page 7 and pick one impact and relate it to happenings in your hometown or region. Be prepared to share in class. Flood/storm induced damages in coastal areas Inland flooding and associated damages -> in my hometown of HeNan, there was increased rainfall and flooding -> led to infrastructure damages -> namely the underground subway system HW2 1. Give a two sentence summary of what this article is about and how it relates to populations. The human-wildlife overlap is mainly due to the increase in population density. projected to increase across 56.6% of the Earth’s terrestrial surface by 2070 The remainder of the Earth’s surface, where there is no change in overlap, has either a human population density of zero. These changes in human-wildlife overlap were driven more by projected changes in human densities than by climate-driven shifts in species richness. We also found that the areas with very high human-wildlife over-lap in 2015 and 2070 are concentrated in regions where human population density is now very high, such as China and India (Fig. 1) 2. Look at fig 4. Across, the majority of graphs, which land-type category will experience the most increase in human population density? What is alarming about graph B? - Urban - In Asia there is an anomaly -> croplands have a greater relative change in human population density HW3 The "interconnectedness of nature" is a major theme in ecology. Here, in this reading, we see how a common activity in many of our lives is impacting the Sea Otter. What is going on? What can a cat owner do to protect the otters? Toxoplasma parasite -> from feral or pet cats Once infected, a cat can shed millions of Toxoplasma in its feces, which can contaminate the soil and water if the animal relieves itself outdoors rain can wash Toxoplasma from land to sea, where the parasite accumulates in the kelp forests that otters love. What we are trying to promote is keeping your cat indoors,” Dr. Shapiro said. “Also, disposing of feces in a bag in the trash, as opposed to flushing it down the toilet, because wastewater plants don’t reliably kill Toxoplasma.” HW4 What are the interconnections between red knots, horseshoe crabs and the biomedical industry? Cool weather, tropical storms and God knows what else seems to put the entire stopover in a sort of ecological lockdown.” But this year, unusually cool water temperatures for most of the month prevented many crabs from spawning, so thousands of the birds looked for food elsewhere -> the red knots rely on these crabs for food Demand for the crabs also comes from the biomedical industry, which uses blood from an unknown number of crabs in testing for bacterial contamination in pharmaceuticals -> their blue blood is used Human behaviour is involved with causing a chain reaction -> use of crabs for the biomedical industry -> decrease in horseshoe crab population -> decrease in food for the red knots -> decrease in red knot population HW5 What is the status of monarch butterfly populations and name some of the issues that are impacting them. We have fewer monarchs reaching the wintering colonies.” These declines have been attributed to a variety of factors, including climate change and logging near the overwintering sites. The increasing use of an herbicide known as glyphosate across large swaths of the butterfly’s Midwestern breeding range. The herbicide kills milkweed -> where the monarch butterfly lays its eggs Lecture 1 Environment: where an organism lives-> composed of both biotic and abiotic components Ecology: the study of the relationship between living things to another and the environment Ecosytem: Populations: a group of species interacting with one another Community: populations interacting with one another and the abiotic environment - Such as tide pools Factors that affect population size - Resource availability - Intraspecific competition - Interspecific interactions - Conditions of the environment Week 2 HW1 According to this article, what is a biological pump and what role do plankton play in it? When phytoplankton (like land plants, contain chlorophyll) die, some of the carbon they take in through photosynthesis sinks to the ocean depths, where it is sequestered from the atmosphere. This process, called the biological pump, makes the ocean the earth’s largest carbon sink. Types of plankton -> zooplankton + phytoplankton What does the pump transfer to the ocean depths each year? globally, the biological pump transfers 10 billion metric tons of carbon from the atmosphere to the ocean depths each year. How does this interact with climate change? A recent study found that warming temperatures cause certain phytoplankton to change from carbon absorbers to carbon emitters, a potential and unanticipated climate tipping point. Some phytoplankton are mixotrophs, meaning they can get energy either through photosynthesis or by eating other organisms. When they perform photosynthesis, they take carbon out of the atmosphere; but when they eat other organisms, they end up emitting more CO2 than they absorb. How do blooms of algae cause dead zones? As ocean temperatures rise and circulation patterns change, blooms are growing bigger and more frequent around the world. Numerous factors contribute to such blooms: more nutrients in the water from fertilizer runoff or sewage; the upwelling of deep ocean water toward the surface, which brings up more nutrients; warmer water temperatures; slow water flow or still water; and low turbidity, which enables the sun to shine through the water, helping phytoplankton growth. Blooms don’t have to release toxins to do damage. When blooms die and decay, they create “dead zones.” This is because the decomposition process uses up most of the oxygen in the water, so that other organisms suffocate and die. Also produces harmful gases Which position in the marine food web do plankton occupy? Producers -> they undergo photosynthesis They are at the base of the marine food web How plankton respond to warming waters and ocean acidification—another product of climate change—will affect ecosystem functioning and biomass production, and ultimately the productivity of the food web. HW2 Describe the interconnections between climate change, fish, coralline algae, peyssonneliaceae algae and reef health. Point out an example of competition (one of the interspecific interactions). 1. Red algae started to form crusts on such corals 2. hese algae are spreading rapidly in the Caribbean Sea and elsewhere, killing existing corals and crowding out new ones 3. The authors don’t have a solid explanation for the algae expansion, although warming waters or another aspect of climate change may be a driver. 4. Coralline algae also form crusts on reefs but help promote growth of the living structures -> scientists often mistake them for peyssonneliaceae which are detrimental The peyssonneliacae form thicker, brown or dark red crusts that are often a little squishy above a hard base - Fishes like to eat the coralline algae-> but not the peyssonneliacae -> meaning it continues to “smother” the corals to death because there aren’t any predators targetting it - damaged coral from regenerating by preventing drifting coral larvae from settling and maturing into sedentary adult polyps, Point out an example of competition (one of the interspecific interactions). - The competition for resources between the red algae and the coralline algae -> because the red algae has been so dominant-> the coralline algae can no longer largely inhabit the coral reefs - These algae may be a potentially new dominant organism on coral reefs globally,” HW3 Look at the map on pages 2-4. Which major city is near river mile marker 145? Albany Which bridge is between river mile markers 10 and 15? George Washington bridge Read a bit closer the section of the reading entitled "A River that Flows Both Ways". What natural phenomenon is the title referring to? The hudson river is an estuary -> the wide part of a river where it meets the ocean, where fresh and salt water mix. According to this reading, what is a partially mixed estuary? In slightly stratified or partially mixed estuaries, saltwater and freshwater mix at all depths; however, the lower layers of water typically remain saltier than the upper layers. Thus, the three-dimensional distribution of salt is complex and dynamic. What is the name of the part of the river between the Verrazano Narrows and the George Washington Bridge? The new york harbor Describe the salinity in the part of the river between the Verrazano Narrows and the George Washington Bridge? The distinct two-layer vertical structure occurs, with a saline bottom layer overlain by a freshwater surface lens. Wind and tide mix the two layers so there is a vertical salinity gradient from fresh to saline, as one goes from the surface to bottom waters. At some point upstream the Hudson is fresh water from surface to bottom Do you think the salinity is different in the part of the river near Albany compared to the part of the river between the Verrazano Narrows and the George Washington Bridge? Why or why not? Yes, “at some point upstream the Hudson is fresh water from surface to bottom” Since Albany is more upstream -> so more freshwater and lower salinity Compared to the new york harbor because its closer to the atlantic ocean -> so higher salinity HW4 Does the sun or moon have a greater influence on tides? Why? Tides are caused by the interaction between the gravitational and centrifugal forces Dominant tides are lunar tides The moon is closer-> stronger gravitational pull What happens to the tides when the sun and moon are in line with each other? Their combined gravitational pulls results in strong tides-> called spring tides Spring tides are strongest near the equinoxes ->the time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of approximately equal length (about September 22 and March 20). What happens to the tide when the sun and moon are at right angles to each other? Their tides cancel out each other -> resulting in weak tides Timing: Neap tides occur during the first and third quarter phases of the moon, when the moon appears "half full" from Earth's perspective. Gravitational effects: At this alignment, the sun's gravitational pull partially cancels out the moon's gravitational tug on Earth. What is meant by stratification in the hudson river, describe it in the context of salinity? Semidiurnal tides are a type of tidal cycle that occurs twice a day, with two high and two low tides of roughly equal size. The high tides are typically about 12 hours and 25 minutes apart Differences in density from temperature differences are too slight to resist tidal mixing in the Hudson, so the Hudson never stratifies thermally. However, saltwater from the ocean is much denser than freshwater (so it stays at the bottom of the river), - the water sample with higher salinity will have greater mass, and it will therefore be more dense so intrusions of salty ocean water into the lower Hudson can cause the river to stratify. Dissolved oxygen and dissolved organic matter: Concentrations of DOM are expressed as DOC salinability further reduces the solubility of oxygen -> approximately 20% less soluble in seawater than freshwater What is the typical range of dissolved oxygen in the HR? We're used to oxygen always being 21% of the atmosphere with almost no variation from place to place, but it is common to measure dissolved oxygen concentrations ranging from o to 15 mg/L at different times and places in the Hudson. Is the concentration of DO in the river stable? Relatively less than in air What 3 factors control the concentration of DO in the river? The balance between respiration and photosynthesis, by exchange with the atmosphere, and water movements that carry oxygen rich or oxygen poor water from place to place What is a common human cause of decreased DO in the river? The dumping of organic waste -> absorbed by bacteria because its easy to breakdown -> takes lots of oxygen -> causes rapid depletion of oxygen in the river -> bad for organisms that live there What is the process that depletes DO Aerobic respiration -> because it takes in oxygen (significant amounts) What are the main roles of DOM? Primary food sources for aquatic bacteria DOM can also be an important carrier for metals and other contaminants that are not very soluble in water but that can stay in solution by attaching to DOM. 1) What is the main difference between plankton and nekton? Plankton: microscopic, contain chlorophyll & photosynthesize, base of food web, diverse Two group of Plankton mentioned: 1. Blue-greens(algae) - bacteria(cyanobacteria) -Abundant in fresh water. -Capture/fix N2 (when there is nitrogen in the ecosystem -> means N2 has been fixed) and provide a new source of available N2 to the ecosystem 2.Diatoms are a form of phytoplankton -Responsible for large part of primary production -Important food for zooplankton and benthic animal -live in glassy shells -require dissolved silicon to survive Nekton: In hudson, mostly fish. Other than fish, blue crab 2)What kind of animal dominates the Hudson nekton community? Fish. 3)What important role is played by diatoms? -Responsible for large part of primary production -Important food for zooplankton and benthic animal (animals that live in or on sediments) -live in glassy shells -require dissolved silicon to survive 4) What important role is played by the copepods - they feed on phytoplankton - They are large and long enough to be important food for many fish HW5 What are 4 ecosystem services provided by oysters? https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/10/10/654781446/oysters-on-the-half-shell-are-actually-sa ving-new-yorks-eroding-harbor Oyster reefs provide great marine habitat, similar to coral reefs, with nooks and crannies to protect juvenile fish, and are active food for some species HW6 How is the flood risk solution proposed for NYC different from the one for London? Other cities facing such risks — including Rotterdam, the Netherlands; London; and St. Petersburg, Russia — have built arrays of movable gates across the main entrances to their harbors. These highly effective and reliable harborside surge barriers can protect large areas while leaving shorelines free for recreation and other uses. And they are an ideal fit for the geography of New York Harbor. are 50 miles of 12-to-20-foot-high floodwalls, levees and other shoreline structures that would interfere with public access and connection to the water on long stretches of existing developed waterfronts and parks-> basically not “movable” and can obstruct What negative impact might "harbor gates" have on the conditions in the Hudson River near NYC? 1. The gates would have to be individually closed whenever a major storm threatens, requiring an extraordinary level of coordination. Failure to successfully deploy one gate could lead to large-scale flooding. 2. Floodwalls will also require expensive modifications to New York City’s drainage system and costly pump stations to prevent neighborhoods behind the walls from being flooded by rainwater Week 3 HW1 Keep your eye on NY state in Figures A and B and describe the weather that NY experiences when we have a jet stream trough over the east versus a bulge over the east. Many areas of the Northeast, Midwest and South saw a wetter-than-average May due to a persistent southward plunge of the jet stream, or trough, over the East -> lead to wetter climates The jet stream will bulge northward into southeastern Canada -> this means there will be an increased chance for near- to above-average temperatures and lower chances for rain or thunderstorms -> leads to hotter climates There an opposite effect on the west coast HW2 According to this article, what are Rossby Waves? The jet stream is a fast-moving river of air that continuously circles the Northern Hemisphere from west to east. It generally flows within relatively straight boundaries, segregating cold polar air masses from the midlatitudes, but at times it can naturally develop big wobbles. Given the right conditions, certain of these wobbles can become amplified into symmetrical waves that then lock in place across the globe, somewhat similar to the vibrations that produce a constant musical pitch. These are called Rossby waves. Rossby waves -> draws warm, dry air from the subtropics up to the midlatitudes, causing concurrent summer heat waves and droughts in predictable parts of North America, Europe and Asia. HW3 Understanding El Nino Usually, the trade winds flow from south america to asia and australia -> clockwise movement This leads to an increase in moist air in asiantic countries because water evaporates -> leading to seasonal monsoons Cold water wells up from the depths to replace the water being pushed towards asia and australia -> keeping the air and the south america coast dry However -> sometimes trade winds stop -> this causes warm water to move back to south america -> this leads to el nino -> the pattern of rainfall reverses Hence the warm water in southern america -> el nino disrupts jet streams -> bringing flooding and colder weather to west coast areas such as california The warmer waters cause the Pacific jet stream to move south of its neutral position. With this shift, areas in the northern U.S. and Canada are dryer and warmer than usual. La nina La Niña means Little Girl in Spanish. La Niña is also sometimes called El Viejo, anti-El Niño, or simply "a cold event." La Niña has the opposite effect of El Niño. During La Niña events, trade winds are even stronger than usual, pushing more warm water toward Asia. Off the west coast of the Americas, upwelling increases, bringing cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface. HW4 Briefly explain how hurricanes happen. The difference in temperature between the seas and upper air -> warm moist air from the surface rises into the cold air -> the warm air condenses forming clouds that release heat -> accelerating the process of creating the hurricane/ typhoon -> the rotation of the earth gives it a nudge -> the warm air gives it more moisture -> leading to increased precipitation Warmer oceans will cause warmer air near the surface -> this contrasts with the colder air above ->this difference -> accelerating the hurricane HW5 What is AMOC? What are the consequences if it collapses? How steps would lead to the collapse? Using computer models and past data, the researchers developed an early warning indicator for the breakdown of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (Amoc), a vast system of ocean currents that is a key component in global climate regulation. TYK AMOC: is the vast system of ocean current that regulates global climate Consequences include: Affecting the stability of sea levels in coastal cities Fluctuating temperature it also mapped some of the consequences of Amoc collapse: Sea levels in the Atlantic would rise by a meter in some regions, inundating many coastal cities. The wet and dry seasons in the Amazon would flip, potentially pushing the already weakened rainforest past its own tipping point. Temperatures around the world would fluctuate far more erratically. The southern hemisphere would become warmer. Europe would cool dramatically and have less rainfall. While this might sound appealing compared with the current heating trend, the changes would hit 10 times faster than now, making adaptation almost impossible. Week 4 HW1 "Why Enterococcus". What is Enterococcus? Enterococcus is a fecal indicating bacteria that lives in the intestines of humans and other warm-blooded animals. Enterococcus (“Entero”) counts are useful as a water quality indicator due to their abundance in human sewage, correlation with many human pathogens and low abundance in sewage free environments. Enterococcus is a genus of Gram positive, facultative anaerobic, a lactic acid bacterium. HW2 1. In each building, the pumps deliver material from the outflow through tubing to a pre-labeled glass bottle housed inside a miniature refrigerator that keeps intact any virus that is present. 2. There, Rondeau sets the bottles in a hot-water bath for an hour, which inactivates the viruses and bacteria in the samples but doesn’t degrade the virus’s structure. 3. At noon, a student joins Rondeau; donning green lab coats and goggles, they begin processing the material, filtering and concentrating the liquid from 40 milliliters to 200 microliters. Finally, the pair performs the PCR analysis to test for the presence of the coronavirus. In the late afternoon, Rondeau emails her results to the project’s team for the final report. HW3 Why is it important to have fishing quotas? (Use two examples from the article to support your response.) - silvery fish play a crucial role in the ecology of coastal waters all along the Eastern Seaboard, feeding bigger fish like striped bass and weakfish; marine mammals including whales and dolphins; and birds like bald eagles, great blue herons and brown pelicans - It’s not that the fish aren’t there; it’s that they are getting wiped out too fast for nature to replenish them.” - The record-low level of osprey chicks in the area follows successive declines in the reproductive rate of 1.39 per pair in 1984, 0.91 in 1990 and 0.75 by 2006, all reflecting the local depletion of menhaden stocks -> basically how menhaden depletion affects other species HW4 How much of the Earth’s land surface do grassland ecosystems take up? accounting for ~40.5% of the Earth’s land surface excluding Greenland and Antarctica How much of the terrestrial carbon stock do grasslands store? Grasslands store approximately one third of the global terrestrial carbon stocks and can act as an important soil carbon sink. Where is most of the grassland carbon stored? They also store ~34% of the terrestrial carbon stock (1), with ~90% of their carbon stored below ground as root bio-mass and soil organic carbon (SOC) In grassland ecosystems, ~60% of net primary productivity is allocated belowground What are some ecosystem services provided by grasslands? - Act as carbon sinks - Maintain biodiversity - Cycle and move nutrients On average, root carbon inputs have a SOC stabilization efficiency that is five times greater than aboveground carbon inputs -> they act as carbon sicks What are three threats to grasslands? 1. Human disturbance 2. Conversion of agriculture 3. Climate change However, grasslands are highly vulnerable to human disturbance (e.g., overgrazing and land-use conversion to agriculture) and climate change (1–3).