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Climate activity worksheet

Marine Biology (Nova Southeastern University)

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Name:t_______________________________Date:_____________

Ocean’s Impact on Climate Activity Worksheet

Instructions: While exploring the effects of climate change on glaciers in the Ocean's Impact on Climate
Activity, record your findings below. You will submit your completed activity worksheet.

(30 points possible)

Part One
Scientists have studied 37 glaciers since 1980 to collect data on their average mass. Use the
research you collected from the two articles and the diagrams below to help you answer the
following questions.

© 2015 Climate.gov - NOAA

1. What was the average yearly ice loss in 1980 versus 2010? (1 point)
In 1980 the average loss in mm of month was -200, in 2010 it was about -600 mm of
water
2. What is the overall trend shown in this graph? (2 points)
The overall trend is that ice is continuously melting, some years more than others.
3. How does a melting glacier affect the ocean? (2 points)
Melting glaciers can raise the ocean’s water levels and disrupt currents. This can cause
a whole series of negative events, such as loss of biodiversity and habitat.

© 2015 NASA.gov

4. Looking at the heat circulation in the ocean, what might happen to it if large amounts of cold
water are added in the Polar Regions as glaciers melt? (3 points)
If large amounts of cold water are added into the Polar regions as glaciers, it could
disrupt and slow down the ocean’s circulation . This could lead to abrupt climate change
and disruptions in the marine food web.
5. Based on your response above, what effect could this have on the climate in your area? (2
points)
This could cause the climate around me to suffer, it would most likely cause an increase in the
green house effect and global warming. Meaning the temperatures around me, and globally
would increase. There would be more intense storms and disruption in weather patterns.

Part Two
Complete the inquiry chart below by exploring each question in the top row. First, fill in what you
think about each question. Then use the lesson and reliable sources to research more about
each question. Next, fill in each box with evidence from your sources, and be sure to list the
source you used. Finally, pull the ideas together in a short summary on the bottom row. (20
points)

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Inquiry How does solar How do the How does How does
Chart radiation affect ocean climate climate
climate? currents change affect change affect
affect the ocean? the
climate? biodiversity of
marine
ecosystems?
What I think Solar radiation Ocean Can cause Can cause an
is responsible currents can fresh water imbalance in
for the Earth affect the glaciers to the marine
warming up, weather melt, food web,
and increased patterns, increased sea changes in
overall intensity of levels, and the
temperatures storms, decreed environment
on Earth. temperature marine will cause
s, and biodiversity. species to
heavier die, and
winds. maladaptation
will cause
species to
die.
Source 1 Imbalance Without Climate Rapidly
between currents change can warming
incoming solar global cause coral ocean
radiation and temperature bleaching, temperatures
outgoing s would be fish migration, would cause
thermal more loss of many species
radiation will extreme, species, to relocate,
likely cause being very ocean while those
Earth to heat hot at the acidification, that cannot
up, and melt equator and higher sea would face
polar ice caps. cold toward levels, extinction,
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/F
eatures/SORCE/sorce_04.php the poles. increased disrupting the
Much of temperatures. entire food
https://www.epa.gov/climate-in
Earth would dicators/oceans chain.
https://phys.org/news/2015-08-
be climate-impacts-marine-biodive
rsity.html
inhabitable.
https://oceanexplorer.noaa.g
ov/facts/climate.html

Source 2 Earth’s climate The ocean’s Temperature Higher acidity

depends on the global increase in levels in the
balance circulation the ocean are ocean will,
between system plays leading to fish cause species
incoming a key role in stocks moving to die off and
radiation and distributing north to relocate, coral
out coming heat energy, cooler waters, bleaching will
thermal regulating the acidity of happen,
radiation. The weather and the ocean has leaving
imbalance will climate, and increased, species
cause Earth to cycling vital without
and fishes are
heat up, melting nutrients and shelter.
affected by https://www.science.org.au/curi
ice caps, rising gasses, ous/earth-environment/climate-

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https://www.nationalgeograp change-and-biodiversity
sea levels, hic.org/media/ocean-current the increase
violent climate s-and-climate/ in
patterns. acidity.http://climefish.e
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/godd u/how-climate-change-affect-th
ard/news/topstory/2008/solar_varia e-ocean/
bility.html

Source 3 Ice exposed at The The ocean There is an

the Earth’s displaced absorbs CO2 increased risk
surface absorb warm water from the of species
more incoming raises the atmosphere extinction.
solar radiation temperature and the CO2 Warmer
and release the of the air reacts with seawater,
heat into the while the seawater, rising sea
atmosphere, cold water increasing the levels, and
causing more cools the air, ocean’s increased
global warming. and the land acidity. Higher acidity will
https://scied.ucar.edu/longco
ntent/climate-and-ice where the acidity is cause species
wind blows. harmful to to die.
https://www.worldatlas. https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/ne
com/articles/how-do-oc coral and ws/features/0609_changingclim
ate.html
ean-currents-affect-clim
ate.html
other
marinehttps://www.nati
onalgeographic.org/media/ocea
n-impacts-climate-change/life

Summary Solar radiation Ocean Oceans are Marine

causes polar currents can becoming species will
ice caps to cause the more acidic die, leave, or
melt, increased climate to and warmer, become
global face very this is causing extinct as sea
temperatures, extreme species to levels rise,
raised sea temperature die, marine water
levels, and s. It also life to leave, temperature
more global makes the and coral become
warming. temperature dying. warmer, and
of the ocean acidity levels
in areas increase.
unstable.

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