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Droughts Floods Climate Change
Droughts Floods Climate Change
Alyssa Corrigan
Climate Change
Climate change is when the climate is altered over time for a long time as a result of human or natural influences. There are many examples of effects of climate change such as a rise in sea level during the past century from four to eight inches, an increase in precipitation by approximately one percent, changes in the ecosystem altering the amount of snow in the north, a rise from five to ten percent in rainfall, and summers becoming increasingly dry while ice in the Artic Ocean decreases. Climate change can bring positive changes, such as its effect on extending the growing season in areas with short seasons, but when change comes quickly, living systems dont have time to adapt.
Global Warming
Global warming is the increase of the Earths surface median temperature over time. Since late in the 19th century the average global surface temperature has gone up .5F and during the 20th century, surface temperatures grew by about 1F.
Predictions for the next 100 years are for a 2.7-8 degree F increase, depending on how much fossil fuels are burned and forest systems are removed.
An increase in greenhouse gasses is the cause of global warming. Some effects include: an increase in sea level, difficulties in agriculture, change in rainfall, and changes in the ecosystem which will cause animals and plants to have to adapt or perish.
A rise in sea level (explained on next slide) and severe rain are two causes of floods. Long term changes in the hydrological cycle (the flow of water throughout Earth) due to higher temperatures (more evaporation; melting of ice, more intense rain fall) contribute to more floods. More water vapor in the atmosphere, because the atmosphere is heating up, can cause floods to happen more regularly.
Floods Continued
Sea level rising will also contribute to more floods. The sea level is predicted to go up from four inches to three feet. Sea level rises when the water warms and increases in amount, or when glaciers and ice melt. As the glaciers and ice turn into water the sea level increases and floods could start to last for a longer amount of time and happen more frequently.
Precipitation Graph
This graph shows that heavy times of precipitation have been rising steadily over time but not frequent precipitation.
Map of Droughts
Bibliography
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Bibliography Continued
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/dispatches/050901.html Calling Katrina 9/1/05 Accessed: 1/8/06 http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/pi/arch/ Abrupt Climate Change Copyright: 2003 Accessed: 1/8/06 http://www.peopleandplanet.org/climatechange/briefing.impact.php The Impact Of Climate Change Accessed: 1/8/06 http://www.globalissues.org/EnvIssues/GlobalWarming.asp Last Update: 12/29/05 Climate Change and Global Warming Accessed: 1/8/06 http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=46445&SelectRegion=Southern_Africa Copyright: 2006 Africa: Climate Change becomes a matter of life and death Accessed: 1/8/06 http://www.un.org/News/facts/climate.htm Last Modified: 8/19/02 Global Climate Change Accessed: 1/8/06 http://edcw2ks40.cr.usgs.gov/sa_floods/categories.asp?catid=11 Southern Africa Flood and Drought Network