7.2.5

Climate Change & The Water Cycle

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Climate Change Effects Inputs and Outputs

Climate change causes changes in weather patterns. This can result in changes in precipitation and evaporation, which can have significant impacts on a region's hydrological cycle and ecosystems.

Climate Change Affects Stores and Flows

Climate change affects global water stores capacity and their ability to recharge because of changes in temperature and precipitation rates.

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Snow and glaciers

  • Climate change has lead to an increase in average global temperatures, leading to a reduction in ice-forming seasons.
  • Early 2018 saw the smallest amount of winter Arctic ice since the 1960s.
  • Sea ice is not forming to the same extent and current sea ice is breaking off into large icebergs.
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Reservoirs and lakes

  • Lakes and reservoirs are not being recharged as they previously were because of decreases in rainfall and higher temperatures in some areas.
  • Lake Chad and the Uzbekistan Aral Sea are drying up with devastating impacts on the ecosystem and the local residents. Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria all rely on Lake Chad as a water source.
  • Lake Chad was once the 3rd largest source of freshwater in Africa but is now 1/20th of the size it was 40 years ago.
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Permafrost

  • We call the frozen ground found near the poles in high latitude regions permafrost (e.g. Siberia). Permafrost can hold water in the form of ice.
  • In summer, if the soil temperatures increase above freezing, permafrost can thaw and the ice within can melt. Thawing leads to percolation and through flow until water has left the ecosystem.
  • Climate change often leads to a rise in temperature in permafrost regions. So as soil temperatures increase, so will the amount of permafrost loss.
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Soils

  • Different soils in different climates will be affected by global warming differently, depending on the weather extremes.
  • Climate change offers an uncertain future.
  • Generally, soil moisture levels will decrease as less water will infiltrate the soil in droughts and in periods of intense rainfall because of the high runoff rates.

Jump to other topics

1Tectonic Processes & Hazards

2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change

3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change

4Globalisation

5Option 4A: Regenerating Places

6Option 4B: Diverse Places

7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)

8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)

9Superpowers (A2 only)

10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)

11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)

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