7.2.5
Climate Change & The Water Cycle
Climate Change Effects Inputs and Outputs
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.
Trends in precipitation
Trends in precipitation
- Climate change leads to changes that include increased precipitation in some regions, which results in flooding or change in ecosystems.
- The likelihood of tropical storms increases, as sea levels rise and sea surface temperatures increase. The higher levels of rainfall mean that tropical regions near coastline are at risk of higher precipitation rates and flood risk.
- Climate change can also reduce precipitation in regions that are used to having high rainfall.
Trends in evaporation
Trends in evaporation
- Areas that see an increase in temperature from climate change can lead to evaporation happening with greater ease.
- In contrast, areas that see a decrease in temperature may see a reduction in evaporation.
- If temperatures decrease to below freezing, water may remain frozen and so be stored as ice.
Climate Change Affects Stores and Flows
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.
Snow and glaciers
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.
Reservoirs and lakes
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.
Permafrost
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.
Soils
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.
1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.2Natural Disasters
1.3Natural Disaster Case Studies
1.4Trends & Patterns
2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change
2.1Glaciated Landscapes Over Time
2.2Periglacial Landscapes
2.3Glacial Processes
2.4Glacial Landforms
3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change
3.1Coastal Landscapes
3.2Coastal Erosion & Deposition
3.3Coastal Risks
4Globalisation
4.1Globalisation
4.2Negatives of Globalisation
4.3Global Shift
4.5Culture
4.6Measuring Development
5Option 4A: Regenerating Places
5.1Types of Economies
5.2Function of Places
5.3Regeneration
5.4Regeneration Case Studies
6Option 4B: Diverse Places
6.1Population Structure
6.2Past & Present Connections
6.3Urban & Rural Spaces
6.4Diversity
6.5Urban & Rural Case Studies
6.6Case Study - Tower Hamlets
6.7Case Study - Sturton-le-Steeple
7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)
7.1Hydrological Processes Global to Local
7.2Influences on the Water Cycle
7.3Water Insecurity
8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)
8.1The Carbon Cycle
8.2Energy Consumption
8.3Alternative Energy
8.4Growing Demand for Resources
9Superpowers (A2 only)
9.1Superpowers
9.2Hard & Soft Power
9.2.1Hard & Soft Power
9.2.2Emerging Powers - China Rivalry
9.2.3Emerging Powers - Chinese Sources of Power
9.2.4Emerging Powers - Brazil
9.2.5Emerging Powers - Russia
9.2.6Emerging Powers - India
9.2.7Theories of Development
9.2.8Power Case Studies: Chinese One Belt One Road
9.2.9Power Case Studies: Pakistan Nuclear Arms
9.2.10Power Case Studies: OPEC
9.3IGOs, TNCs & Alliances
10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)
10.1Human Development
10.2Role of Governments & IGOs
10.3Human Rights
10.4Interventions
11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)
11.1Globalisation & Migration
11.2Consequences of Migration
11.3Nation States
11.4Responses to Global Migration
Jump to other topics
1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.2Natural Disasters
1.3Natural Disaster Case Studies
1.4Trends & Patterns
2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change
2.1Glaciated Landscapes Over Time
2.2Periglacial Landscapes
2.3Glacial Processes
2.4Glacial Landforms
3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change
3.1Coastal Landscapes
3.2Coastal Erosion & Deposition
3.3Coastal Risks
4Globalisation
4.1Globalisation
4.2Negatives of Globalisation
4.3Global Shift
4.5Culture
4.6Measuring Development
5Option 4A: Regenerating Places
5.1Types of Economies
5.2Function of Places
5.3Regeneration
5.4Regeneration Case Studies
6Option 4B: Diverse Places
6.1Population Structure
6.2Past & Present Connections
6.3Urban & Rural Spaces
6.4Diversity
6.5Urban & Rural Case Studies
6.6Case Study - Tower Hamlets
6.7Case Study - Sturton-le-Steeple
7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)
7.1Hydrological Processes Global to Local
7.2Influences on the Water Cycle
7.3Water Insecurity
8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)
8.1The Carbon Cycle
8.2Energy Consumption
8.3Alternative Energy
8.4Growing Demand for Resources
9Superpowers (A2 only)
9.1Superpowers
9.2Hard & Soft Power
9.2.1Hard & Soft Power
9.2.2Emerging Powers - China Rivalry
9.2.3Emerging Powers - Chinese Sources of Power
9.2.4Emerging Powers - Brazil
9.2.5Emerging Powers - Russia
9.2.6Emerging Powers - India
9.2.7Theories of Development
9.2.8Power Case Studies: Chinese One Belt One Road
9.2.9Power Case Studies: Pakistan Nuclear Arms
9.2.10Power Case Studies: OPEC
9.3IGOs, TNCs & Alliances
10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)
10.1Human Development
10.2Role of Governments & IGOs
10.3Human Rights
10.4Interventions
11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)
11.1Globalisation & Migration
11.2Consequences of Migration
11.3Nation States
11.4Responses to Global Migration
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