7.3.4

Greenhouse Gases 2

Test yourself

Global Warming

The consequences of global warming include:

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Ice

  • Melting ice causes sea levels to rise, which could flood coastal habitats forever, losing the land and associated biodiversity.
  • Changes to the way sea ice changes through the year is affecting the survival of animals at both poles.
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Extreme meteorological events

  • Extreme meteorological events, such as floods, droughts, severe storms and wildfires are happening more often.
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Sea surface temperatures

  • Rising sea surface temperatures are causing bleaching of sensitive corals.
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Ocean acidification

  • Increased acidification (becoming more acidic) of the oceans is making it harder for corals to build their skeletons.
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Migration patterns

  • Many migration patterns are likely to be altered by global warming.
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Distribution of species

  • Malaria-carrying mosquitoes have already spread to several European countries.
  • It is possible that malaria and similar exotic diseases will become an established part of life as far North as the UK in the near future.
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Reduction of biodiversity

  • The rate at which the climate is changing makes rapid adaptation key to avoiding extinction.
  • This is particularly challenging for large-bodied animals that typically have longer generation times.

Maintaining Biodiversity

Programmes have been established by scientists and governments that attempt to mitigate (soften) the negative impact of humans on ecosystems and biodiversity:

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Breeding programmes

  • Breeding programmes for endangered species can be important for preventing extinction events.
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Rare and threatened habitats

  • Efforts are being made into the protection and regeneration of these habitats.
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Incentivising farmers

  • Farmers are being incentivised to maintain field margins and hedgerows, as these habitats can support biodiversity.
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Government-imposed targets

  • These can be related to things like deforestation and emission reductions.
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Recycling waste

  • Recycling slows down the expansion of landfill sites and reduces the need to extract new natural resources.

Jump to other topics

1Cell Biology

2Organisation

2.1Principles of Organisation

2.2Enzymes

2.3Circulatory System

2.4Non-Communicable Diseases

2.5Plant Tissues, Organs & Systems

3Infection & Response

4Bioenergetics

5Homeostasis & Response

6Inheritance, Variation & Evolution

7Ecology

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