YIJC [H2] ETB_Impact of Climate Change (N) Part 1 (Vetted)

9744 H2 BIOLOGY LECTURE NOTES | JC 2 Impact of Climate Change on Animals & Plants 1 Extension Topic B: Impact of Climate Change on Animals and Plants Part 1 Learning Outcomes (a) identify and explain the human activities over the last few centuries that have contributed to climate change through accumulation of greenhouse gases (limited to CO2 and methane), including burning of fossil fuels linked to increasing energy usage, clearing of forests and food choices (increasing consumption of meat). (b) Explain the effects of climate change as a result of greenhouse gas emissions, including the melting of polar ice caps, rising sea levels, stress on fresh water supplies, heat waves and heavy rains, death of coral reefs, migration of fishes and insects and release of greenhouse gases in frozen organic matter. (c) explain how climate change affects plant distribution (vertical and latitude) and plant adaptations, including morphology and physiology. (d) discuss the consequences to the global food supply of increased environmental stress resulting from climate change, including the effects on plants and animals of increased temperature and more extreme weather conditions. Lecture Outline 1) Greenhouse Gases & the Greenhouse Effect 1.1 Human activities contributing to increase in greenhouse gas emissions 1.1.1 Combustion of Fossil Fuels (coal, natural gas and oil) 1.1.2 Industrial processes 1.1.3 Reduction in carbon sinks due to deforestation 1.1.4 Increased livestock production due to higher demand for meat and dairy 2) Effects of Climate Change as a result of Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2.1 Melting of Polar Ice Caps 2.2 Rising Sea Levels 2.3 Stress on Fresh Water Supplies 2.4 Heat Waves 2.5 Migration of Fishes and Insects 2.6 Release of Greenhouse HGs in frozen organic matter 3) Effects of Climate Change on Plants 3.1 Changes in Plant Distribution 3.2 Changes in Plant Adaptations 4) Effects of Climate Change on Global Food Supply

2 Learning Outcome (a): Identify and explain the human activities over the last few centuries that have contributed to climate change through accumulation of greenhouse gases (limited to CO2 and methane), including burning of fossil fuels linked to increasing energy usage, clearing of forests and food choices (increasing consumption of meat). 1 GREENHOUSE GASES & THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT A greenhouse gas (GHG) is a gas that both absorbs and emits radiation in the infrared range. When present in the Earth’s atmosphere, these gases trap radiation in the form of heat, leading to a warming process called the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere help keep the average temperature of the Earth at 15oC, whereas without the greenhouse effect, the average temperature would be a frosty -18oC. Fig. 1.0.1 Percentage share of greenhouse gases in the earth atmosphere

3 The greenhouse effect is a natural process by whic