A Global Issue: The Impacts of Climate Change
Lesson 5 Questions
Test your knowledge of the impacts of climate change by working through the following questions. Refer back to the lesson pages and learning tools as needed.
Polar Regions
- What is one possible cause of the PETM?
- Challenge: Describe how warming in the Arctic will affect the Earth's delicate radiation balance.
- Using the Climate Models learning tool, describe the main differences between storyline RCP 8.5 and RCP 2.6. Which storyline is more likely to negatively impact the Arctic?
- Challenge: Why is warming occurring at a higher rate in the Arctic than at the equator?
Coral Reefs
- What produces the colour of corals? What triggers coral bleaching?
- Why are coral reefs so precious to humanity? Name three consequences of the loss of coral reefs that will affect humans.
- Challenge: Write a short paragraph about some actions that could be taken to preserve coral reefs.
Vector-Borne Disease
- How does climate influence the geographic distribution of disease?
- Write a short paragraph describing how factors other than climate change can influence the distribution of malaria.
- If the range of malaria spreads, which areas are at the greatest risk? Use the map demonstrating malaria endemicity if you need a hint.
- Challenge: Malaria is just one example of a vector-borne disease that may be affected by climate change. What other diseases could spread into new regions because of climate change? How might this occur?
Extreme Weather
- Describe how a warming climate will influence the occurrence of hurricanes.
- What is the El Niño Southern Oscillation?
- Name five ways in which increased instances of drought and heavy precipitation events will affect humanity.
Biodiversity
- Challenge: How will climate-altered extreme weather trends threaten biodiversity?
- Name four services provided by vulnerable species and their ecosystems.
- Challenge: Animals play a large role in pollination. How would we replace this service if it were lost or reduced?