Syllabus statements

Outline the causes of global warming including the role of greenhouse

gases (carbon dioxide and methane, CH4) in the greenhouse effect.
Discuss how understanding the carbon cycle can lead to methods to
reduce atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (including the use of biofuels
and reforestation).
Describe the role of micro-organisms in the decomposition of organic
matter and the recycling of carbon
Analyse and interpret different types of evidence for global
warming and its causes (including records of carbon dioxide levels,
temperature records, pollen in peat bogs and dendrochronology)
recognising correlations and causal relationships

 Describe that data can be extrapolated to make predictions, that

these are used in models of future global warming, and that these
models have limitations.

Discuss the way in which scientific conclusions about controversial

issues, such as what actions should be taken to reduce global warming
or the degree to which humans are affecting global warming, can
sometimes depend on who is reaching the conclusions.
Describe the effects of global warming (rising temperature,
changing rainfall patterns and changes in seasonal cycles) on plants
and animals (distribution of species, development and life cycles).
Explain the effect of increasing temperature on the rate of enzyme
activity in plants, animals and micro-organisms.

GLOBAL WARMING

The greenhouse effect

The cause of global warming
Evidence for global warming
Effects of global warming
Models of global warming
Describing the data
Reducing global warming

10/20/16
Global Warming
1. Write the date
2. Write the title
3. Starter:
You have each received an
entry card.
You have 1 minute to analyse
your card.
Find another person with a
different card and share what
you have learned with them.

Today I am learning
the causes of global
warming (ex. the
greenhouse effect)
to analyse and
interpret different
types of evidence
including records of
carbon dioxide
levels,
temperature
records, pollen in
peat bogs and
dendrochronolog
y

What is global warming?

Global warming is the rise in temperature of the
earth's atmosphere.

Outline the causes of global warming

including the role of greenhouse gases
(carbon dioxide and methane, CH4) in
the greenhouse effect.
Carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour
are greenhouse gases present in the
atmosphere.
Gases build up in the upper atmosphere
they trap infrared radiation
which is reflected from Earths surface (reradiation), preventing IR escaping into space
This causes the mean temperature of the
earths surface to increase

Create a diagram with your partner to explain how the

greenhouse effect works. You must use the words below and
the information provided. You could add your own ideas.
L4

Methane

L5

L6

L7

IN: Solar radiation

Carbon dioxide
Fossil fuels
Oceans absorb

Deforestation

Water vapour
Landfill

Greenhouse gases
OUT: InfraReflected
red radiation

CFCs/HCFCs
Permafrost

Atmosphere

Global Warming

Watch the video, answer the

following questions
What are we losing natural habitats
to? How is this bad for the
environment?
What emission levels will increase
the greater we depend on meat, milk
and eggs?
What is methane a by-product of?
How much worse is methane
https://
compared to carbon
dioxide or
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFwx7Wlx5w

Methane
Methane is many times more potent as a
greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide
There are two main sources of methane:
ruminant cattle and the action of
anaerobic bacteria that live in the soil of
rice paddy fields.
The number of cows and rice paddy fields
have hugely increased to satisfy the
demands of a hugely increasing world
population.

It can be argued ruminant animals should be

given specific feeds to reduce methane release

Carbon dioxide and methane are both green

house gases. Green house gases absorb IR
radiation reflected from the earth. Less green
house gas leads to a reduction in the green
house effect.
Methane has a greater green house effect
than carbon dioxide. If there is less methane,
the earths temperature is less likely to rise
reducing the possibility of climate change such
as ice caps melting or crop failure due to a
change in climatic conditions.

EVIDENCE
18 Analyze and interpret different types of evidence for
global warming and its causes including
records of carbon dioxide levels,
temperature records,
pollen in peat bogs and
dendrochronology
recognizing correlations and causal relationships.

EVIDENCE
JIGSAW ACTIVITY
Correlation or
causation?
Any limitations?

Evidence for global warming:

Temperature records

Temperature records for the

past 1000 years
What evidence is there?
UK Met office has weather records
dating back to 1869.
Data from ships records go back to
about 1750
To go back further than that data is
taken from tree rings, corals and ice
cores.

Dendrochronology
Dating past events using tree ring growth.
Trees increase in width by cell division.
When the climate is favorable, they grow
more and so the width of the tree ring is
wider. Wider tree ring growth is therefore
correlated with greater photosynthesis
which may have occurred due to higher
temperatures. Tree rings can therefore be
used to determine the existence of warmer
years and cooler years.

 If tree ring growth is similar in two different areas

during the same year, then we use this to show
there was a general climate change.
However, wider rings dont necessarily mean
warmer weather in the 2 areas: it could have
been wetter, sunnier or more CO2 in the
atmosphere.

Peat Bogs
Peat bogs are made from partly
decomposed plant material. The peat
is acidic, cool and anaerobic so plant
material does not decompose. Pollen
grains, moss spores and plant
materials are preserved.
Different plants thrive in different
temperature conditions, so the
pollen/spore record reflect the
temperature at the time.

Peat Bogs: spore and pollen

analysis
E.g. Some species of spaghnum moss
indicate cool conditions
Other species of spaghnum moss indicate
warmer, drier conditions.
Pollen from horse-chestnut trees indicates
warmer conditions. Pollen from birch trees
indicates cooler conditions.

Temp records for over 300,000

years: Ice Cores
Taken from the Antarctic drill down into
the ice and analyze the air
The ratios of O18 to O16 in the air that is
trapped in the ice can be used to
determine the temperature that the ice
was laid down at.

Evidence for increasing CO2

levels
Ice core data stretches back 400,000 years
Air samples from an observatory in Hawaii
this data has been used to create the
Mauna Loa curve.
The air is sampled continuously at the top
of 4 towers. The air is relatively free from
pollutants
These measurements show an increase
from 316 ppmv in 1959 to 382 ppmv in
2006.

Describe that data can be extrapolated to

make predictions, that these are used in
models of future global warming, and that
these models have limitations.

1. Do the fluctuations match?

2. Is one curve above the other?

Using existing data to predict the

future
We can extrapolate data on greenhouse gases
and use them in models to predict what might
happen to temperature levels. (an inference!)
This data should ideally be used in conjunction
with data from other sources.
There are many limitations we do not know
the exact effect that CO2 can have on global
warming.
Models can not take into account unknown
factors including how current trends in uses of
technologies and resources may change.

 Q:
Why might the data not be enough
to predict future climate change?

Why might the data not be enough

to predict future climate change?

Not enough data

Data only collected from a limited
area
No way of confirming data
If there are fluctuations
Means may be poor representations
of the raw data

Discuss how understanding the carbon cycle

can lead to methods to reduce atmospheric
levels of carbon dioxide (including the use of
biofuels and reforestation).

Actions that can be taken to reduce

global warming: use of biofuels, wind
power, nuclear power, solar power.
Not everyone likes wind farms.

Why might draining of peatlands

contribute to global warming
Carbon in peatlands was trapped a
long time ago
Peatland clearance releases carbon
dioxide
So there is a net gain of carbon
dioxide
Removing of plants during clearance
reduces photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide released with
clearance machinery

Biofuels
Carbon neutral fuels produced by
plants.
The carbon burnt in the biofuel is the
same amount as the carbon dioxide
recently taken up in photosynthesis.

Why might countries drain peat

bogs to produce biofuels
Increase income, export fuel, more
jobs, reduce imports of fossil fuels,
biofuels are renewable, fossil fuels
are finite, to help meet carbon
targets and no loss of farmland

Why are biofuels better than

fossil fuels
Biofuel release carbon dioxide already
removed from the atmosphere in
photosynthesis
so no net increase in carbon dioxide
carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas
So carbon dioxide released by fossil fuels
traps IR radiation reflected from the Earths
surface preventing IR escaping into space
Earths mean temperature increases

Disadvantages of
biofuels
Land has to be cleared to grow plants for biofuels.
Burning produces carbon dioxide/ the plants growing
would have been photosynthesizing. Forests are
carbon sinks. Burning trees released carbon dioxide.
The machinery used to clear plants released carbon
dioxide. It leads to loss of habitat.
Decomposition of dead plant material releases
carbon dioxide
The land could have been used for farming, so less
food is produced
Fertilizers may be used to grow biofuels resulting in
eutrophication.

Discuss the way in which scientific conclusions about

controversial issues, such as what actions should be
taken to reduce global warming or the degree to
which humans are affecting global warming, can
sometimes depend on who is reaching the
conclusions.
Discuss why some scientists do not agree that a reduction in
the use of fossil fuels will prevent further global warming:
No direct evidence that increased carbon dioxide leads to
global warming.
Carbon dioxide is released from other processes.
Removing carbon sinks (deforestation) also increases
carbon dioxide
Other greenhouse gases: Methane, CFCs, water vapour from
ruminant cattle
Natural cycles may be involved e.g. solar flares, volcanoes
Past evidence is not necessarily a predictor or future events.
Some scientists may be biased if has a self-interest in
biofuels. B

Describe that data can be extrapolated to

make predictions that these are used in
models of future global warming and that
these models have limitations

Describing graphs:
Do the fluctuations on the line graphs
match?
Is one curve above the other?
Reference to an increase or decrease
Manipulate the data
Comment on the range of the data
Describe the peak
Describe where it remains the same

Discuss why some scientists do

not agree that a reduction in the
use of fossil fuels will prevent
further GW
No direct evidence that increase carbon dioxide leads to
GW
Carbon dioxide is released from other processes
Removing carbon sinks (deforestation) also increases
carbon dioxide
Other greenhouse gases: Methane, CFCs, water vapour
Natural cycles may be involved e.g. solar flares,
volcanoes
Past evidence is not necessarily a predictor of future
events
Some scientists may be biased if they have a self interest
in biofuels.

 OPTION 1
Choose a country to role play
1 group must represent a green party

 OPTION 2
divide class into 2 with 1 adjudicator
1 side believes in global warming,
the other does not

Describe the role of micro-organisms in the

decomposition of organic matter and the
recycling of carbon

e.g. the decomposition of cellulose:

Enzymes released by microorganisms hydroyze cellulose into glucose.
-glucose is taken up by microorganisms and used as a respiratory
substrate and released back into the
atmosphere as carbon dioxide
Some glucose soaks into the ground.

Describe the effects of global warming (rising

temperature, changing rainfall patterns and
changes in seasonal cycles) on plants and animals
(distribution of species, development and life
cycles).

How temperature affects the rate of

development in animals:
Increased enzyme activity as temps rise, so
molecules have more kinetic energy resulting
in more e/s complexes. At low temperatures,
enzymes are inactive. They denature at high
temperatures.
The rate of differentiation and growth of
animals is determined by enzyme catalyzed
reactions, so therefore temp determines
development of animals

How temp may affect the rate of

development in plants
Enzymes involved in growth will have
more kinetic activity, * so there will
be more enzyme-substrate
complexes
At high temperatures enzymes will
denature so rate of growth decreases
At low temperatures enzymes are
inactive so rate of growth decreases.

How global warming may affect

species distribution
Global warming will increase the
temperature as the latitudes.
Temperatures at these latitudes will become
too warm for any other species
New temperatures may be above the
maximum to complete develepment/ above
the lethal limit
Species move North (to cooler regions)
This may change the food source of the
animal, or predators, disease or competition.

Describe how global warming

could affect plant species
Loss of species/ extinction
Changes in number and distribution of plants
Because changes in rainfall and growing
seasons
Temp may become too hot for some species
(enzymes denature)
Increased carbon dioxide may result in greater
GPP
Acidification of lakes/ oceans may decrease
plant growth

Describe how global warming

may affect animal species
May be a reduction in heribivore/ primary
consumer
This would result in a reduction in secondary/
tertiary consumer/ predators
Change in number and distribution of plants
would result in a change in distribution and
number of herbivores
Loss of habitat decreasing breeding rate
Loss of shelter/ camouflage for herbivores may
mean an increase in food for predators so they
may increase in number/ size.

Plants

Animals

Distributi
on of
species

Plants move to cooler

regions but can not
move as easily as
animals

Animals in the Northern

hemisphere move further
North. Others maybe able to
colonize a bigger area.
Conditions maybe ideal of
insect-borne diseases.
Conditions maybe ideal for
disease-carrying organisms.

Developm
ent of
species

Plants may grow faster

due to increased
enzyme activity such as
rubisco, meaning that
photosynthesis is faster.
However, other plants
may not be able to cope
with the temperature
increase, and if
temperatures increase

Embryos of some organisms

such as reptiles are sensitive
to temperature. Male
crocodiles only develop if the
eggs are incubated at 32-33
deg C. If the eggs are cooler
or warmer only females
develop.

Life
cycles

Affected at higher
latitudes where there
are seasonal cycles.
Plants grow and
flower earlier

Insects become active

earlier in the warmth.
Some birds are not able
to adapt so quickly so
may not have the insect
supply they depend on to
feed their chicks. By
contrast some animals
might be able to fit in
andthan
animal
The majority of the worlds plant
more
onespecies
breeding
are found in the tropics. Temperature
cycle. conditions in

the tropics vary very little over the year so many

species have little tolerance for temperature change.
Experimental data suggest a change by one or two
degrees may be fatal.
If insect pollinators die, then plants die, and all
the herbivores and carnivores that depend on this
food chain.