"Earth’s temperature depends on the balance between energy entering and leaving the planet. When incoming energy from the sun is absorbed, Earth warms. When this energy is released back into space, Earth cools. Many factors, both natural and human, can cause changes in Earth’s energy balance."
Energy Flow through Ecosystems
"Living things and the environments in which they live are highly organized and structured, following a hierarchy on a scale from small to large. Organisms are individual living entities. For example, antelope on an African savanna is an organism. All the individuals of one species living within a specific area are collectively called a population..."
"Because geology and chemistry have major roles in the study of this process, the recycling of inorganic matter between living organisms and their nonliving environment is called a biogeochemical cycle."
How will climate change affect life on Earth? Scientists forecast that the planet will continue to warm another 2.5—10°F by the year 2100. This rapid change could bring dire circumstances for vulnerable biological communities and coastal populations. Knowing what the impacts have been and what they will be in the future can aid ecologists, farmers, policy makers, industry, and urban planners in formulating adaptation strategies.
Non-anthropogenic Climate Change Factors
What are the natural and anthropogenic forces that change Earth’s climate? Though Earth’s climate system is complex and seeks equilibrium, it is subject to change when Earth’s energy budget is fundamentally altered.. Even small cyclical fluctuations to our climate have major consequences for life on Earth, perhaps especially for human civilization, which fares better with stability and predictability in our climate.
Case Study available through class Blackboard
Chapter 10, Minerals
Chapter 11, Soils
Source: AP Environmental Science by University of California, University of California College Prep
License: CC BY 2.0
Climate Change
Energy Flow through Ecosystems
Biogeochemical Cycles
Source: Environmental Science by Sean Whitcomb, Maricopa Community Colleges
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Climate Change Impact
Non-anthropogenic Climate Change Factors
Source: Unit III and Unit II in Groundwork Hudson Valley Distance Learning Module for “Global, Local, Coastal: Preparing the Next Generation for a Changing Climate”
©2018 Groundwork Hudson Valley