Global warming

Definition

Global warming refers to the long-term increase in Earth’s average surface temperature due to human activities, particularly the emission of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane. This rise in temperature affects various climate systems and leads to significant changes in weather patterns, ocean currents, and overall climate stability. It plays a crucial role in the ongoing changes observed in different biomes around the world, influencing biodiversity and ecosystem health.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Global warming is largely driven by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes that increase greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
2. Since the late 19th century, Earth’s average surface temperature has increased by approximately 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.2 degrees Fahrenheit), with significant acceleration observed in recent decades.
3. The impacts of global warming include more frequent and severe weather events, rising sea levels due to melting glaciers and polar ice, and shifts in habitat ranges for many plant and animal species.
4. Ocean acidification is a direct consequence of global warming as increased carbon dioxide levels are absorbed by oceans, impacting marine life and ecosystems.
5. Global warming has serious implications for agriculture, forestry, water resources, and health, potentially leading to food insecurity and increased incidence of diseases.

Review Questions

• How does global warming influence the functioning of global climate systems?
  • Global warming disrupts the natural balance of global climate systems by altering temperature and precipitation patterns. As temperatures rise, atmospheric circulation can change, leading to altered weather events such as hurricanes, droughts, and heavy rainfall. These disruptions can shift climatic zones, impacting ecosystems and their functions globally.
• Discuss the specific ways in which global warming impacts various biomes around the world.
  • Global warming has led to significant changes across various biomes. For instance, polar regions experience rapid ice melt affecting species like polar bears that depend on sea ice for hunting. In temperate forests, shifts in temperature can alter tree species composition and disrupt seasonal cycles. Tropical rainforests face threats from increased temperatures leading to droughts, which can cause massive tree die-offs and loss of biodiversity.
• Evaluate the long-term consequences of global warming on biodiversity and ecosystem services.
  • The long-term consequences of global warming on biodiversity include species extinction and shifts in species distributions as organisms try to adapt to changing climates. This disruption affects ecosystem services such as pollination, water purification, and carbon storage. As species decline or disappear, ecosystems become less resilient, ultimately leading to further degradation of vital resources that support human life.

Related terms

greenhouse effect: The natural process by which certain gases in Earth's atmosphere trap heat, keeping the planet warm enough to sustain life.

climate change: A broader term encompassing long-term changes in temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, and other elements of the Earth's climate system, primarily driven by global warming.

carbon footprint: The total amount of greenhouse gases emitted directly or indirectly by an individual, organization, event, or product, usually measured in units of carbon dioxide equivalents.