Chapter 5 Changing the Balance in Ecosystems 5.1 Natural Phenomena and Ecosystem.

Chapter 5 Changing the Balance in Ecosystems5.1 Natural Phenomena and Ecosystem

NATURAL WEATHER EVENTS

FloodAugust 30, 2005- Hurricane Katrina caused a flood

DroughtIn 2005, the Amazon basin in South America (mostly in Brazil) suffers the worst drought in 100 years

FireOctober 20, 2007 California wildfireBurning over 2000 km squares1500 homes destroyed9 people died

TornadoMay 6-May 9, 1999- Oklahoma tornado outbreak66 tornadoes broke out in Oklahoma and nearby states

HurricanesHurricane Katrina-August 30, 2005-New Orleans (Louisiana), Florida, Mississippi-$81 billion US of damages~2000 people died

BlizzardMarch 6-8, 2008 a huge blizzard (winter storm) hit North America east coast. Ontario and Quebec were majorly affectedSWC French Immersion students stranded

InfestationPine beetle infestation in B.C. and Alberta, including Banff National Park

Pine beetles drill through bark and feed on inner layer of pine tree. They also lay their eggs in the sapwood layer

Normally, -30 to -40 degree winter would keep the population in checkGlobal warming lead to interior B.C. and Alberta not experiencing cold winters anymore. Beetles strive, killing pine trees

NATURAL GEOLOGICAL EVENTS

Volcanic EruptionMount St. Helen on May 18, 1980Earthquakes and steam-venting before eruption

Ashes covered Interstate-5 highwayAshes travelled all the way to Vancouver

EarthquakeMay 12,2008 in Sichuan province of China, magnitude 8.0 earthquake hit, followed by two magnitude 7.9 earthquakes70,000 people dead400,000 people injured4.8 million people homeless

Deadliest earthquake of 20th century: Tangshan Earthquake (July 28, 1976) in China8.2 on Richter scale

779,000 people died(~600,000 live in the city of Vancouver)

Tsunami-2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, aka. Boxing Day Tsunami-Triggered by 9.1 scale Earthquake-230,000 people died-$7 billion US of damage

We had tsunami in BC as wellMarch 27, 1964, Port Alberni on Vancouver Island was attacked by a tsunami originated from an Alaskan Earthquake

LandslideSan Salvador, El Salvador landslide in 2001 triggered by an earthquake

AvalancheBig White (Ski Resort) in Kelowna experienced a huge avalanche 2 skiers died