MORE INFORMATION ON GLOBAL EFFECTS Source: The Woods Hole Research Center.

MORE INFORMATION ON GLOBAL EFFECTS

Source: The Woods Hole Research Center

Graph: The Woods Hole Research Center

Source: The Woods Hole Research Center

Source: The Woods Hole Research Center

Part 2 Predicted Effects

From EPA

Source: EPA

What about precipitation?

•If Earth continues to warm, the effect on precipitation patterns in any one location is uncertain.

•Worldwide precipitation will probably increase, but so will evaporation.

•Most agree rainfall will occur in a small number of heavier storms, followed by longer dry periods.

Source: EPA

From EPA

What about El Niño?

El Niño – “Warm Phase” La Niña – “Cold Phase”

•El Niño and La Niña are natural changes in sea-surface temperature in the Eastern Pacific.•The Climate Prediction Center cannot say if there is a link between global warming and El Niño patterns.•Numerous other sources argue there is a correlation between global warming and the more frequent and intense El Niños as of late. Further debate will most certainly continue.

EFFECTS ON COASTAL AREAS

Source: EPA

Sea level rise is one of the greatest threats from global warming.In New York City, sea levels have already risen 0.25 m since 1920. Source: NASA

While large cities such as New York are protected and would not be adversely affected, many other areas could be hard hit. Source: FEMASource: Earth Observatory, NASA

Effects on U.S. Coastal Areas: Rising water levels

Most cities have shown an increase in sea levels since 1900. One exception is Sitka, Alaska. Here glaciers continue to melt after the last ice age. Since the weight of the ice is not what it used to be, the land is actually rising. Therefore, sea levels are dropping relative to the increasing elevation of the land. (Source: EPA)

Effects on U.S. Coastal Areas: Results of FEMA Study, 2000

•Approximately 25 percent of homes and other structures within 500 feet of the U.S. coastline and the shorelines of the Great Lakes will fall victim to the effects of erosion within the next 60 years.

•Costs to U.S. homeowners will average more than a half billion dollars per year, and additional development in high erosion areas will lead to higher losses, according to the report.

Picture: Greenpeace

Effects on U.S. Coastal Areas: Beach Erosion

South Bethany, Delaware

Shore Today Shore in 30 Years Shore in 60 Years

3 rows of houses are expected to be lost over the next 60 years

Source: FEMA

EFFECT ON COASTAL WETLANDS

EFFECTS ON FISHING

EFFECT ON INLANDWATERS

EFFECT ON WETLANDS

Global Warming and Wetlands

•Reduction in biological productivity

•Lower water tables in those areas that become drier

•Increased leaching greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere

Source: EPA/NASA

Methane Sources

EFFECTS ONAGRICULTURE

EXPECTED EFFECTS ON IOWA

EFFECT ON DESERT AREAS

Will deserts expand?

Some studies, such as one done by NASA recently, show that they might. In dry areas, as global temperatures increases, evaporation rates become greater than precipitation rates. Other studies are inconclusive, suggesting desert shrublands could increase by as much as 185% or decrease by as much as 56%.

Source: EPA

EFFECT ON GRASSLANDS

Impact on Grasslands

•The decline in water availability would probably effect grasslands the most

•In areas that become dry, some grasslands could turn to desert

•In areas that are currently forested, grasslands may become more common.Source: EPA

•Prairie ecosystems could be hit especially hard.Source: Jay Malcolm, University of Toronto

EFFECT ON FORESTS

Changes In ForestCoverSource: VEMAPPARTICIPANTS (1995)

EFFECTS ONNAVIGATION

Docks in sea portsLocks in rivers

EFFECT ONNATIONALPARKS

Case Study: Glacier National Park Montana

•Glaciers keep a good historical record of climate change by how much they advance or retreat over a period of time

•Glacier National Park has seen a reduction in glacier coverage of 73% between 1850 and 1993

•If the planet continues to warm at the current rate, all glaciers in the park will be gone by 2030. If there is no additional warming (unlikely), glaciers will still disappear by 2100.

Source: USGS

Grinnell Glacier,Glacier National Park,MontanaSource: USGS

Grinnell Glacier,Glacier National Park,MontanaSource: USGS

EFFECTS ONBIRD LIFE

EFFECTS ON HEALTH