STUDY. OF GREENHOUSE GASES AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBAL WARMING A D OZONE HOLE THAT AFFECT LIFE ON EARTH ?
Answers
A greenhouse gas (sometimes abbreviated GHG) is a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range. Greenhouse gases cause the greenhouse effect.[1] The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and ozone (O3). Without greenhouse gases, the average temperature of Earth's surface would be about −18 °C (0 °F),[2] rather than the present average of 15 °C (59 °F).[3][4][5] The atmospheres of Venus, Mars and Titan also contain greenhouse gases.
Habitat fragmentation
During the Carboniferous rainforest collapse, the vast and lush rainforests of Euramerica were destroyed, fragmenting into small "islands" in a much less diverse landscape. This event decimated amphibian populations and spurred on the evolution of reptiles.[1]
Increased temperatures
"Average temperature changes do not in themselves provide simple predictions about ecological consequences. Average temperatures have changed more in high latitudes than in the tropics, but tropic species are likely more sensitive to temperature changes than temperate ones" (IPCC 2008). Q10 is the rate of change of a biological or chemical system as a consequence of increasing the temperature by 10 °C.
Severe weather
With rising global temperatures, terrestrial organisms will face greater hazards in the forms of increasingly frequent and more severe meteorological conditions such as droughts, snow storms, heat waves, hurricanes, and melting glaciers and sea ice.[3]
These harsher weather conditions will cause terrestrial wildlife many issues as their usual habitats will be significantly impacted, leading them to go extinct, migrate elsewhere or find ways to adapt to their new conditions. These ecological responses vary based on the situation. This was shown even in a 2018 study done at the University of Queensland, where over 350 observational studies were done on terrestrial animal populations (for over a year), with results showing a positive correlation between increased severe weather conditions in ecosystems and population declines or extinctions.[4]
Phenology
Phenology is the study of life cycles of animals or plants due to seasonal or other variable climate changes. These responses by animals due to climate change may or may not be genetic.[5]
Researchers are exploring ways to breed livestock like chickens, turkeys, and pigs to better withstand the heat.[6]
Indirect effects
Effects on vegetation and agriculture
The increasing global temperature has been devastating for the polar and equatorial regions, and the change in temperature in these already extreme regions has destroyed their fragile equilibrium. In the sub-Saharan regions, deserts are experiencing severe droughts that affect both water and agricultural resources, since crop production is harshly affected.[7]
Phytoplankton and zooplankton, microscopic marine organisms which play crucial roles in complex ecological food webs, are sensitive to UV radiation. Because UV-B radiation is absorbed by only a few layers of cells, large organisms are more protected, whilst smaller ones, such as unicellular organisms in aquatic ecosystems, are among the most severely affected by UV radiation. Depletion of the ozone layer could have drastic effects on plankton and other small marine organisms at the base of the ocean food chain. These creatures are highly sensitive to UV radiation because they lack protective outer layers. The increase in UV radiation threatens growth and survival of the tiny creatures that provide the original food source for the rest of the ocean food chain.