Earth's Climate Future

There is a causal relationship between rising temperatures and shrinking ice coverage. In other words

• as Earth warms, permanent ice around the world decreases in size.

• as temperatures go up, the coverage of ice around the world increases.

• as Earth warms, there is more ice created through increased precipitation.

• there is very little correlation between rising temperatures and melting ice.

The thickness and color of snow and ice affect albedo. What happens when melting exposes darker surfaces beneath the snow?

• It causes the albedo to fluctuate between high and low levels.

• It changes the albedo by lowering it, which leads to faster melting.

• The dark surfaces have a high albedo and the melted water freezes to ice again.

• It changes the albedo only slightly, so there is no noticeable difference in melt rate.

_______ increases the risk of erosion and flooding caused by high tides and wave surges in coastal area.

• Sea level rise

• Growing glacial ice

• Cold, salty seawater

• High barometric pressure

In addition to melting ice, sea level rise is caused by

• increased precipitation.

• thermal expansion of ocean water as it warms.

• direct sunlight radiating on the surface of the ocean.

• increased tidal action from the gravitational pull of the moon.

Which statement about changes caused by climate change to the ocean ecosystem is true?

• Changes in ocean ecosystems are similar to those on land.

• Ocean ecosystems are completely unaffected by climate change.

• There are only very slow and small changes to ocean ecosystems.

• Changes in ocean ecosystems are dramatically different than those on land.

With climate change, plants and animals that seek cooler temperatures are

• dying off in large numbers, creating another mass extinction event.

• losing leaves or shedding hair to deal with the warmer temperatures.

• moving towards the coastal areas and other large bodies of water to cool off.

• shifting the range where they live toward the poles and higher elevations.

Rapid climate change combined with the loss of habitat increases the

• risk of extinction for many plant and animal species.

• opportunities for animals to learn to like and prefer new habitats.

• survival rate and growth rate for many plant and animals species.

• chance that humans and wild animals will live together peacefully.

Climate change may promote the spread of

• flowering plants.

• certain invasive species.

• ice sheets and glaciers.

• certain domestic species.

Climate change harms ecosystems by changing the

• boundaries where one ecosystem begins and another ends.

• time of day that animals eat and plants photosynthesize.

• size of the atmospheric particles that living things breathe in

• timing of seasonal events such as migration, hibernation, and blooms.

Precipitation patterns are changing because of climate change, and _______ are expected to increase.

• wind speed and humidity

• cloud cover and rainbows

• droughts and heavy downpours

• rain drop size and snowflake diameter