Human impacts on Atmos.

Human impacts on Atmos.

1. Global Climate Change

   • The Greenhouse effect
     • Natural process in which visible light can pass through but atoms. gasses absorb UV light and IR, causing heating.
   • Enhanced Greenhouse effect
     • Human activities causing the conc of atoms gasses to increase which means more radiation can be trapped an thus heating is more
     • Causes
       • CO2
         • Burning fossil fuels
       • Methane
         • Livestock, paddy fields, land fill sites
       • CFCs
       • NOx's
         • car exhausts

2. Consequences

   • Thermal Expansion
     • water is warmed up and expands which causes sea levels to rise. Takes a long time due to high specific heat capacity
   • Melting land ice
     • from glaciers increases volume of the sea
     • sea ice occupies the same volume as it contracts when it melts
   • Wind Patterns
     • Change in speed, force and velocity
     • Rain distribution effected
     • Stronger winds mean more storm damage
   • Precipitation
     • Higher temps means more evap therefore more precip
     • Cold areas get more rain
     • Warm areas get less rain
   • Ecological
     • Plants grow sooner, toxins build up quicker which can kill caterpillars
     • Temporal Mismatch
     • Shallow roots cope less well in drought
     • Hibernating species could find it difficult to find food
     • Precipitation changes could enlarge or shrink wetland areas.
     • Species could have to colonise new areas and possible adapt.