EARTHSS 21 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Thermohaline Circulation, Sea Ice, Ice
23 Jul 2016
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Lecture 13: importance of sea ice to the earth system and polar ecosystems. Global air temperature rises leading to a decrease in sea ice extent leading to a decrease in albedo and ending in a further increase in global air temperature. Seawater density: warmer water is less dense. Temperature and salinity with depth: more fresh at the poles/cold areas. Thermocline: really cold hot (area with a rapid change in temperature) Take salty water and cool it down denser water around antarctica: make cold water salty. Polar bears: arctic, penguins: antarctic: nutrients are essential to maintain life. Trophic levels: how many steps they are from incoming energy. Getting converted from chemical energy to a less useful form of energy. Leopard seal: eats humans (top predators in antarctic) Ice algae adapted to really high salinity: when will most primary production, organic molecules made by primary producers, occur in the.
