BIOL 100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 48: Global Warming, Water Cycle, Xylem
Textbook Notes
Chapter 48
Drought
Concept 1: Drought
Changes for the Better
Climate models point to a warmer planet due largely to greenhouse gases
This warming trend will create extremely dry conditions across western North America as global winds
and atmospheric pressures respond to the warming
Some scientists contend that climate changes had a more profound effect on the stability of past societies
Global warming may cause an increase in dryness in certain geographical areas and more wetness in
others
Effects of Drought
Future precipitation trends, based on climate model projections for the coming fifth assessment from the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, indicate that droughts of this length and severity will be
commonplace through the end of the century unless human-induced carbon emissions are significantly reduced
Anthropogenic climate change - increase in global warming as a function of humankind
Means it was caused by humans
Agriculture Effects
The hydrogen ion from water is key for producing the ATP that the plant needs to produce protein,
carbohydrates, and lipids
Without water, there is no photosynthesis and the end result is a desert
Water
From a biological point of view, water is the solvent involved in all chemical reactions
Without water, chemical reactions will not occur and plants will die
Water is the unifying theme from a biological point of view as you study global warming
Energy
The human race needs the energy to power its current culture
From a biological point of view, water is used to generate electricity along with nuclear power
Without electricity and gasoline, our culture would collapse
The biological basis of energy demand in a hot environment is to maintain the human body in a range of normal
Concept 2: Water Cycle
What is the Water Cycle
Water cycle - operates similarly to other biogeochemical cycles in which the chemicals associated with plant and
animal nutrients move through the atmosphere, the earth, and through living things and repeat the cycle
Document Summary
Climate models point to a warmer planet due largely to greenhouse gases. This warming trend will create extremely dry conditions across western north america as global winds and atmospheric pressures respond to the warming. Some scientists contend that climate changes had a more profound effect on the stability of past societies. Global warming may cause an increase in dryness in certain geographical areas and more wetness in others. Future precipitation trends, based on climate model projections for the coming fifth assessment from the. Intergovernmental panel on climate change, indicate that droughts of this length and severity will be commonplace through the end of the century unless human-induced carbon emissions are significantly reduced. Anthropogenic climate change - increase in global warming as a function of humankind. The hydrogen ion from water is key for producing the atp that the plant needs to produce protein, carbohydrates, and lipids. Without water, there is no photosynthesis and the end result is a desert.
