Earth System ScienceEarth System Science

How does the Earth on which we How does the Earth on which we live function as a whole?live function as a whole?

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Key PointsKey Points

Human activities are affecting the Human activities are affecting the environment on global scaleenvironment on global scale

The impacts on human societies are The impacts on human societies are potentially substantial but largely unknownpotentially substantial but largely unknown

We need a basic scientific understanding of We need a basic scientific understanding of how the Earth functions as an interacting how the Earth functions as an interacting systemsystem

Human activities are affecting the Human activities are affecting the environment on a global scaleenvironment on a global scale

Burning fossil fuel is causing global warming and Burning fossil fuel is causing global warming and rising sea-levelrising sea-level

Emission of CFCs has caused the depletion of Emission of CFCs has caused the depletion of stratospheric ozonestratospheric ozone

Soil erosion is reducing agricultural productivitySoil erosion is reducing agricultural productivity Deforestation and habitat destruction threaten Deforestation and habitat destruction threaten

species diversityspecies diversity Pesticides, fertilizers are polluting water resourcesPesticides, fertilizers are polluting water resources Sulfate and nitrogen oxide emissions cause acid Sulfate and nitrogen oxide emissions cause acid

rainrain

The Probable Cause of Global The Probable Cause of Global WarmingWarming

• IPPC 1990 page xviIPPC 1990 page xvi

The Antarctic Ozone HoleThe Antarctic Ozone Hole

• http://www.http://www.atmatm..chch.cam.ac..cam.ac.ukuk/tour/tour_images/toms1091.gif/tour/tour_images/toms1091.gif

Acid RainAcid Rain

• http://http://odinodin.dep.no/.dep.no/mdmd//publpubl/acid/Erodes.html/acid/Erodes.html

Water ResourcesWater Resources

• http://www.http://www.orovilleoroville-city.com/-city.com/lakeviewlakeview.html.html

Soil DegradationSoil Degradation

• National Geographic SocietyNational Geographic Society

Habitat DestructionHabitat Destruction

• http://www.panda.org/multimedia/http://www.panda.org/multimedia/photogalleryphotogallery//photogalleryphotogallery..htmhtm

A Mountain GorillaA Mountain Gorilla

Corel Professional Photos CD-ROM Sampler #200051Corel Professional Photos CD-ROM Sampler #200051

Key PointsKey Points

Human activities are affecting the Human activities are affecting the environment on global scaleenvironment on global scale

The impacts on human societies are The impacts on human societies are potentially substantial but largely unknownpotentially substantial but largely unknown

We need a basic scientific understanding of We need a basic scientific understanding of how the Earth functions as an interacting how the Earth functions as an interacting systemsystem

Impacts on human societies Impacts on human societies potentially substantial but potentially substantial but

largely unknownlargely unknown

Fundamental values Fundamental values and lifestyles may and lifestyles may be questionedbe questioned

It may be decades It may be decades before the effects before the effects become apparentbecome apparent

Remedial actions Remedial actions have indirect have indirect consequencesconsequences

– ESS p 8ESS p 8

Key PointsKey Points

Human activities are affecting the Human activities are affecting the environment on global scaleenvironment on global scale

The impacts on human societies are The impacts on human societies are potentially substantial but largely unknownpotentially substantial but largely unknown

We need a basic scientific understanding of We need a basic scientific understanding of how the Earth functions as an interacting how the Earth functions as an interacting systemsystem

We need a basic scientific We need a basic scientific understanding of how the Earth understanding of how the Earth

functions as an interacting systemfunctions as an interacting system Understand and distinguish natural variability Understand and distinguish natural variability

in climate and ecosystemsin climate and ecosystems Include the interactions between the Include the interactions between the

atmosphere, oceans, land surface, ice, and atmosphere, oceans, land surface, ice, and biospherebiosphere

Examine the evidence from the pastExamine the evidence from the past Document the effects of human activitiesDocument the effects of human activities Simulate future changes and assess their Simulate future changes and assess their

probable consequencesprobable consequences

Last Glacial MaximumLast Glacial Maximum

xxxxxx

Signs of Past GlaciationSigns of Past Glaciation

xxxxxx

We need a basic scientific We need a basic scientific understanding of how the Earth understanding of how the Earth

functions as an interacting systemfunctions as an interacting system Understand and distinguish natural variability Understand and distinguish natural variability

in climate and ecosystemsin climate and ecosystems Include the interactions between the Include the interactions between the

atmosphere, oceans, land surface, ice, and atmosphere, oceans, land surface, ice, and biospherebiosphere

Examine the evidence from the pastExamine the evidence from the past Document the effects of human activitiesDocument the effects of human activities Simulate future changes and assess their Simulate future changes and assess their

probable consequencesprobable consequences

Equatorial Pacific Sea Equatorial Pacific Sea SurfaceTemperatureSurfaceTemperature

El NinoEl Nino

NormalNormal

La NinaLa Nina

Dec 97

Dec 90

Dec 88 NOAA/PMELNOAA/PMEL

Measuring Ocean Winds Measuring Ocean Winds and Temperatureand Temperature

National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

VegetationVegetation Stress Stress

El Nino (top)El Nino (top) La Nina (bottom)La Nina (bottom)

We need a basic scientific We need a basic scientific understanding of how the Earth understanding of how the Earth

functions as an interacting systemfunctions as an interacting system Understand and distinguish natural variability Understand and distinguish natural variability

in climate and ecosystemsin climate and ecosystems Include the interactions between the Include the interactions between the

atmosphere, oceans, land surface, ice, and atmosphere, oceans, land surface, ice, and biospherebiosphere

Examine the evidence from the pastExamine the evidence from the past Document the effects of human activitiesDocument the effects of human activities Simulate future changes and assess their Simulate future changes and assess their

probable consequencesprobable consequences

Drilling Ice Cores in PeruDrilling Ice Cores in Peru Annual layers in the Annual layers in the

Quelccaya Ice CapQuelccaya Ice Cap Distant view of ice Distant view of ice

capcap

Lonnie Thompson

We need a basic scientific We need a basic scientific understanding of how the Earth understanding of how the Earth

functions as an interacting systemfunctions as an interacting system Understand and distinguish natural variability Understand and distinguish natural variability

in climate and ecosystemsin climate and ecosystems Include the interactions between the Include the interactions between the

atmosphere, oceans, land surface, ice, and atmosphere, oceans, land surface, ice, and biospherebiosphere

Examine the evidence from the pastExamine the evidence from the past Document the effects of human activitiesDocument the effects of human activities Simulate future changes and assess their Simulate future changes and assess their

probable consequencesprobable consequences

Pipeline in British ColumbiaPipeline in British Columbia

– ©© http://corbis.com http://corbis.com 10585078.jpg10585078.jpg

We need a basic scientific We need a basic scientific understanding of how the Earth understanding of how the Earth

functions as an interacting systemfunctions as an interacting system Understand and distinguish natural variability Understand and distinguish natural variability

in climate and ecosystemsin climate and ecosystems Include the interactions between the Include the interactions between the

atmosphere, oceans, land surface, ice, and atmosphere, oceans, land surface, ice, and biospherebiosphere

Examine the evidence from the pastExamine the evidence from the past Document the effects of human activitiesDocument the effects of human activities Simulate future changes and assess their Simulate future changes and assess their

probable consequencesprobable consequences

The The Intergovernmental Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Panel on Climate

ChangeChange

IPPC 1995IPPC 1995

Projected Projected Future Future WarmingWarming

For various For various emission scenariosemission scenarios

For high or low For high or low climate feedback climate feedback multiply by 1.8 or multiply by 1.8 or 0.6 0.6

IPPC 1995IPPC 1995

Key PointsKey Points

Human activities are affecting the Human activities are affecting the environment on global scaleenvironment on global scale

The impacts on human societies are The impacts on human societies are potentially substantial but largely unknownpotentially substantial but largely unknown

We need a basic scientific understanding of We need a basic scientific understanding of how the Earth functions as an interacting how the Earth functions as an interacting systemsystem

Earth System ScienceEarth System Science

Sources of InformationSources of Information

Earth System Science - Overview, NASA, Earth System Science - Overview, NASA, 1986 (ESS)1986 (ESS)

Climate Change 1995 , Intergovernmental Climate Change 1995 , Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC)Panel on Climate Change (IPPC)

Referenced web sites Referenced web sites