LESSON

Effects of Climate Change

Guiding Question: What are the effects of climate change?

State ways in which the warming atmosphere

Reading Strategy Make a two-column table. In the left
affects ecosystems and organisms.
column, write the blue and green lesson headings. In the right
Explain how climate change is affecting people now. column, make notes that summarize the information under
Predict future effects of climate change on people.
those headings.
Vocabulary coral bleaching

Do You think that global warming is something that may happen

in the future? Climate change is affecting the world right now. Ecosystems
are changing, and individual organisms are experiencing the effect of
those changes. Climate change has also affected people, including how
people make their living and even some peoples health.

Effects on Ecosystems and

Organisms
As the atmosphere warms, ecosystems on land and in the
ocean are changing, affecting organisms in various ways.
Think of the ways in which temperature and climate are important to ecosystems and individual organisms. For example, temperature and rainfall
both affect animals food supplies. When the climate changes, the lives of
organisms usually change too. The following examples demonstrate this.

Shifting Habitats As ecosystems on land become warmer, the loca-

tions in which some organisms live are changing. The habitats of some
plants and animals have shifted to places where the climate is cooler
toward the North and South poles or higher up on mountains. For
example, in the Santa Rosa Mountains in California, the location of some
plant species, such as the Jeffrey pine tree and California lilac, has shifted
upward an average of about 65 meters (215 feet) (Figure 11).

16.3 LESSON PLAN PREVIEW

Differentiated Instruction
Support less proficient readers by making a class cluster
diagram to organize lesson
concepts.
Inquiry Students investigate
the effects of Hurricane Katrina.
Real World Students respond
to the idea that people living
far from an ocean do not have
to worry about sea levels rising.

16.3 RESOURCES
Lesson 16.3 Worksheets Lesson 16.3
Assessment Chapter 16 Overview
Presentation
GUIDING QUESTION
FOCUS Have each student think
about what some of the effects of
climate change might be. Then, give
students five minutes to write a
short paragraph summarizing their
thoughts. Have pairs of students
share their paragraphs with each
other. At the conclusion of the lesson, ask students how they would
change their paragraphs based on
what they have learned.

FIGURE 11 Changing Range In

some places, California lilacs
(Ceanothus) are growing higher on
mountainsides than they once did.
Global Climate Change 497

Find Out
More
Are migrating birds in your area
arriving earlier in the spring than
they did formerly? Contact a state
or local chapter of the National
Audubon Society or other wildlife
organization to find out. Ask for
information on how to observe and
identify birds.
ANSWERS

Find Out More Answers will vary.

Responses should indicate that
students have researched migrating
birds in your area.
Reading Checkpoint Some species are starting the spring migration
earlier than previously.

FIGURE 12 Trouble Finding Food

As polar bears hunt, they swim from
one ice sheet to another. The space
between ice sheets is increasing, and
the polar bears must swim longer
distances than before.

498 Lesson 3

Changing Migration Times Many species of birds migrate every

year in the fall and spring. In the fall, they travel to places where the
weather will be warmer and food will be more plentiful. Then in the
spring, they fly back to their summer habitat. Some birds are now starting
their spring migration earlier than before. Scientists infer that this change
in migration is happening because the birds winter habitat becomes
warmer earlier than before. This change in temperature probably sends a
signal to the birds to start their migration earlier.
A change in migration time can cause problems for some birds. For
example, in the spring, robins arrive on a mountaintop in Colorado about
two weeks earlier than they did in the 1970s. However, climate change has
caused increased snowfall on the mountain. So when the robins get there,
snow still covers the ground. The robins cannot feed until the snow melts.

Problems Obtaining Food Migrating birds are not the only animals

whose food supply is threatened by global warming. During the last few
decades, temperature changes have been greatest in the Arctic. Ice sheets
are melting and sea ice is thinning. Ice-free areas are increasing in the
Arctic seas. As sea ice melts earlier and freezes later, it has become more
difficult for polar bears to hunt the seals they feed on. Some polar bears
have been dying of exhaustion and starvation as they try to swim long
distances between ice sheets. Because the number of polar bears is declining, in 2008 the polar bear was listed as a threatened species under the
Endangered Species Act.

Effects of a Changing Ocean The ocean is becoming warmer. In

addition, its chemistry is changing because it is absorbing more and more
carbon dioxide. Both these processes have begun to affect organisms in the
sea, such as corals. Corals are tiny animals that use chemicals dissolved in
water to build hard, stony coverings around themselves. When the animals
die, the hard coverings remain. Over time, the stony coverings of millions
of corals form the massive ocean structures called coral reefs.
Reading
Checkpoint

 ow is the increase in atmospheric temperature affecting the

H
migration of some bird species?

Coral reefs provide rich and varied habitats for many marine
animals, such as sponges, worms, crabs, and fishes. Many fishes
eaten by people, such as flounder, are part of coral-reef food
chains. Coral reefs protect beaches against waves and support the
tourist industry. Today, coral reefs are dying worldwide, and this
loss will affect both ocean biodiversity and the lives of people.
There are many causes of coral-reef destruction. Global climate
change is one probable cause.
Reef-building corals contain
microorganisms called algae within their tissues. During pho
tosynthesis, the algae produce nutrients that supply energy, and
the corals use some of the nutrients. Without these algae, corals
cannot survive. However, in many places, the algae in corals are
dyinga process called coral bleaching, because without the
algae, the corals lose their bright colors. Scientists do not fully
understand why coral bleaching is happening, but evidence
indicates that the problem is often related to unusually warm
water temperatures.

Warmer Water Temperature

Seawater absorbs much carbon dioxide from

the atmosphere. As atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased,
the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the ocean has
increased, too. When carbon dioxide dissolves in water, it forms
carbonic acid, whose formula is H2CO3. The equation for this
reaction is shown below.

(a)

Ocean Acidity

H2O + CO2 H2CO3

Over time, the addition of carbonic acid to ocean water has
made the water slightly more acidic. Recall that the acidity of a
solution is expressed as its pH. The higher the acidity, the lower
the pH. The pH of ocean water is slowly going down, and it will
probably continue to do so as long as the ocean keeps absorbing
more carbon dioxide. The increased acidity of ocean water may
already be harming organisms that live in the ocean, including
corals. Ocean acidity limits the ability of corals and other shellbuilding organisms to build their hard, protective coverings.

(b)

FIGURE 13 Coral Bleaching (a) The color of

healthy brain coral comes from algae. (b) When
the algae die, coral bleaching occurs.

The Future of Ecosystems The future effects of climate

change on ecosystems will be complex and are hard to predict.
For example, an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide may
increase vegetation, since plants use carbon dioxide in photosynthesis. However, if drought and forest fires increase, plant life will
be harmed and plants may decrease in number.
Changes will probably continue in the migration patterns
of some animals and in the ranges in which specific species can
survive. Because they cannot survive in the changed environment, some species may become extinct. Extinction of species
will decrease biodiversity.
Global Climate Change 499

Impact on People Right Now

BIG QUESTION
What are the causes and consequences of a warming Earth?
Application Have students assume
the role of reporters from 50 years in
the future. Have each student prepare a newscast describing a specific
event or incident that has occurred
due to global warming. For example,
students newscasts could describe a
heat wave, a drought, or the flooding of an island nation. Have each
student share his or her newscast
with the class.

Global climate change is affecting aspects of human life such as

farming, forestry, the economy, and health.
Extreme weather events, such as severe droughts and heat waves, are
becoming more severe in some areas, and this increase may be linked to
climate change. People are feeling the impact of bad weather and other
problems associated with climate change. These effects will continue into
the future.

Agriculture and Forestry The effects of climate change on agricul-

ture have been complex. Some crops, such as melons and sweet potatoes,
do well in heat and have probably benefited from longer growing seasons.
Other crops, such as spinach and broccoli, are more suited to cooler conditions. In many areas, droughts have reduced crop yields. The forestry
industry has also been damaged by extensive forest fires that result in part
from longer, warmer, drier fire seasons. Also, forest managers are increasingly battling insect and disease outbreaks.

Economic Effects When yields from agriculture and forestry

80

Billions of dollars (in 2005 dollars)

70
60
50
40
30

decrease, people who work in those industries have a hard time earning a
living. Huge storms, such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, cause enormous
damage, and this damage has economic consequences, too. Businesses that cater to tourists, such
Weather-Related Insurance Claims
as shops and restaurants, had to shut down because
of Katrina and therefore lost money they might have
earned. Homeowners, taxpayers, and utility customPrivately insured:
weather-related damage
ers had to pay to have damaged homes, highways,
Federal government insurance:
and power lines repaired.
crop damage
The financial consequence of storms is indicated
Federal government insurance:
by the amount of money that insurance companies
flood damage
pay to people and companies that have insured their
property against weather-related damage. The graph
in Figure 14 shows how money paid by private and
government insurers increased between 1980 and
2004. Rising insurance payments may indirectly
indicate that storms are increasing in severity.

20
10
0
19

80

19

84

19

88

19

92

Year

19

96

20

00

Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office [data]; assembled by Evan Mills,

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

FIGURE 14 Weather-Related Insurance Claims The

graph shows that between 1980 and 2004, insurance
claims for damage caused by weather have increased.
500 Lesson 3

20

04

Health Effects As atmospheric temperatures

have risen, the probability of severe heat waves has
increased. Extreme heat can cause illnesses such
as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat stroke is a
condition in which the body cannot control its temperature, and body temperature rapidly rises. Heat
stroke can cause death if it is not treated quickly. A
1995 heat wave killed at least 465 people in Chicago.
In 2003, another severe heat wave in Europe killed
about 35,000 people.

Future Impact
on People
Computer modeling predicts that
global climate change will continue to
affect people.
Computer modeling has enabled scientists to
make predictions about climate change. The
IPCC report indicates that carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere will continue to rise, and
so will the temperatures of the atmosphere
and ocean. These trends will affect the way
people live.

Diseases The ranges of animals that transmit diseases may expand as

parts of the world become warmer. Lyme disease, for example, is transmitted to humans by tick bites. In Canada, Lyme disease is now confined
to the southern part of the country. If northern Canada becomes warmer,
the ticks that carry Lyme disease will be able to survive there, and the
disease may spread northward.

Sea Level As the oceans become warmer and polar ice keeps melting,

sea level will continue to rise. People in the Maldives and other coastal
areas worldwide are concerned about what will happen eventually. In the
United States, 53 percent of the population lives in coastal areas. Many
people may need to find new places to live.

Water Supply Rising sea levels increase the possibility that salt water
from the ocean will intrude into freshwater aquifers and contaminate
peoples freshwater supplies. The disappearance of glaciers also threatens
water supplies. When glaciers release meltwater slowly, year after year, the
meltwater feeds rivers and reservoirs. Therefore, glaciers now indirectly
supply many people with water. If glaciers melt too quickly and eventually disappear, this water supply will no longer exist. In addition, dams on
many rivers and reservoirs generate electricity. If the amount of water in
those rivers and reservoirs decreases significantly, people would need to
obtain electricity some other way.

FIGURE 15 Effect on a Lake A dam

on Diablo Lake generates electricity
for Seattle, Washington. The lake is
fed by many glaciers. If the glaciers
melt entirely, the lake may disappear,
threatening Seattles supply of
electricity.
ANSWERS

Lesson 3 Assessment
1. Warmer ocean water contributes
to coral bleaching; increasing
ocean acidity interferes with the
ability of corals to build their hard,
protective coverings.
2. Sample answer: Droughts reduce
crop yields; increased forest fires
harm the forestry industry.
3. Sample answer: Beaches, which
attract tourists, may disappear.
4. The melting process that fills reservoirs has been gradual. Climate
change has sped up the melting
of glaciers. Eventually, the glaciers
may disappear and will no longer
be a source of water.

3
1. Relate Cause and Effect Explain two ways in
which global climate change is threatening corals.
2. Apply Concepts What are two ways in which
climate change is affecting the way in which people
earn their living?
3. Predict What might happen to coastal tourist
industries if sea levels continue to rise?

4. Explore the BIGQUESTION Every year, melting

water from glaciers helps fill some reservoirs that
people use for water. If melting water is the source
of the reservoirs water, why is the glacial melting caused by climate change a threat to water
supplies?

Global Climate Change 501