1. Climate Change and the Land/Water Relationship
By Sonia Shah and Alex Panayiotou
Sonia

2. Topics Background Contributing Factors Effects of Climate Change
Impacts on Various Sectors
Adaptive Solutions
Sonia

3. Background Balance between heat entering and exiting atmosphere
Natural climate fluctuation
variations in energy from sun
reflectivity of earth’s atmosphere
volcanic eruptions
orbital patterns
Alex

4. Modern Contributing Factors
Changes in the Greenhouse Effect
Heat retention
Human activity
Industrial Revolution
Increased greenhouse gas release
Water Vapor (H₂O)
Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)
Methane (CH₄)
Alex

5. Modern Contribution Factors Cont.
Size of GHG “faucet” is much larger than “drain”
Alex

6. Observed temperature over 100 years GHG Concentrations over 2000 years
Alex

7. Effects of Climate Change
Change in production patterns due to higher temperatures
Changing precipitation pattern
Shift in climate and agricultural zones towards poles
Sonia

8. Effects of Climate Change Cont.
Temporary boost in agricultural yields due to increased CO₂
Raise photosynthesis rate
Increased biomass
Higher carbon fixation
Sonia

9. The Calvin Cycle in C3 Plants
Alex
The Calvin Cycle in C3 Plants

10. Impact on Agriculture US exports over 30% of wheat, corn
Rise on the global market
Warmer weather leads to faster growth
Sometimes results in less seed production
If temperature exceeds crop’s optimum temperature, yields will most likely decline
Sonia

11. Sonia “Despite technological improvements that increase corn yields, extreme weather events have caused significant yield reductions in some years”

12. Impacts on Agriculture
Shift of agricultural zone towards poles
Alex

13. Impact on Livestock
US livestock industry produces over $100 billion annually
Increased heat wave frequency
Reported loss of 5000 animals per heat wave in some states
Sonia

14. Impact on Livestock Cont.
Heat stress effects:
Increased susceptibility to disease
Increased prevalence of parasites and disease carrying agents (mosquitos)
Reduced fertility
Reduced milk production
Drought may threaten feed quality
Sonia

15. Impact on Fisheries
Fisheries contribute more than $1.4 billion to the economy annually
Already face overfishing and pollution
Many aquatic species find colder areas of water
Causes competition between species
Diseases may become more significant
Alex

16. Impact on Fisheries Cont.
Changes in temperature/season length can affect timing of reproduction and migration
Parts of life cycle controlled by temperature and changing of seasons
Oceans becoming more acidic from increased CO2
High acidity can compromise ecosystem
Alex

17. NOAA Global Ocean Heat Content
Alex
NOAA Global Ocean Heat Content

18. International Impact Similar impacts to US
Population growth may magnify effect
In developing countries, irrigation adaptation options are more limited
Impact on global food supply may affect prices
Global food crisis
Sonia

19. Adaptive Adjustments
Diversifying crops to adjust to precipitation and temperature patterns
Water/soil moisture conservation measures to avoid seasonal water shortages
Changing livestock breeding practices and grazing patterns
Sonia

20. Adaptive Adjustments Cont.
Developing disease resistant crops
Technology
Satellite imagery can help farmers recognize broad-scale patterns and adjust
Sonia

21. Recap Climate change is a global issue
It affects almost every aspect of our society
Crops/livestock will not remain sustainable if this trend continues
People can adapt to a certain extent
How can we come up with solutions?
Alex

22. How You Can Help Assume personal responsibility
Reduce your carbon footprint
Everyday Energy Efficiency
Make your next car a hybrid
Look for Energy Star when buying new electronics and appliances
Take public transportation
Drink tap water rather than buying bottled water
Sonia

23. How You Can Help - Tesla Powerwall
Industrial
Residential
Each unit $3500, multiple units per house Alex
Scalable to use for industrial applications
Ideal for solar power storage