Long and Short Term Changes of Climate discusses various factors that cause changes in climate over both small and long terms. Small-term changes are caused by volcanic eruptions, small variations in solar radiation, and shifts in air and ocean currents. Long-term changes are influenced by changes in Earth's energy balance, orbital variations, glacial activity, plate tectonics, and human influences like fossil fuel usage. The document also discusses how climate change can affect animals and ecosystems, as well as how scientists monitor and study climate change.

2. Long and Short Term Changes of Climate By: Nashmiya, Faizah, Shazia, Michelle and Zalmay

3. Small-Term changes in Climate Small changes that affect the whole climate system…. Things that cause the changes in the climate are: Volcanic eruptions Small changes in the sun’s radiation Air and Ocean currents

5. The sulfur dioxide, that Volcanoes eject block the sun’s energy which means the sun’s energy bounces back to space.

6. Less energy on Earth means that the temperature cools down temporarily.

9. Volcanic eruption

11. Measurements made during the early 1980s showed a decrease of 0.1 percent in the total amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth over 18 months.

12. If this continued, then over several decades, this will hold an impact on the global climate.

14. During the Ice Age , huge ice sheets covered the Earth’s surface, and when the ice melted, all the fresh water went into oceans

15. Since the fresh water was less dense the actual salty water, it stayed near the ocean’s surface.

16. Now the scientists believe that the fresh water from the ice age period have disturbed the thermohaline circulation and because of that Earth’s climate maybe becoming cold again.

17. Every three to seven years, Pacific Ocean faces huge changes.

18. The prevailing winds change directions, temporarily, causing changes in the ocean currents

19. The Prevailing winds, Instead of pushing the warm surface water towards west Pacific, they push the warm water to the east. This periodic shift in The Pacific winds and ocean is called El Nino. A clear diagram of El Nino is shown in or science text pg: 352

20. Long-Term changes in Climate Changes in Climate are influenced by: Changes in Earth’s energy balance (If something goes different in energy absorption, Earth’s climate can change). If amount of energy received from the Sun changes, the climate will do the same.

22. However, due to “global warming”, the long term effect could result in increased temperature, and that can have a great affect on everything (wildlife, ecozones, glaciers, etc...)

23. Earth has been going back and forth on the change of climate, from warmer to colder, going back and forth. Temperatures have drastically changed from before.

26. This very path can be slightly changed due to the glacial activity on Earth, that can affect the axial tilt (controls seasons) of the Earth.

27. Also, there could be either increase or decrease in the Sun’s sunspots, and that can slightly alter the solar cycle.

29. As the glaciers would melt into the ocean, it would push the ocean currents down and cause new climates in different areas, most likely by cooling the ocean down a bit. Land masses would then have different seasonal temperatures, due to the new ocean currents nearby.

31. The plates would rub against/slide/or go underneath each other, and make different continents to shift and relocate in different locations.

33. More Volcanoes Due to the more active plate tectonic movement, more volcanism would exist around the world. The carbon dioxide is being lost by being slowly absorbed in the oceans. High overall temperature periods will probably cause a lot of greenhouse warming due to volcanic carbon dioxide!

36. Ice ages are caused by 3 major things

37. Shape of Earth’s orbit (circular or elliptical)

38. Wobble of the earth as it spins (Determines which star is going to be our “North Star”

39. Tilt of earth on its axis ( As angle increases, season differences increase)

41. Human Influences Increase in burning of fossil fuels and release of aerosols, excessive land use and deforestation can change the climate severely. All of these could result in loss and change of fossil fuels, glaciers, vegetations, permafrost regions, average sea levels, and wild life habitats.

42. Polar bear being left without a home.

44. Movement affects both global and local patterns of the climate and the circulation of oceans

45. Occurred over the course of millions of years

46. Created the Gulf Stream because of the changes in ocean dynamics

48. Humans went into Europe and drived the Neanderthals away into a less bountiful area of the continent

49. Game was not abundant in the area and it was very cold there

50. Neanderthals could not survive the combination of ice age and humans, even though they've survived freezing temperatures before

52. Europe progressed because of warmer climate conditions.

53. It allowed the people to grow agriculture; growing seasons were longer.

54. Conditions were different elsewhere, however; China had little rainfall from 700 to 900 BC because of "weak summer monsoons that failed to develop over the Pacific ocean“.

56. Extremely cold temperatures

57. Important geological event occurred: Mount Tambora, located on an Indonesian island called Sumbawa, gave off an extremely massive amount of volcanic dust into the atmosphere which blocked the sun's rays, therefore lowering the temperature.

58. Because of volcanic eruptions and cold temperatures, the northern hemisphere had to go "a year without summer“.

61. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of regular onesBenefits: Saves 150 pounds of Carbon dioxide every year and uses a lot less energy.

64. Rising temperatures is expected to cause warming of the oceans and the partial melting of glaciers and ice-caps, resulting in a global rise in sea level.

66. Massive flooding is caused by the loss of polar ice. This causes massive flooding and could possibly engulf small islands

68. Loss of Food: Melting polar ice is affecting the life of many animals and tiny organisms that larger creatures feed on for survival.

69. Effects on: Hibernation, Breeding, Migration.

71. Fish species are moving northward in search of cooler waters.

72. Butterflies are moving northward in search of cooler temperatures.

73. Both plants and animals have become endangered including:

74. Musk Ox

75. Staghorn Corals

76. Emperor Penguin

78. They use core samples that are removed from an ice sheet

79. Observe the changing temperatures

80. Atmospheric chemists gather air samples

81. Scientist measure emissions

82. Scientist suggest ways for people to help contribute to stopping global warming

84. Work Cited Ferguson, Charles D. "A Brief History of Climate Change and Conflict | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists." It Is 6 Minutes to Midnight | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Web. 10 Jan. 2011. <http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/brief-history-of-climate-change-and-conflict>. Greenhouse Effect. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2011. <http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/>. -"Canada's Action on Climate Change - Climate Change." L'action du Canada sur les “Live Science." http://www.livescience.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2011. <www.livescience.com/environment/050621_warming_list.html >. "Stop climate change." Greenpeace International. Greenpeace, 2009. Web. 30 Dec 2010. <http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/climate-change/>. "The Year Without a Summer 1816: Caused by the 1815 Eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia." Suite101.com: Online Magazine and Writers' Network. Web. 10 Jan. 2011. <http://www.suite101.com/content/the-year-without-a-summer-1816-a54675>. "What Can I Do To Help Prevent Climate Change?." Earth911.com. Earth911, 2/4/2007. Web. 30 Dec 2010. <http://earth911.com/news/2007/04/02/what-can-i-do-to-help-prevent-climate-change/>.

85. The End