Effects of Ocean Warming

1. Effects of Ocean Warming

3. The Keeling Curve

4. Effects of Climate Change thus far… • Average global temperature increase of about 1°F (0.6°C) over the past century • Average ocean temperature increase in that time of 0.18°F (0.1°C). • Warming has occurred from the surface to a depth of 2,300 ft (700 meters) • Majority of most marine life lives here

5. http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/news/20060925/

7. What Could Happen… • Sea Level Rise • Loss of coastline • Loss of Species • Tourism implications • Changes to weather patterns • Stronger and more frequent storms

8. What will cause sea level rise? Land ice Floating Ice Thermal Expansion

9. Loss of Ice

10. Changes in Sea Level Thus Far… • Sea level has been rising about 1-2mm per year since the last Ice Age • Result of a reduction in volume of ice caps, ice fields, mountain glaciers, and thermal expansion • If greenhouse gas emissions continue: • Iceland’s glaciers will decrease by 40% by 2100 and virtually disappear by 2200 • Complete melting of these ice sheets could lead to a sea-level rise of about 80 m • Melting of all other glaciers could lead to a sea-level rise of only 0.5m

11. What Does This Mean? • Melting of the current Greenland ice sheet would result in a sea-level rise of about 6.5 meters • Melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet would result in a sea-level rise of about 8 meters • A sea-level rise of 10 meters would flood about 25 percent of the U.S. population, • Most major impact to the people and infrastructures in the Gulf and East Coast States

12. Loss of Species - Corals • “Rainforest of the seas” • Protect shores of wave impacts • Food and medicine for humans • Economic benefits in tourism • Home to 25% of fish species • Tolerate narrow temperature range and bleach themselves when too warm • 20% of the world’s coral reefs have been effectively destroyed and show no immediate prospects of recovery

13. Loss of Species – Polar Bear • Use sea ice for hunting • Forced to swim greater distances • Leads to drowning • Starvation • Forced into towns on land to make dens and find food • Currently listed as threatened • By 2050, population expected to drop by two-thirds

14. Loss of Species – Sea Turtles • 6 species already endangered • Females lay eggs on beach • Loss of beaches due to rising sea level • Temperatures too hot for eggs • Lower numbers of hatchlings • More female turtles being born • Upsets the sex ratio

15. Changes in Weather Patterns - Hurricanes • Stronger and more frequent tropical storms and cyclones • More water vapor formed from warmer temps allows small storms to escalate quickly • Number of category 4 and 5 storms has increased over past 35 years • Katrina (2005) was costliest hurricane in US history ($125 billion)

16. Changes in Weather Patterns – Droughts and Wildfires • Greater evaporation from warmer water temperatures could escalate drought conditions • National drought of 1999-2002 was one of the most extensive droughts in 40 years • 2006 wildfire season set records: • 100,000 fires reported • 10 mil acres burned • Firefighting expenditures of $1 billion/year

17. And much more… • Changes of species migration • Invasive species • Increased disease outbreaks • Loss of biodiversity