… Signs & Symptoms
MODULE #3:
Climate Change &
Global Warming
From melting ice in the Arctic…
All around the globe, scientists are seeing signs and
symptoms of climate change…
To rising sea levels …
All around the globe, scientists are seeing signs and
symptoms of climate change…
Photo credit - Hazecam
To changes right in our own backyards…
All around the globe, scientists are seeing signs and
symptoms of climate change…
Let’s take a closer look at some of these signs…
Source: NASA
Greenland’s melting glaciers
Source: Arctic
Impacts of Arctic
Warming,
Cambridge
Press, 2004).
Red areas show
the ‘melt zone’
where summer
warmth turns
snow and ice
around the
edges of the ice
sheet into slush
and ponds of
meltwater
Rising Seas around the globe…
What is happening here in the Northeast?
What is happening here in Vermont?
1907 to 2007 Burlington Vermont
Lake Champlain Mean Lake Elevation and Average Annual Precipitation
100.00
55
50
99.00
45
40
98.00
35
30
97.00
25
`
20
96.00
15
10
95.00
5
0
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
94.00
Lake Champlain Mean Level
Linear (Lake Champlain Mean Level)
Burlington Annual Precip
Linear (Burlington Annual Precip)
What is happening now? … or may happen soon?
Shift in range, distribution and
abundance of various wildlife
species, due to loss of suitable
habitat. Cold-water fish are
especially susceptible, as well as
certain migratory birds and
songbirds.
What is happening now? … or may happen soon?
Reduced maple sap harvests resulting
from changes in climate and tree health
Altered geographic distribution & health
of trees (maple, beech & birch are likely to
Muted
be replaced by pine, oak, & hickory
thatautumn
thrive in a slightly warmer climate)
colors
What is happening now? … or may happen soon?
Lyme Disease Cases with Vermont Exposure Origin
(Source: VT Dept of Health website)
90
Northward shift of
rodent, tick, and insectborne diseases that
require warmer
temperatures to survive.
Number of Reported Cases
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Year
Warmer summertime temperatures are likely to reduce air quality by helping
to create ground-level ozone. This will result in increased cases of asthma &
other respiratory illnesses.
… Please take a look at MODULE #4 to learn what
you can do to reduce GHG emissions and slow
climate change