The Effects of Climate Change on Vegetation in the California
Study Area
STORE Lesson 5
Name: ___________________
Period: ___________________
Date: ____________________
Introduction
After completing Lesson 1 and Lesson 2 it was clear to see that the temperature and
the amount of precipitation are projected to change in the future. This lesson analyzes
how the climate change projections for the year 2050 and 2099 will affect the biomes in
those years. Students will use Google Earth to compare recent years spatial
distributions of vegetation communities to the spatial distributions in year 2050 and year
2099. This lesson focuses on the two vegetation communities: deciduous and
evergreen forests.
Objective
To visualize impact on vegetation the projected change in precipitation and temperature
within the California Study Area located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Data Set up – Use your copy of the Google Earth file from STORE Lesson 1 or 2. If
you don’t have it follow the directions below.
1. Use this path by double clicking the following folders to get your data. X:drive,
High School, Earth Science, Store Data.
2. Once the Store Data folder is open, look for the file called NYCalStoreData.kmz.
Right click on this file and click copy. Open your H-Drive and paste the file.
Double click the file name to open Google Earth
Part 1 – Determining the elevation of the five California weather stations.
1. Open the CA Weather Stations folder in the Places panel. Double click on San
Jose. A pop-up table will appear and the map will automatically zoom into a
closer view of this weather station.
1
2. Record the elevation (in meters) in column 1 of the table on the report sheet.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the rest of the California weather stations.
Part 2 - Analysis of location and range of deciduous and evergreen forests in the
Sierra Nevada Mountain range based on projected temperature changes.
4. Open the Recent Predominating Types of Land Cover folder within the Places
panel. Now open the Broad Predominating Types of Land Cover folder and
turn on the Deciduous Forest layer
5. Open the 2050 Land Cover Projections folder. Turn on the 2050 Deciduous
Forest Range based on projected temperature layer.
6. Study the changes in the deciduous forest range from recent years to 2050 by
changing the transparency of the 2050 Deciduous Forest Range based on
projected temperature layer. Ask for help if you don’t know how to do this.
7. Record the changes you see by filling in the information asked for in the Part 2
Data Table on the report sheet. Use the information below to help record your
observations.
 Describe changes to size of the forest type range – did it get smaller, larger or about
the same size.
 Describe the movement of the forest type range – did it move towards the east, west
or no change.
 Describe the changes to elevation of the forest type range – did it increase, decrease
or no change. Did the range (low to high) of elevation change.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 using the 2099 Deciduous Forest Range based on
projected temperature layer. You will find this in the 2099 Land Cover
Projections folder. Make sure you leave the recent deciduous forest layer on
and turn off the 2050 layer.
9. Turn off the deciduous forest layers.
10. Open the Recent Predominating Types of Land Cover folder within the Places
panel. Now open the Broad Predominating Types of Land Cover folder and
2
turn on the Evergreen Forest layer.
11. Open the 2050 Land Cover Projections folder. Turn on the 2050 Evergreen
Forest Range based on projected temperature layer.
12. Study the changes in the evergreen forest range from recent years to 2050 by
changing the transparency of the 2050 Evergreen Forest Range based on
projected temperature layer. Ask for help if you don’t know how to do this.
13. Record the changes you see by filling in the information asked for in the Part 2
Data Table on the report sheet. Use the information below to help record your
observations.
 Describe changes to size of the forest type range – did it get smaller, larger or about
the same size.
 Describe the movement of the forest type range – did it move towards the east, west
or no change.
 Describe the changes to elevation of the forest type range – did it increase, decrease
or no change. Did the range (low to high) of elevation change.
14. Repeat steps 12 and 13 using the 2099 Evergreen Forest Range based on
projected temperature layer. You will find this in the 2099 Land Cover
Projections folder. Make sure you leave the recent evergreen forest layer on
and turn off the 2050 layer.
Part 3 - Analysis of location and range of deciduous and evergreen forests in the
Sierra Nevada Mountain range based on projected precipitation changes.
1. Open the Recent Predominating Types of Land Cover folder within the Places
panel. Now open the Broad Predominating Types of Land Cover folder and
turn on the Deciduous Forest layer
2. Open the 2050 Land Cover Projections folder. Turn on the 2050 Deciduous
Forest Range based on projected precipitation layer.
3. Study the changes in the deciduous forest range from recent years to 2050 by
changing the transparency of the 2050 Deciduous Forest Range based on
projected precipitation layer. Ask for help if you don’t know how to do this.
3
4. Record the changes you see by filling in the information asked for in the Part 3
Data Table on the report sheet. Use the information below to help record your
observations.
 Describe changes to size of the forest type range – did it get smaller, larger or about
the same size.
 Describe the movement of the forest type range – did it move towards the east, west
or no change.
 Describe the changes to elevation of the forest type range – did it increase, decrease
or no change. Did the range (low to high) of elevation change.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 using the 2099 Deciduous Forest Range based on
projected precipitation layer. You will find this in the 2099 Land Cover
Projections folder. Make sure you leave the recent deciduous forest layer on
and turn off the 2050 layer.
6. Turn off the deciduous forest layers.
7. Open the Recent Predominating Types of Land Cover folder within the Places
panel. Now open the Broad Predominating Types of Land Cover folder and
turn on the Evergreen Forest layer.
8. Open the 2050 Land Cover Projections folder. Turn on the 2050 Evergreen
Forest Range based on projected precipitation layer.
9. Study the changes in the evergreen forest range from recent years to 2050 by
changing the transparency of the 2050 Evergreen Forest Range based on
projected precipitation layer. Ask for help if you don’t know how to do this.
10. Record the changes you see by filling in the information asked for in the Part 3
Data Table on the report sheet. Use the information below to help record your
observations.
 Describe changes to size of the forest type range – did it get smaller, larger or about
the same size.
 Describe the movement of the forest type range – did it move towards the east, west
or no change.
 Describe the changes to elevation of the forest type range – did it increase, decrease
or no change. Did the range (low to high) of elevation change.
4
11. Repeat steps 9 and 10 using the 2099 Evergreen Forest Range based on
projected precipitation layer. You will find this in the 2099 Land Cover
Projections folder. Make sure you leave the recent evergreen forest layer on
and turn off the 2050 layer.
12. Use your data and Google Earth to help answer the questions on the Report
Sheet.
5
Name
Date
Block
Partner
Lesson 5 Report Sheet: The Effects of Climate Change on Vegetation
Part 1 – Elevation Data
Column 1
Elevation
(meters)
Weather
Station
San Jose
Use this information to help record your
observations for the Part 2 and Part 3 Data Tables.
Modesto CityCounty AP
Describe changes to size of the forest type range – did
it get smaller, larger or about the same size.
Sonora RS
Describe the movement of the forest type range – did it
move towards the east, west or no change.
Mount Hamilton
Describe the changes to elevation of the forest type
range – did it increase, decrease or no change. Did the
range (low to high) of elevation change.
Twin Lakes
Part 2 Data Table – Changes Based on Projected Temperature
Forest
Type
Year of
Projected
Temperature
2050
Deciduous
2099
2050
Evergreen
2099
6
Describe changes
to size of Forest
Type Range
Describe
movement of
Range (eastward,
westward)
Describe changes
to elevation of
Forest Type
Range
Part 3 Data Table – Changes Based on Projected Precipitation
Forest
Type
Year of
Projected
Precipitation
Describe changes
to size of Forest
Type Range
Describe
movement of
Range (eastward,
westward)
Describe changes
to elevation of
Forest Type
Range
2050
Deciduous
2099
2050
Evergreen
2099
Questions – Answer the following questions in the space provided.
1. How did the range of the deciduous forest change from recent time until 2099?
Use specific values from your data or Google Earth to answer this question.
2. How did the range of the evergreen forest change from recent time until 2099?
Use specific values from your data or Google Earth to answer this question.
7
3. Upon completing your investigation, explain whether the projected temperature
or precipitation had the greatest influence on range of the forest type. Please
use examples from the data you collected and Google Earth to support your
explanation.
4. Is there a region of New York that similar changes to the range of forest types
might be taking place? Identify one region and list several reasons to justify your
selection. NO is not an acceptable answer.
5. How did the elevation of the weather station play a role in the change of the
forest type range?
8
6. Using the data table below and Google Earth, estimate the new range for these
forest types in 2099 and describe which part of the range (low, middle or high
elevation) will be effected the most by global climate change.
Elevation Ranges for Land Cover Types within the California Study Area
Land Cover
Elevation Range (meters)
Deciduous Forest
100-2800
Evergreen Forest
100-3200
9