Strange Days on Planet Earth: The One Degree Factor
Experiences/Observations
Patterns in Data
Explanation
Temperature measurements in the
Arctic
Rising average temps in the Arctic
Possibly looking at threshold where
caribou cannot recover
Porcupine herd census data (from
satellite photos—supported by
Gwitchen observations)
Caribou population decreasing (190
K to 120 K since 1989)
SUMMER
Caribou observations (behavioral &
physical): time allotment, fat content,
offspring produced, mortality rates
Caribou avoid bottomlands (where
more reliable food sources are), build
up less fat in summertime, produce
less calves, increased adult deaths
Habitat observations: food
abundance, daily temps, available
water, mosquito population.
More warm days, longer insect
breeding season, larger swarms of
mosquitoes
WINTER
Caribou observations (behavioral &
physical): time allotment, offspring
produced, mortality rates, feeding
strategies
Habitat observations: food
availability, daily temps, predation,
precipitation levels.
Zooplankton observations: behavior,
metabolism, distribution, anatomy
Delayed migration, delayed calving,
harder to avoid predators,
Rain in December, appearance of
“blood trails”, ice build-up over food
sources, more snow in winter, lichen
buried deeper, increase in violent and
unseasonable storms (spring
blizzards)
Daily up and down movement of
zooplankton
Zooplankton avoid predators by
ascending after dark
Krill population 20% of 1950’s, yet
rebounds in late 90’s
Observations of H20 temps in the
Pacific
Cold water off Oregon = zooplankton
increase, warm water off Oregon =
zooplankton decline
Census of tidal pools, temperatures
of tidal pools, body temperature of
tidal pool inhabitants, heart rate data
of crabs
Mix of species changing in CA tide
pools
Examination of kids (doctors)
Examination of coral, atmospheric
samples (scientists)
Measurements of surface area of
Lake Chad (satellite photos)
Regime shifts: warm water affects
flow on nutrients from depths
High body temperatures in tide pools
Crab heart rates crash 2 degrees F
above current temps
Asthma levels rise in Trinidad
Coral sea fan disease in St. John’s
Increased levels of dust to clean
Lake Chad reduced to 1/20 of former
areas
Aspergillis possible cause of sea fan
disease
Asthma admissions correlated with
African dust
Cultural observations: abandoned
fishing boats, research lab,
communities rebuilding on channels
Agriculture and livestock replacing
fishing as source of livelihood
Drought has caused increased dust
in Africa
Dust going toward Americas
Atmospheric pressure measurements
Satellite photos
North Atlantic oscillation staying in
intense phase every winter for the
past 20-30 years
Climate model changes with
increasing concentrations of
greenhouse gases
Wind measurements
Paths of storms
Rainfall measurements
Dust going toward Americas
Increasing temperature of Indian
Ocean increases rainfall over Indian
Ocean
Heat from Indian Ocean fixes North
Atlantic oscillation, mobilizes dust in
Sahara, affects children and sea fans
in Caribbean
Notes:
Questions for further discussion:
1) What do we, as a society, need to do as a response to the scientific findings discussed?
2) What is the responsibility of scientists in the larger discussion of climate change?
3) What is our role as science educators in regards to environmental literacy and the larger
societal conversations about science?