Extreme Ice Survey - Extreme Ice Survey
Climate Impacts in the Southwest | Climate Change
Key Points Increasing temperatures and more frequent and severe droughts will likely worsen existing competition for water resources. Drought, wildfire, changes in species' geographic ranges, invasive species, and pests will likely threaten native Southwest forests and ecosystems. View enlarged image Observed and projected temperature change in the Southwest, compared to a 1960-1979 baseline period. The Southwest is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Rocky Mountains to the east, and Mexico to the south. There is a wide range of elevation and climate types across the region. The climate of the Southwest is changing. Warming has already contributed to decreases in spring snowpack and Colorado River flows, which are an important source of water for the region. [2] Future warming is projected to produce more severe droughts in the region, with further reductions in water supplies. Top of page Impacts on Water Resources View enlarged image Impacts on Recreation Piñon Pine Die-off [4]
Earth Vision Institute | Earth Vision Institute, Founded by James Balog
Western U.S. Bark Beetles and Climate Change | Climate Change Resource Center (CCRC)
Preparer: Barbara Bentz, FWE, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Western Bark Beetle Research Group (WBBRG) This page is an archive, please see our updated Bark Beetles page. Issue Since 1990, native bark beetles have killed millions of trees across millions of hectares of forest from Alaska to southern California. Bark beetle outbreak dynamics are complex, and a variety of circumstances must coincide and thresholds must be surpassed for an outbreak to occur on a large scale. Likely Changes The recent large-scale dieback of piñon (Pinus edulis Engelm.) and ponderosa pine (P. ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) and associated bark beetle outbreaks in the Southwestern United States has been linked to the ”climate change type drought” (e.g., dry and warm) that occurred in this region in the early 2000s. We have database models to describe and project the effect of temperature, but not other climate variables, on life-cycle timing of the mountain pine beetle and spruce beetle (D. rufipennis Kirby).
Story of Stuff
Greenhouse gas benchmark reached
For the first time since we began tracking carbon dioxide in the global atmosphere, the monthly global average concentration of this greenhouse gas surpassed 400 parts per million in March 2015, according to NOAA’s latest results. “It was only a matter of time that we would average 400 parts per million globally,” said Pieter Tans, lead scientist of NOAA’s Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network. “We first reported 400 ppm when all of our Arctic sites reached that value in the spring of 2012. Measuring greenhouse gases Patricio Eladio Rojas Ledezma, a Chilean meteorologist, collects air samples as part of NOAA's Global Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Network, on Easter Island, Chile, with a portable air sampler. “This marks the fact that humans burning fossil fuels have caused global carbon dioxide concentrations to rise more than 120 parts per million since pre-industrial times,” added Tans. NOAA bases the global carbon dioxide concentration on air samples taken from 40 global sites.
Renewable Energy
This Living Lab offers you a chance to evaluate the renewable energy sources in the U.S. Renewable energy comes from natural resources such as wind, plant material, water (rain or tides), geothermal, or sunlight and is naturally replenished. Both renewable and non-renewable energy sources are used to generate electricity, power vehicles, and provide heating, cooling, and light. Renewable sources of energy vary widely in their cost-effectiveness and in their availability across the United States. Although water, wind, and other renewables may seem free, the cost comes in collecting and transporting the energy to the places where energy is needed. Wind Wind is kinetic energy - a mass of air moving with speed (or velocity). Biomass Biomass is potential energy found in living or recently living organisms (plants, animals, and their waste products). Hydro Flowing water creates energy called hydroelectric power or hydropower. Geothermal Geothermal energy is heat energy from the Earth’s core.
The World's First Solar Road Is Producing More Energy Than Expected
by Katie Valentine Posted on Share this: "The World’s First Solar Road Is Producing More Energy Than Expected" Share: CREDIT: SolaRoad In its first six months of existence, the world’s first solar road is performing even better than developers thought. The road, which opened in the Netherlands in November of last year, has produced more than 3,000 kilowatt-hours of energy — enough to power a single household for one year, according to Al-Jazeera America. “If we translate this to an annual yield, we expect more than the 70kwh per square meter per year,” Sten de Wit, a spokesman for the project — dubbed SolaRoad — told Al Jazeera America. De Wit said in a statement that he didn’t “expect a yield as high as this so quickly.” The 230-foot stretch of road, which is embedded with solar cells that are protected by two layers of safety glass, is built for bike traffic, a use that reflects the road’s environmentally-friendly message and the cycling-heavy culture of the Netherlands.
How Were Fossil Fuels Formed?
Return to Challenges of Non-Renewable Energy This slideshow was produced by George Vibranz and Anne Glausser. Shale gas is a fossil fuel that formed millions of years ago. Different kinds of fossil fuels — coals, oils, and natural gases — formed as dead plants and animals decayed. Scientists refer to such remains as “organic matter.” The element carbon is the foundation for organic matter on Earth. This narrated slide show is part of our Challenges of Non-Renewable Energy series. Pre-viewing Questions What do you already know about fossil fuels? Focus Questions for Viewing How did shale form over time? Post-viewing Questions Scientists say that nearly all of the energy on Earth comes from the sun. Extension Activity Conduct research to find shale gas deposits that have been discovered near your state. Links to Learn More Make a Geologic Timeline , Ohio Department of Natural Resources: Geologic time is very difficult to think about in terms of a human lifetime. NGSS Correlations
Interactive Map: Four Ways to Look at Carbon Footprints
About this graphic Graphics by Stephen Rountree and Adam Marr Source: World Resources Institute CAIT 2.0 climate data explorer Emissions data and national boundaries are from 2010. For current emissions, per capita emissions, and intensity, the data are measured in tons of "carbon dioxide equivalent." That is, they include carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases (methane, nitrous oxides, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride) as measured by their global warming potential.
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