Download ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

ATMOSPHERIC
ENVIRONMENTAL
CONCERNS
YAHNER
CHAP 9
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– Distribution / Abundance of life is affected by:
 abiotic factors
– solar radiation
– soil moisture
 biotic factors
– predation
– competition
 human induced
– forest management
– forest fragmentation
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– Distribution / Abundance of life is affected by:
 since 1960
–
–
–
–
–
–
greenhouse effect
global climate change
acid deposition
toxic metals
ozone tropospheric >
ozone stratospheric <
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE:
 WEATHER AND CLIMATE
– The atmosphere, three areas
1) troposphere 0-17 km
 contains 95% earth’s gases
 nitrogen = 78%
 oxygen = 21%
 carbon dioxide = 0.035%
 water = 0.01-5%
 temperature lowers from 0 to -40 C
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE:
 WEATHER AND CLIMATE
– The atmosphere, three areas
2) stratosphere 17-48 km
 gases are less dense
 ozone is the most abundant, 17-26 km
 temperature rises from -40 to 0 C
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE:
 WEATHER AND CLIMATE
– The atmosphere, three areas
3) mesosphere 48-90 km
temperature lowers from 0 to -70 C
4) thermosphere; 90+
temperature rises from -70 to 120 C
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE:
 WEATHER AND CLIMATE
– weather - short term changes in temp, precip, wind, etc that
occurs in the troposphere
– climate (the average of the above) characteristic weather
patterns for a given area (spans the recent decades)
– climate has changed little since the last glacial period for
the edf
– weather can change rapidly
 El Nińo, 1997
 local drought, PA 1988
 hurricane Andrew, 1992
 hurricane Katrina, 2005
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE
–
–
–
–
temperature and precipitation are the main factors
these are influenced greatly by solar radiation
~50% radiant energy is absorbed
~20% is absorbed by trace gases; H2O, CO2, O3
 this warms the atmosphere
– ~30% radiates back into space
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE
 SEASONS AND EARTH-SUN RELATIONSHIPS
– it is the radiation budget that controls the seasons
– growth in the spring and dormancy in the autumn is related
to the amount of sunlight
– add to this the tilt of the earth and distances from the sun
– inclination of earth’s axis is 23.5 degrees
– summer/winter farthest from the sun
– the edf receives more solar radiation in the summer and
less in the winter due to tilt.
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE
 SEASONS AND EARTH-SUN RELATIONSHIPS
–
–
–
–
air movement is affected by tilt
air rises at the equator and flows N and S
west trade winds flow easterly in the U.S.
obstacles such as mountains intercept moisture laden air
and rain falls on the windward side
– a rain shadow -no rain- occurs on the leeward side
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE
 GREENHOUSE GASES AND GREENHOUSE
EFFECT
– Greenhouse effect= the absorption of radiation by the gases
and heat build-up in the troposphere
– Greenhouse gases;
 carbon dioxide- insulates by trapping low energy
radiations
 water vapor
 ozone- intercepts 99% UV radiation and warms the
outer stratosphere
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE
 GREENHOUSE GASES AND GREENHOUSE
EFFECT
the troposphere and stratosphere provide a natural
greenhouse
– life would be impossible w/o the atmosphere
– today the ave temp is 13 C
– w/o greenhouse effect the temp would be -20 C
– Venus > CO2, ave temp is 447 C
– Mars no gases, ave temp is -53 C
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– GLOBAL CLIMATIC CHANGE
– since 1970 scientists have provided evidence for global
climate change
– may be 150 years on-going, beginning with the industrial
revolution
– CO2 has >25%
– methane has > 100%
– the ave temp has > 0.5 C in the 20th century
– extremes in weather conditions have occurred in the 80s
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– GLOBAL CLIMATIC CHANGE
–
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–
What are the consequences of global warming?
Ecosystems will be affected
Longer growing seasons?
Sea level rise 0.3 to 1 m?
Reduce polar ice sheets
3% reduction in land mass due to flooding
1 bill displaced humans?
extinctions of plants and animals?
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– GLOBAL CLIMATIC CHANGE
 RECENT TRENDS IN U.S. CLIMATE
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–
–
–
–
most evident in the southern hemisphere
summer temp has risen in the U.S.
ave fall, winter, spring temp seem cooler
precip has increased
droughts occur but not severe
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– GLOBAL CLIMATIC CHANGE
 PREDICTIONS IN GLOBAL CLIMATE TRENDS
– more G.H. gases means a warmer planet
– the 0.5 C > in temp has occurred 10x faster than during the
past interglacial period
– CO2 released 1860 - 1987 = 241 metric tone
 181 due to burning fossil fuel
 60 due to deforestation
– the U.S. was the leader in CO2 production
– 1987 U.S. released 1.2 met ton of CO2
– = to deforestation in Brazil
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– GLOBAL CLIMATIC CHANGE
 PREDICTIONS IN GLOBAL CLIMATE TRENDS
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–
–
–
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forests may only store 450 bill metric tons of carbon
as forests are removed this capacity is reduced
it is good that forests are re-establishing in the NE
larger trees tie-up carbon and some pollutants
there is concern for the > use of CFCs and methane release
 these add to the G.H. effect
– one CO2 molecule traps heat energy
– one CFC traps 20,000x the molecule of CO2
– one methane traps 20-30x the molecule of CO2
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– GLOBAL CLIMATIC CHANGE
 PREDICTIONS IN GLOBAL CLIMATE TRENDS
– global temp is expected to rise 0.5 to 4.5 C in the next
decades
– by 2020 the increase in temp will be due to
 CO2 will cause 50% of the increased temp
 CFCs will cause 25%
“
 methane will cause 15%
“
 nitrous oxide will cause 10% “
– > variability and severity
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– GLOBAL CLIMATIC CHANGE
 GLOBAL CIRCULATION AND REGIONAL CLIMATE
MODELS
– GCM
global circ. model
– RegCM regional circ. model
– these math models attempt to simulate the future
 but, climate is complex
 models are too crude to be useful
 scale of model to hard to apply to a forest tract
 computations are lengthy
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– PREDICTED IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATIC
CHANGE ON BIOTA
 CONSIDER THE ARCTIC AND BOREAL FOREST
– THESE AREAS ARE AT GREATER RISK THAN EDF
 OTHER AFFECTED AREAS
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COASTS
BARRIER ISLANDS
FRESH WATER ESTRUARIES
? MIGRATORY SPP
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– PREDICTED IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATIC
CHANGE ON BIOTA
 IMPACTS ON PLANTS
– PLANT DISTRIBUTION IS BASED ON THOUSANDS OF
YEARS OF LONG TERM ADJUSTMENTS TO THE
ENVIRONMENT
– SUDDEN CHANGES MAY HAVE UNPREDICTABLE
CONSEQUENCES
– THE RANGE OF SUGAR MAPLE IS EXPECTED TO
MOVE NORTHWARD WITH CLIMATE CHANGE
– ? BIRCH, BEECH, HEMLOCK
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– PREDICTED IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATIC
CHANGE ON BIOTA
 IMPACTS ON PLANTS
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A SHIFT NORTH ~500 km
PLANTS DISPERSE ~10-40 km / 100 Y
WILL PLANTS KEEP PACE?
PLANTS W/ RESTRICTED RANGES MAY GO EXTINCT
SEEDLING GENERATIONS MAY BE AFFECTED
SPP COMPOSITION MAY CHANGE
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– PREDICTED IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATIC
CHANGE ON BIOTA
 IMPACTS ON PLANTS
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FIRE DANGERS MAY INCREASE
PESTS WILL RESPOND TO CLIMATE CHANGE
TIMBER YIELDS MIGHT DECREASE
HOW WILL FOREST MANAGEMENT CHANGE
CURRENT RESEARCH SHOULD FOCUS ON GROWTH
AND HARVEST W/ > TEMP
– WHAT TECHNIQUES WOULD MITIGATE A RISE IN
TEMP?
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– PREDICTED IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATIC
CHANGE ON BIOTA
 IMPACTS ON PLANTS
– FIVE OPTIONS TO MITIGATE TEMP > ON PLANTS
 TREE PLANTING -ABSORB EXTRA CO2
REQUIRES 1 BILL ha & 40-50 Y
 MIX TREE SOURCES- DIVERSIFY
 TREE IMPROVEMENT- TEMP ADAPT
 CONSERVE SEED SOURCES
 PROVIDE CORRIDORS TO CONNECT TRACTS
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– PREDICTED IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATIC
CHANGE ON BIOTA
 IMPACTS ON ANIMALS
– THERE MAY BE MORE SPRING INSECTS,
DEFOLIATION WOULD BE MORE SEVERE
OR
– MILD WINTERS MAY RESULT IN MORE PREDATORS
OF INSECTS
– WARBLERS MIGHT INCREASE IN THE EDF
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– PREDICTED IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATIC
CHANGE ON BIOTA
 IMPACTS ON ANIMALS
– THE PHOEBE RANGE IS DETERMINED BY THE
JANUARY LOWS
– THE PHOEBE RANGE MAY EXPAND NORTHWARD
– THE KINGLET MAY ENCROACH ON THE SOUTHERN
AREA OF THE EDF
– POSSIBLY 50 OTHER SONG BIRDS WOULD RESPOND
TO CLIMATIC CHANGE
PHOEBE
KINGLET
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– PREDICTED IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATIC
CHANGE ON BIOTA
 IMPACTS ON ANIMALS
– SMALL MAMMALS MAY NOT ADJUST TO CHANGES IN
THE CLIMATE
– LOCAL POPULATIONS MAY SUFFER
– A 3 C RISE MAY LOSE 9-62% SMALL MAMMALS IN THE
WESTERN U.S.
– BAT CAVES MAY REALIZE WARMER TEMP
– NEGATIVE EFFECTS FOR THE FLYING SQUIRREL,
ROCK VOLE, NEW ENGLAND COTTONTAIL
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– PREDICTED IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATIC
CHANGE ON BIOTA
 IMPACTS ON ANIMALS
– NORTHERLY RANGES WOULD BE EXTENDED FOR:
 WOODRAT
 E COTTONTAIL
 WHITE-TAILED DEER
– FROM 1930-80 SMALL MAMMALS HAVE MOVED SOUTH
DUE TO COLDER TEMPS,
 SHREW, JUMPING MICE, VOLE, L. WEASEL
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– PREDICTED IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATIC
CHANGE ON BIOTA
 IMPACTS ON ANIMALS
– WOODPECKERS REQUIRE MATURE FORESTS
 THIS HABITAT MAY NOT EXIST WITH A WARMER
CLIMATE
– KIRTLANDS WARBLER OF MI PREFERS JACK PINE
 A GROUND NESTER
 ?SANDY SOIL TO THE NORTH
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– PREDICTED IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATIC
CHANGE ON BIOTA
 IMPACTS ON ANIMALS
– AQUATIC VERTEBRATES
 COLD WATER FISHERIES MAY BE LOST, TROUT
PREFER COLDER WATER
 WARM WATER FISH MAY > I.E. WALLEYES
 AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES MAY SHOW
ENHANCEMENT WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– PREDICTED IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATIC
CHANGE ON BIOTA
 IMPACTS ON ANIMALS
– BIODIVERSITY WILL BE ALTERED, ESPECIALLY IN
MATURE AND OLD-GROWTH STANDS
– WARM, DRY WILL BE MORE SEVERE THAN WARM,
WET
– HOW WILL NATIONS CONTEND WITH SPP LOSS
– KYOTO ACCORD WAS AN ATTEMPT TO REDUCE
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– ACID DEPOSITION
 PRIMARY POLLUTANTS OF TROPOSPHERE
– SULFUR DIOXIDE 90-95% ELEC GEN+FACTORY
– NITRIC OXIDE
57%
“
“
 THESE ARE MOVED BY AIR CURRENTS
– SO2
– NO2
RAIN
“
H2SO4
HNO3
 AND RETURN TO THE SURFACE THROUGH
PRECIPITATION
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– ACID DEPOSITION
 pH OF RAIN
– 1945
– 1990
5.6
4.0
 EFFECTS OF ACID DEPOSITION
–
–
–
–
–
> RESPIRATORY DISEASE
DEGRADES WATER QUALITY
REPRODUCTION OF PLANTS & ANIMALS
MORTALITY
“
“
DAMAGE OBJECTS
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– ACID DEPOSITION
 EXTENT OF ACID DEPOSITION
– KNOWN IN EUROPE SINCE EARLY 19TH CENT
– STUDIED IN THE U.S. SINCE 1970
– A PROBLEM
 NE U.S.
 SE CANADA
 N & CENTRAL EUROPE
 CHINA
 RUSSIA
 S AMERICA
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– ACID DEPOSITION
 EXTENT OF ACID DEPOSITION
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–
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–
90% IN U.S. IS FROM 31 STATES E OF MISS. RIVER
IN, IL, MO, OH, PA, TN
DEPOSTION IS AS LOW AS pH 4.0
AMOUNT VARIES WITH ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– ACID DEPOSITION
 IMPACTS ON PLANTS AND SOILS
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RECOGNIZED SINCE EARLY 1980s
TOXICITY TO PLANTS FOR SO2 WAS LONG KNOWN
TREES- IRREGULAR BROWN PATCHES ON LEAVES
AFFECTS EFFICIENCY OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS
RED SPRUCE MORTALITY
 60% IN NY, VT, NH
– BIRCH FOLIAGE INJURY
 ACID MARINE FOG IN NB, CANADA
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– ACID DEPOSITION
 IMPACTS ON PLANTS AND SOILS
– DIE-OFF MAY INCLUDE OTHER MOUNTAINOUS AREAS
– SILVER FIR AND NORWAY SPRUCE SHOW
SENSITIVITY TO ACID DEPOSITION IN EUROPE
– MAY AFFECT NUTRIENT CYCLING IN THE SOIL
– Ca AND Mg MAY BE LEACHED FROM SOILS
– SEVERITY IS > ON POORER SOILS
– LIMESTONE SOILS NEUTRALIZE EFFECTS
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– ACID DEPOSITION
 IMPACTS ON ANIMALS
– ZINC SMELTERS IN BLUE MT, PA
 W/N 3 km 800 ha WERE DEVOID OF FOREST
 FEW SPP OF ANIMALS W/N 5 km
– ACID DEPOSITION AFFECTS STREAM CHEMISTRY
– FISH SUFFER
 MORTALITY
 SLOWER RATE OF GROWTH
 LOWER REPRODUCTION
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– ACID DEPOSITION
 IMPACTS ON ANIMALS
– SW PA BROOK TROUT AND AQUATIC INSECTS
 61 HEADWATER STREAMS
 28 W/ VIABLE TROUT
 WATER WITH LOW pH
 STOCKING HAS BEEN CURTAILED IN SOME
STREAMS
– IN NY FISH HAVE SUFFERED DUE TO TOXICITY OF
ACID DEPOSITION OF ALUMINUM
– ONTARIO 40% DECLINE IN FISH SPP
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– ACID DEPOSITION
 IMPACTS ON ANIMALS
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–
–
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AMPHIBIANS REQUIRE WATER FOR MATING
pH OF WATER IS BELOW 5.0
EGGS AND LARVAE ARE AFFECTED
JEFFERSON SALAMANDER FAIL IN pH 4.2 WATER
AMPHIBIANS SHOW A GENERAL DECLINE
 PRESUME LOW pH AND ??
– GROUND FEEDING BIRD FOOD SOURCES MAY BE
AFFECTED
 GREAT TIT, CHICKADEE
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS
 DDT
Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane
– INSECTICIDE USED SINCE 1940s
– ENTERED THE FOOD CHAIN
– BIRDS OF PREY WERE AFFECTED
 HIGH FLEDGE MORTALITY
 EGG SHELLS BECAME THIN AND DELICATE
– DDT WAS DISCONTINUED IN 1972
– STILL IN USE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS
 PCBs
–
–
–
–
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
BANNED SINCE 1976
HEAT SINK FOR ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMERS
QUANTITIES ARE SEQUESTERED IN SOIL OR STREAM
BEDS
– PCBs ARE COSTLY TO REMOVE
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS
 LEAD
–
–
–
–
Pb
FROM HUNTING WITH SHOTGUNS
SHOT IS ACCIDENTALLY EATEN BY WATERFOWL
THE LEAD ENTERS THE FOOD CHAIN
TOP PREDATORS ACCUMULATE TOXIC QUANTITIES
OF THE METAL
– OTHER SOURCES
 PAINT, GAS, REFINING, ETC
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS
 MERCURY
–
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–
–
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Hg
FOSSIL FUEL BURNING
FUNGICIDES IN LATEX PAINT
INCINERATION OF MUNICIPAL WASTE
Hg ENTERS AQUATIC SYSTEMS
PREDATORS ARE AFFECTED….LOONS
MINK AND OTTER MAY ALSO BE CONTAMINATED
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– OZONE
O3
– A NATURAL COMPONENT OF THE STRATOSPHERE
 SOLAR RADIATION ON OXYGEN
 ABSORBS UV RADIATIONS
– LIGHTNING CAUSES OZONE TO FORM IN THE
TROPOSPHERE
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– OZONE
 EFFECTS OF HIGH OZONE; TROPOSPHERE
– THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR THE EDF
– EMISSIONS ARE HIGH NEAR COAL-FIRED POWER
STATIONS
– TRAVELS GREAT DISTANCES BY ATMOSPHERIC
WINDS
– SINCE 1960s CONC ARE HIGH ALONG THE EAST
COAST
– SUMMER SEASON; HIGHEST
– HIGHER ELEVATION FORESTS AT MORE RISK
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– OZONE
 EFFECTS OF HIGH OZONE; TROPOSPHERE
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–
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TREE LEAVES SHOW OZONE SYMPTOMS
OZONE ENTERS THROUGH THE STOMATES
UPPER LEAF CELLS DISCOLOR AND DIE
PHOTOSYNTHESIS IS REDUCED
RED MAPLE, BLACK CHERRY ARE V SENSITIVE
SUGAR MAPLE, WHITE OAK SHOW NO SYMPTOMS
STRESS DUE TO OZONE MAY > SUSCEPTIBILITY TO
OTHER DISEASE AGENTS
– http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/foresthealth/pubs/ozone/r8pr25/ozoneh2.htm
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– OZONE
 EFFECTS OF LOW OZONE; STRATOSPHERE
– VOLCANIC ACTIVITY REDUCES OZONE
– CHLORINE AND BROMINE FROM CFCs REDUCE
OZONE BY CONVERTING IT TO OXYGEN
– 1985 THE OZONE HOLE WAS DOCUMENTED OVER
ANTARCTICA
 MAY HAVE DECLINED 60-95%
– AN ARCTIC VOID HAS BEEN DESCRIBED
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– OZONE
 EFFECTS OF LOW OZONE; STRATOSPHERE
– GREATER AMOUNTS OF UV REACH THE SURFACE OF
THE EARTH
– PRODUCTIVITY OF PHYTOPLANKTON HAS
DECREASED
– THIS IS THE BASE OF THE FOOD CHAIN IN THE
OCEANS
– UV CAN CAUSE LOWER HATCHING IN AMPHIBS
 HABITAT LOSS, ACID DEPOSITION, INTRODUCED
PREDATOR, DISEASE
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– OZONE
 EFFECTS OF LOW OZONE; STRATOSPHERE
– HUMAN HEALTH AND OZONE:
 SKIN CANCER
 EYE CATARACTS
– CLEAN AIR ACT, (1990) 1995
 WILL REDUCE Cl AND Br LEVELS
– MONTREAL PROTOCOL 1987
 AIMED AT OZONE DEPLETION
ATMOSPHERIC CONCERNS
– OZONE
 EFFECTS OF LOW OZONE; STRATOSPHERE
– CFCs HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED IN DEVELOPED
COUNTRIES
– THE NEW HYDROFLUOROCARBONS REPLACE CFCs