Atmospheric Enviromental Issues

ATMOSPHERIC
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
ATMOSPHERIC
– Distribution / Abundance of life is affected by:
 abiotic factors
– solar radiation
– soil moisture
 biotic factors
– predation
– competition
 human induced
– forest management
– forest fragmentation
ATMOSPHERIC
– Distribution / Abundance of life is affected by:
 since 1960
– greenhouse effect
– global climate change
– acid deposition
– toxic metals
– ozone tropospheric >
– ozone stratospheric <
ATMOSPHERIC
– 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
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
3) mesosphere 48-90 km
temperature lowers from 0 to -70 C
4) thermosphere; 90+
temperature rises from -70 to 120 C
ATMOSPHERIC
– 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
– 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
– 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
– 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
 RECENT TRENDS IN U.S. CLIMATE
– 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
 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
– 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
– 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
 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
– 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
– COASTS
– BARRIER ISLANDS
– FRESH WATER ESTRUARIES
– ? MIGRATORY SPP
ATMOSPHERIC
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
CHANGE ON BIOTA
– 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
CHANGE ON BIOTA
– 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
CHANGE ON BIOTA
– 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
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
CHANGE ON BIOTA
– 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
CHANGE ON BIOTA
– 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
CHANGE ON BIOTA
– 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
CHANGE ON BIOTA
– 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
CHANGE ON BIOTA
– 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
CHANGE ON BIOTA
– 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
– ACID DEPOSITION
 PRIMARY POLLUTANTS OF TROPOSPHERE
– SULFUR DIOXIDE 90-95% ELEC GEN+FACTORY
– NITRIC OXIDE 57% “ “
 THESE ARE MOVED BY AIR CURRENTS
– SO2 RAIN H2SO4
– NO2 “ HNO3
 AND RETURN TO THE SURFACE THROUGH
PRECIPITATION
ATMOSPHERIC
– ACID DEPOSITION
 pH OF RAIN
– 1945 5.6
– 1990 4.0
 EFFECTS OF ACID DEPOSITION
– > RESPIRATORY DISEASE
– DEGRADES WATER QUALITY
– REPRODUCTION OF PLANTS & ANIMALS
– MORTALITY “ “
– DAMAGE OBJECTS
ATMOSPHERIC
– 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
– ACID DEPOSITION
 EXTENT OF ACID DEPOSITION
– 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
– ACID DEPOSITION
 IMPACTS ON PLANTS AND SOILS
– 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
– 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
– ACID DEPOSITION
– 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
– ACID DEPOSITION
– 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
– ACID DEPOSITION
– 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
– 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
 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
 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
 MERCURY 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
– OZONE O3
– A NATURAL COMPONENT OF THE STRATOSPHERE
 SOLAR RADIATION ON OXYGEN
 ABSORBS UV RADIATIONS
– LIGHTNING CAUSES OZONE TO FORM IN THE
TROPOSPHERE
ATMOSPHERIC
– 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
– OZONE
 EFFECTS OF HIGH OZONE; TROPOSPHERE
– 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/r8-
pr25/ozoneh2.htm
ATMOSPHERIC
– 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
– OZONE
– 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
– OZONE
– 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
– OZONE
– CFCs HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED IN DEVELOPED
COUNTRIES
– THE NEW HYDROFLUOROCARBONS REPLACE CFCs

Atmospheric Enviromental Issues

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Atmospheric Enviromental Issues

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ATMOSPHERIC

– ACID DEPOSITION AFFECTS STREAM CHEMISTRY

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