This is the nevado of Misti, a behemoth stratovolcano outside of Arequipa, Peru (the second largest city in the country). All of Peru to the west of the Andes is essentially desert. Peruvians rely on snowcapped mountains (nevados) for drinking and irrigation water. Snow and ice function as reservoirs of water that steadily melt and provide a dependable source over time. Without snow and ice, water supplies fluctuate too much and cannot support large populations of people.
Climate change can affect soil through changes in temperature and rainfall, which can impact soil’s viability and potentially increase erosion.
Thermal expansion of water as it increases in temperature
Melting polar ice caps adding to the overall volume of water
The North Atlantic “cold blob” Credit: NASA . All Rights Reserved.
Warm waters from the Gulf Stream flow northeast across the Atlantic, from Florida to Scandinavia. As the distance from the equator increases, heat is lost to the air which creates a milder climate in Europe.
When water reaches the Arctic, it freezes and the salt is excluded. This leaves the ocean water saltier when sea ice forms.
The more saline water is denser and sinks to the seafloor, where it begins a global circulation. This water is rich in oxygen, as well as nutrients whose source is marine snow.
Deep, cold waters are brought back to the surface through upwelling along the west coast of the Americas
As the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets continue to melt and decrease in area (Greenland Ice Mass Loss 2002-2023), the less dense freshwater floats on top of the denser saline water as a cold blob. It is slowing down normal circulation.
See some more videos, related to the one on this slide: Arctic-Climate Change Playlist
Light is reflected by ice, absorbed by water
Arctic sea ice extent is decreasing year after year, leaving more of the ocean unfrozen
This increases shipping lanes in the Arctic, whose ships use very dirty fuel
Black carbon pollution contributes to the acceleration of sea ice melting in the Arctic. The more ocean that is exposed, the more energy that is absorbed
Loss of habitat forces polar bears closer to humans
A growler bear. This hybrid species between grizzly and polar bears is caused by PBs spending more time on land than ice, leading to more interactions between the species
Polar bears both make their dens and hunt for prey on ice.
Here’s a playlist touching on the surface of consequences with polar bears. Some of the footage may be uncomfortable to see— Arctic-Polar Bears
