Download this lab as a Word document: Lab 4: IPCC Projections for the 21st Century [1]. (Please download required files below.)
In this lab, we will be observing the projections for temperature and precipitation with the different emissions scenario. These projections were made in 2009 after the 4th report of the IPCC, but the overall patterns have not changed that much.
The goal of this lab is:
1. To observe the differences between the outcomes for temperature and climate change for the different scenarios, A2 (the worst case), A1B and B1 (the best case).
Load the IPCC Scenarios.kmz [2] file. This file allows you to observe the change in temperature (in degrees relative to the mean from 1961-1990) and precipitation (in mm/day relative to the mean from 1961-1990) in two different ways. You can look at the slider at the top left and observe the projections for a narrow time frame (like a month or a year) or you can look at the decadal averages using the buttons in the places box at right. For the purpose of this lab, we will use the decadal averages using the buttons. The temperature scale for the projections is very confusing and does not match the colors in the maps. Thus, we have created a new scale New Temperature Legend.kmz [3] which will cover the old file. You must also open that file as well.
Warning, the continent positions are very faint once the projection maps are loaded, so you will need to click the “turn layers off” button at the bottom of places on and off to view the locations of the continents. You might also want to have a map of the US and other continents on if you are unfamiliar with US geography.
Again, we begin with Practice Questions that will provide you with experience of the type of questions you will receive in the Graded Assignment. Make sure you take them and check your answers in Canvas before moving on to the Graded Assignment, which is entirely in Canvas. It is critical that you have a reliable Internet connection because you will get only one chance to take the lab.
Make sure both kmz files are loaded into Google Earth.
Before you turn on the Climate Projections, please center your screen over Australia at an altitude of 3000-4000 mi. Make sure you notice the difference between desert in the middle (browns and reds) and more lush areas on the coasts (greens). In the lab, you will be comparing model projections of how precipitation and temperature will change with the three different emissions scenarios, high emissions (A2), medium emissions (A1B) and low emissions (B1). Do the best you can to distinguish between the colors; we allow a range of answers based on the different possibilities. Find a map of Australia showing the major cities (or you can search for them in Google Earth).
Compare projections for 2000 decade with 2070 decade and with scenarios A2 and B Make sure you take into account the minor temperature increase in the 2000 decade seen in the light yellow colors (over the 1961-1990 decade). The light yellow color is generally about 1oC. Note not every temperature range is represented on the map. Match the colors above 3oC.
Compare projections for 2000 decade with 2090 decade and with just A. Make sure you take into account the minor precipitation increase in the 2000 decade (over the 1961-1990 decade). Note the amounts are in mm/day!
Now, look at the whole globe under the medium emissions scenario (A1B). I recommend you move to an altitude of 6000 to 7000 mi and use the “turn layer off” button on and off frequently to know where you are.
Download this lab as a Word document: Lab 6: Ocean Properties & Circulation [4] (Please download required files below.)
The lab this week is fairly short. The goal is to give you a more visual overview of surface ocean properties and circulation and their relationship with climate change. The questions will require you to have mastered the material in the module, so make sure you read and understood them completely.
The goals of this lab are to:
Before you begin answering the Practice questions, please load and get comfortable turning on and off the following kmz files:
Please Note: You will be downloading kmz files from the Internet this week, not directly from this Lab.
The map shows average Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs). The colors are a little close together, so you will need to look carefully to determine trends. Note also the data are acquired from a bunch of different sources so there can be artificial “joins” on the map. We try to make sure these do not impact the questions. If certain areas don’t show the temperatures, keep rotating the globe.
Now, turn on the surface current kmz and answer the following questions. Note the white arrows are surface ocean currents and the blue and red lines are the global conveyor belt. If you don’t know where places are, you can search for them by adding a name in the box, top left.
Now turn on the chlorophyll kmz and answer the following questions. The colors again are very subtle; make sure you use the scale at bottom right - anything lighter blue or white is considered high productivity.
The future: Observe the El Niño visualization for the years 2015-2016 [8]. Since warm water holds less oxygen than cold water, determine how the expansions of dead zones occur from 2015 to 2016.
Download this lab as a Word document: Lab 9: Land Use Changes [9] (Please download required files below.)
In this lab, we will evaluate how land use has changed over the last century in many places around the globe. We will first deal with deforestation, next with land use in the developed world and undeveloped world.
Disappearing Forest kmz file [10]
Ellis et al. Table [14]
Part 1. Global Deforestation
Download the Disappearing Forest kmz file [10]. Make sure you have Deforestation rate (area) button open. Click on the country and see the data. First, make sure you look at the numbers in the top right corner of the boxes; this is the percent of lost natural forest between those years.
Countries/numbers in red are those that have lost significant forest cover between 1990 and 2005, those in green or brown have lost very little or gained (i.e., have made efforts to plant new forests).
You might also want to open Google maps in a separate window to help you find countries. Legend for land use is given below maps.
Answer the following questions.
Part 2. Global land use changes
Open the three Anthrome kml files: Anthrome 1800 kml file [11], Anthrome 1900 kml file [12], and Anthrome 2000 kml file [13].
Anthromes are the globally significant ecological patterns created by sustained interactions between humans and ecosystems, including urban, cropland, rangeland, and woodland anthromes. They provide a great basis for studying the impacts of humans on land use patterns. Here, we will study the distribution of anthromes between 1800 AD and 2000 AD maps and summarize the changes. Make sure the legends are open. Please open the Ellis et al. Table [14]that gives the definitions of the different land use categories. Note that the crops, pasture, and trees are percentages of land cover, the population is people per sq. kilometer.
You might also want to open Google maps in a separate window to help you find locations. Legend for land use is given below maps.
A. Areas with less than 20% pasture and a population of between 1 and 10 people per km2
B. Villages with over 100 people per km2 and crops covering over 20% of the area
C. Urban areas with more than 2500 people per km2
A. Areas with more than 100 people per km2 with irrigation covering more than 20% of the area
B. Areas with less than 100 people per km2 and crops covering less than 20% of the area
C. Areas with between 1 and 10 people per km2 with crops covering more than 20% of the area
Next, we will focus on land use change in China.
A. Increase
B. Decrease
A. Increase
B. Decrease
A. 1800
B. 1900
C. 2000
A. 1800
B. 1900
C. 2000
A. 1800
B. 1900
C. 2000
A. 1800
B. 1900
C. 2000
A. There is an increase in the area of rangelands at the expense of urban and villages and mixed settlements
B. There is a gradual increase in the area of villages and mixed settlements at the expense of seminatural areas
C. There is a decrease in the area of croplands and rangelands
Finally, open the IPCC projection kmz file (you used this in the lab in Module 4) and look at temperature and precipitation in the high emission scenario in 2090. You will need to flip between the projections and the 2000 anthrome map for China.
A. Falling precipitation
B. Rising temperature
A. North
B. South
This week’s lab concerns the threats to a critically endangered (CR) species and possible actions that can be taken to alleviate these threats. The lab will involve independent research and submission of a 400-500 word paper (about a page of single-spaced writing). The objective of the paper is to summarize the threats to a CR species and make recommendations about conservation that can help save the species. The lab will require a few hours of independent online research. You must submit your paper through Turnitin [15].
Start by carefully selecting a CR species from Red List: Discover Species [16]. Make sure the species is designated as CR!
You will want to choose a species about which much is known and for which conservation efforts are underway. You may not choose any species discussed in the Module. Your report must include the following (a paragraph on each).
You may use any online source but you must cite everything you have used. Especially useful sources include the following:
World Wildlife Fund [17]
The PEW Charitable Trusts [18]
African Wildlife Foundation [19]
Earth's Endangered Creatures [20]
National Wildlife Federation [21]
Information on Population | 20% |
Information on Threat | 25% |
Information on Conservation | 25% |
Writing style and grammar | 20% |
Referencing | 10% |
Submit your lab as a Word or PDF file in the Module 11 Lab Submission on Turnitin [15] by Midnight on the due date located in the Syllabus. Make sure your name is in the file name and at the top of the paper.
Links
[1] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth103/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.earth103/files/Lab%204.docx
[2] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth103/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.earth103/files/module04/IPCC%20Scenarios.kmz
[3] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth103/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.earth103/files/module04/New%20Temperature%20Legend.kmz
[4] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth103/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.earth103/files/Module%206%20Lab.doc
[5] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth103/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.earth103/files/module05/World%20and%20Regional%20Sea%20Surface%20Temperature_0.kmz
[6] https://ti.arc.nasa.gov/m/project/planetary/kml/chl.kmz
[7] http://www.impacttectonics.org/KMLZs/2016%20GCH%20Ocean%20currents.kmz
[8] http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4544
[9] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth103/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.earth103/files/Lab%209.docx
[10] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth103/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.earth103/files/module09/disappearing_forests.kmz
[11] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth103/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.earth103/files/module09/anthrome1800.kml
[12] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth103/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.earth103/files/module09/anthrome1900.kml
[13] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth103/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.earth103/files/module09/anthrome2000.kml
[14] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth103/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.earth103/files/module09/Ellis%20et%20al.%20Table.pdf
[15] http://turnitin.psu.edu/
[16] http://www.iucnredlist.org/
[17] http://worldwildlife.org/
[18] http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/topics/oceans
[19] http://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation
[20] http://www.earthsendangered.com/index.asp
[21] https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Understanding-Conservation/Endangered-Species