OCEANS ON THE EDGE 4

The Impacts of Climate Change on Oceans.

Starter:Watch this clip – what impacts of climate change are

discussed?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkCWI7CwR_0

Learning Objective:To be able to describe and explain how climate change

effect marine ecosystems

Key words:sea level rise bleaching environmental refugees

• Watch this clip to see how climate change could effect coral reef.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miLyqOrnwZc

• Many of the world’s coral reefs suffer from_____. The coral losses _____ (bleaches) due to the loss of _____ with which it lives. Changes in ocean temperature by 1-2oC can _____ coral. Eventually the bleached reefs weaken and _____.

colour stress bleaching algae collapse

Copy and complete the following (words below to help)

Direct Impacts of Climate Change

• Coral bleaching• More extreme weather; can cause pollution

and siltation• Extra freshwater input from ice sheets and

glaciers will affect salinity, which could change ocean currents. Ocean currents move heat around the world, changes in this could have a major impact of marine food webs as some species move away from areas.

Indirect Impacts• Rising sea levels from:

– Thermal expansion (warmer water)– More water from melting glaciers

and ice sheet• Rising sea levels causes

– Coral reefs submerged– Delta areas are risk from storm

surges and flooding– Low-lying countries /islands

submerged = environmental refugees

– Ports close, hurting the economy.

Nile Delta, Egypt

Tuvalu

• Watch this clip to see how climate change could effect Tuvalu.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSmN8Eq4qEg

• Use the green book page 113 to complete your table to show how sea level rise could effect people around the world.

• Answer this exam question (6 marks)– Using examples, explain the impacts of climate

change on developed or developing countries.

What good/bad things will happen, and why.

You should choose your examples from either developed of developing countries.

For 6 marks, you must use named places

The effects of sea level rise

And finally ...• What might the children of Tuvalu be saying

about their future?