Terrestrial Ecosystems at Risk of Major Shifts as Temperatures Increase

Terrestrial Ecosystems at Risk of Major Shifts as Temperatures Increase

Issue: Global

Summary: Terrestrial Ecosystems by the year 2100 are at risk of having an increase in temperature of up to 5 degrees Celsius. Nearly no region in the world is free of this threat if we continue on the environmental path that we have been taking since the industrial revolution. This is a ground-breaking discovery. If something like this were to happen on just a 2 degrees Celsius increase, about 20% of Earth's terrestrial ecosystems would undergo a major transformation. Natural Disasters would become much more prevalent, the seas would rise to an extreme degree, the unthinkable would occur in biomes across the globe. Researchers were able to uncover these theories based on the biogeochemistry of ecosystems around the planet.

Opinion: I think that humans need to continue their efforts to stop harming the environment across the globe. If this research is true, and our planet will be in jeopardy by the year 2100, then we need to work faster than I expected. Unfortunately, we are living in a very unstable world, economically and environmentally. We need to achieve a balance in which we maintain our economic success so people can have enough to live on and also save the environment in the process.

Definition:

Biogeochemistry-  The scientific discipline that involves the study of the chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes and reactions that govern the composition of the natural environment and the biosphere.

Complex Relationship Between Phosphorous Levels, Nitrogen Removal In Lakes

Complex Relationship Between Phosphorous Levels, Nitrogen Removal In Lakes

Chapter 3

Issue: Local

Summary: In the land of 10,000 lakes, Lake Superior has become a focus of Minnesota researches studying long term impacts of global pollution. It has become evident that Lake Superior possesses a very high quantity of nitrogen in its waters. Though the nitrogen cleanup measures have been nothing but effective, scientists fear that it may also be harming the natural microbial processes that remove the nitrogen as well. Since large lakes and freshwater ecosystems are an environmental sink for nitrogen and many processes in the lake revolve around nitrogen concentrations, by helping to remove it we may harm the natural methods that the lake uses to get rid of nitrogen. The scientists believe that the main problem is stemming from the nitrogen that is entering the lake by human pollution. The phosphorous content in the water is not the problem, it is the excess nitrogen that is impacting the circulation of nutrients and chemicals in the ecosystem.

Opinion: I agree with the scientist Jacques Finlay who suggested that our main focus should be to pay attention to how the pollution is harming the environment and to find a way to stop it. By artificially trying to remove the nitrogen, we may also be harming the ecosystem and unintentionally removing the already-low phosphorous content in the lake. By stopping the problem before it gets any worse and then letting the ecosystem fix itself we can ensure that everything will return to normal.

Definition:

Reactive Nitrogen- "A term used for a variety of nitrogen compounds that support growth directly or indirectly. Representative species include the gases nitrogen oxides (NO_x), ammonia (NH₃), nitrous oxide (N₂O), as well as the anion nitrate (NO₃^-). Most of these species are the result of agricultural activities, especially the (mis)use of fertilizers. Although required for life, nitrogen is stored in the biosphere in an unreactive ("unfixed") form N₂, which supports on a few life forms. Reactive nitrogen is however "fixed" and is readily converted into protein, which supports life, leading to depletion of oxygen in fresh waters by eutrophication."

Scientists Confirm Existence of Largest Single Volcano On Earth

Scientists Confirm Existence of Largest Single Volcano On Earth

Issues: Global

Summarize: Scientists from the University of Houston uncovered what is believed to be the largest single volcano on the entire earth, which was named the Tamu Massif. It was discovered to be the biggest geological feature of Shatsky Rise, an underwater mountain range formed 130 to 145 million years ago. It was initially believed to be formed by a vast number of individual volcanoes, but we now know that it is actually a single volcano. It is located about 1,000 miles east of Japan and not only is about the size of New Mexico, but ranks itself among the largest volcanoes in the Solar System!!! The biggest volcano in the Solar System, Olympus Mons on Mars, it only about 25 percent larger than Tamu Massif! One interesting aspect of the volcano itself is in its shape. It is very strange in its extremely gradual slope. "In fact, if you were standing on its flank, you would have trouble telling which way is downhill." Scientists say that this uniqueness could enable us to understand exactly how these massive volcanos form.

Opinion: I think that we should certainly continue our research on this volcano, as well as other massive volcanoes on Earth. It is always best to understand our Earth so we can protect it, or protect ourselves from it. If this volcano possesses such a vast amount of knowledge about super-volcanoes around the world that we can use, why not continue to study them.

Definition:

 Ontong Java Plateau-An enormous oceanic plateau in the Pacific Ocean, it is equal in size to about 1% of the Earth's surface and is around the size of Alaska. It was formed 120-125 million years ago and once extruded 100 million km^3 of magma in one of the largest volcanic events to occur in the last 300 million years.

How Do Earthquake Early Warning Systems Work?

How Do Earthquake Early Warning Systems Work?

Chapter 10: Human Health and Environmental Hazards

Issues: Global, but specifically in a local environmental zone.

Summarize: In today's world, despite all of our incredible technology, we have yet to come up with an advanced system to detect earthquakes in America. In more earthquake-prone countries such as Japan and Mexico, they have developed warning systems in which the citizens of highly populated, nearby cities can receive a short warning before they are hit. For example, when the March earthquake of 2011 occurred off the coast of Japan, the nearest city of Sendai received over 15 seconds of warning. In America, our major fault line of concern is the San Andreas Fault in California. If we could create a system equal to that of Japan's or even better, we could give a city such as Seattle a warning of up to 5 minutes! Since scientists say that they don't see any way to predict earthquakes in the forseeable future, this may be the only method we have to use. This system would not only be of great importance to people across the impacted regions, but more importantly to public transport vehicles such as trains. If a major earthquake occurs without warning and derails many trains in a region, thousands of people can die. This also goes for preparing cars on bridges, airplanes taking off, people in high-story buildings, etc. The only downside to this breakthrough technology is that it would double the cost of earthquake monitoring on the West Coast from 60 million to 120 million. This is definitely a con that needs to be taken account for.

Opinion: I think that our scientists need to find a more economically sound way to monitor earthquakes. Doubling the cost of our earthquake monitoring at the expense of taxpayer dollars is a serious issue. However, I think that we do need a way to warn ourselves if an earthquake is coming. Especially in the field of public transportation, this would save many lives. Perhaps an alternative warning system or spreading awareness about this event and what to do could be just as effective. Because if people don't know the specifics of what to do, an extra few seconds isn't going to save them from nature's wrath.

Definition:

Seismology: The geophysical science of earthquakes and the mechanical properties of the earth.