Module VII:Earth's Changing Climate

How is Earth's climate connected to its geological, biological and cultural systems?


Mendenhall Glacier Photo. A. Rodriguez
Explain:

The geological system that has created the planet earth that we know today is an extremely complex and amazing system. This idea is supported in the TD video Life Before Oxygen. Earth has evolved from a system that originally could only support anaerobic organisms and then progressed to an oxygen-rich environment that was potent to the living organisms that existed at that time - many of which retreated to oxygen-free areas such as thermal vents where they are still thriving today. Currently, we have an oxygen-rich atmosphere that is supported by photosynthesis, cyanobacteria, and gas exchange. Our current environment supports dynamic groups of living organisms including bacteria, plants, and animals. Our atmosphere is rich with necessary gases that are created and recycled through our complex atmosphere. All of these processes are directly correlated to how the Earth’s atmosphere changes and in-turn effects our climate change.


Salmon run in Steep Creek Photo A. Rodriguez

Here in Southeast Alaska we have been greatly impacted by the changes in our climate conditions biologically, geologically and culturally. Primarily, if we look at how the climate changes have directly affected our glaciers within Southeast, we see that the changes in increased temperatures in our region are causing Glaciers within our region to quickly recede, which changes the geological and biological conditions of these areas. Some of the impacts can be seen and explained by the video Climate Change Impacts Alaska Glaciers.



Secondly, we can also see the effects of climate change locally with the changes in our precipitation levels within our region. We can see the correlation between our salmon returns and how this relationship controls our commercial and subsistence fishing. Here in Southeast Alaska we greatly depend on our salmon return to provide our residents with not only fish as a food source, but we highly depend on commercial fishing as a major industry within our region as well. We are also seeing an impact in our local deer populations and the health of their offspring. This greatly impacts the residents in our community that depend on subsistence hunting to provide for their families.

These same impacts are being represented throughout different regions of the state. The video Inuit Observations of Climate Change discusses how these same impacts of climate changes are similarly negatively impacting the biological processes of the animals, water, and land in other communities around the state. This in-turn is altering the way of life in many communities and is changing the cultural ways of life for many residents of these communities. Alaska is not the only place in the world feeling the impacts of this climate change. It has been observed that the Moose populations in Minnesota have diminished greatly due to warmer temperatures and diminished forests in that region.



Evaluate:

While exploring the resources available on Teacher’s Domain (TD), I am intrigued by many of the topics that are discussed in the video. This interest then requires me to begin a search on different topics relating to the videos. The TD resource has challenged me to find more information on an array of topics but has given me a way to quickly engage my students with these easy to comprehend videos.