Evidence for Climate Change Flashcards

All 6 cards in this deck

What is the Quaternary period?

The most recent geological period, covering roughly the last 2.6 million years, with alternating cold (glacial) and warm (inter-glacial) periods.

How do ice cores provide evidence for climate change?

Air bubbles trapped in the ice show past concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane, which indicate past temperatures.

How does pollen analysis provide evidence for climate change?

Preserved pollen in sediment shows which plant species grew at the time, and those species indicate the climate conditions.

How do tree rings provide evidence for climate change?

Trees grow a ring each year, and wider rings show warmer, wetter conditions, so the pattern records past climate.

How is the shrinking extent of Arctic sea ice evidence of climate change?

The reduced extent shows the ice is melting, which suggests global temperatures are rising.

How do ocean sediment cores provide evidence for climate change?

Layers of sea-floor sediment hold the fossil remains of tiny marine organisms such as plankton, whose types and chemistry show what ocean temperatures were in the past.