Nature's past experiment on global warming?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the implications of environmental destruction, particularly focusing on the comparative impacts of the destruction of coral reefs versus tropical rainforests, as well as historical instances of global warming and their effects on ecosystems. Participants explore the potential consequences of current environmental changes and reflect on past geological events, such as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM).

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant argues that the destruction of marine biomes may be more detrimental than that of rainforests, citing a statement from an instructor regarding the severity of impacts on marine life.
  • Another participant references the Amazon rainforest's current drought conditions and the potential for catastrophic changes, including increased carbon release and desertification.
  • A third participant discusses the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum as a historical example of intense global warming, noting that it did not lead to massive extinctions like those seen in other periods, and raises questions about the long-term geological impacts of current extinction rates due to habitat destruction.
  • There is a mention of a planned Earth Day demonstration related to the greenhouse effect, indicating an interest in practical applications of physics in environmental education.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relative importance of coral reefs versus rainforests, and there is no consensus on the implications of historical warming events for current environmental challenges. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the long-term consequences of current habitat destruction and its geological significance.

Contextual Notes

Some claims rely on specific interpretations of ecological data and historical events, which may vary among experts. The discussion includes speculative questions about future impacts and the potential for geological signatures from current extinction events.

Soaring Crane
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Suppose I am a defense attorney--I am NOT--arguing for an underdeveloped old-growth tropical rain forest and a coral reef from tumultuous destruction by development.

If I could only save ONE, it would be the coral reef. (My instructor said something along the lines of: "The destruction of our marine aquatic zones is much more diasterious than the obliteration of our rain forests. . ." Of course, either scenario is very __________insert devastatingly negative adj. here__________ for the planet.)

My question is:

Why would the destruction of marine biomes/marine life zones be more detrimental?

Thanks for any replies.
 
Earth sciences news on Phys.org
https://www.physicsforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9005&stc=1&d=1170188368

snip>

The Amazon now appears to be entering its second successive year of drought, raising the possibility it could start dying next year. The immense forest contains 90 billion tons of carbon, enough in itself to increase the rate of global warming by 50 per cent.

Nepstead expects "mega-fires" rapidly to sweep across the drying jungle. With the trees gone, the soil will bake in the sun and the rainforest could become desert.

Deborah Clark from the University of Missouri, one of the world's top forest ecologists, says research shows "the lock has broken" on the Amazon ecosystem and the Amazon is "headed in a terrible direction".

snip>


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10392615

I thought Bill Gates already saved the rain forest. There must be a bug or something.
 

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An experiment of nature on the effect of intense global warming has already occurred in the Eocene 38-55 million yrs. ago; the so-called Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM).(1,4) There were no massive extinctions comparative to that of the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) period defining the Mezozoic/Cenazocic eras at 65Myrs. At the Paleocene-Eocene divide, paleo-stratigraphic results show that there was deep water benthic foraminifera mass extinction associated with the increased temperature and hence dysoxic (less oxygenated) waters.(1) But most marine and terrestrial extinctions occurred with cooling at the end of the Eocene, and into the Oligocene epoch.(1) The consequences of the present warming are unknown in regards to extinctions. However nature already has conducted one experiment in regards to intense global warming, with seemingly not overwhelming catastrophic results.

An alternative question for the future and for our cognition/imagination might be as follows: From current habit destruction and hence species extinction, for say 100k years duration; would this be significant enough to leave a paleo-stratigraphic signature say 3 million years hence? The PETM might be considered herein as maximizing for over approximately 3 Myrs. So for shallow geological time, might the current extinction times we are inducing be more likely to leave a signature (if any?) due more to habit destruction (and ocean degrading environment?) than to any long term geological stratigraphic consequences from global warming?

1. Hallam Tony, Catastrophes and Lesser Calamities Oxford Univ Press, 2004, and references therein.

2. Raup David M., Extinction: Bad Genes or bad Luck?, W.W. Norton, 1991, and references therein.

3. Stanley Steven M., Extinction, Scientific American Books, 1987, and references therein.

4.Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. Wikipedia.

some look at things and ask why,
while others dream of things that never were,
and ask why not.
George Barnard Shaw
 
I've been asked to set up a table at a High school for Earth day. I want to do something physics related, but I'm drawing a blank. I have access to all sorts of lab equipment. Any ideas?

I think I might try the greenhouse effect with some 2L bottles, dry ice, and temperature probes. This is an outside event.

Any suggestions? I doubt I'll have power, but I have battery powered probeware. I don't really want to make a sign or anything. I want to do some demonstration with standard equipment found in an educational science lab.