1. Ecology Global Ecology

2. My Next Great Idea! Sing a song about any ecological concept, theory, or hypothesis and receive up to 8 extra credit points on your next test OK so you don’t want to sing: write a short creative story and share it with the class OK so you don’t like writing either, then act out a particular concept Any of these can be done in pairs or small groups

3. Global Scale Concepts El Nino-Southern Oscillation Nitrogen Cycle Land Use changes (already covered in landscape ecology) Global Warming

4. El-Nino Southern Oscillation El Nino refers to warm Pacific Ocean water off the coast of Peru Southern Oscillation is a dynamic in atmospheric pressure across the Pacific Ocean

5. How Does El Nino Happen? Part I The ‘normal’ condition is when Trade Winds across the Pacific are strong In El Nino years the Trade Winds slacken

6. How Does El Nino Happen? Part II ‘Normal’ conditions also dictate a Low Pressure Cell over Australia and the western Pacific In contrast, a high pressure cell sits over the eastern Pacific Low High

7. How Does El Nino Happen? Part III During El Nino years, however, the pressure gradient changes It flip-flops High pressure in the W. Pacific; Low pressure moves toward the E. Pacific This change in barometric pressure across the Pacific is called the Southern Oscillation Low

8. How Does El Nino Happen? Part IV The change in atmospheric pressure is accompanied by (or caused by) a change in sea surface temperature Warm water migrates from the W. Pacific to the E. Pacific Usually in the E. Pacific cold water (remember: Humboldt current) is present

9. Sea Surface Temperature Change in Pacific

10. Temperature Is Not Just at the Surface:

11. A Full-Blown El Nino!:

12. Now! Take a few minutes to write down at least 3 effects you would predict from this change in weather In addition to the 3 effects, tell me the cause-and-effect relationship with El Nino- La Nina

13. So what are the effects of El Nino? High pressure in N. Australia and Indonesia In 1997-98 El Nino, high pressure led to drought Escaped slash-and-burn agricultural fires caused widespread loss of rainforest Before El Nino During El Nino

14. Fires in Indonesian Forests These fires caused widespread loss of rainforest Respiratory problems of people in Kuala Lumpur and other large cities Many deaths

15. El Nino is global in effects

16. El Nino effects on Peruvian coast Widespread Flooding, especially on coast Collapse of fisheries due to warm water limiting upwelling currents

17. El Nino Effects in Galapagos Islands Reduction in phytoplankton (base of food chain) Loss of sea bird life

18. Effects on Galapagos Islands (continued) Collapse of marine life, include fish populations Loss of fur seal and sea lion populations

19. El Nino Hits Australia, 1982-83

20. El Nino in W. United States Big storms in California Rains bring huge blooms in deserts

21. What about now?

22. Sea Surface Temperatures Today Looks like a smallish El Nino this year Relatively wet winter in Florida