1. Chapter 5 Changing the Balance in Ecosystems 5.1 Natural Phenomena and Ecosystem

2. NATURAL WEATHER EVENTS

3. Flood August 30, 2005- Hurricane Katrina caused a flood

4. Drought In 2005, the Amazon basin in South America (mostly in Brazil) suffers the worst drought in 100 years

5. Fire October 20, 2007 California wildfire Burning over 2000 km squares 1500 homes destroyed 9 people died

7. Tornado May 6-May 9, 1999- Oklahoma tornado outbreak 66 tornadoes broke out in Oklahoma and nearby states

9. Hurricanes Hurricane Katrina -August 30, 2005 -New Orleans (Louisiana), Florida, Mississippi -$81 billion US of damages ~2000 people died

10. Blizzard March 6-8, 2008 a huge blizzard (winter storm) hit North America east coast. Ontario and Quebec were majorly affected SWC French Immersion students stranded

12. Infestation Pine beetle infestation in B.C. and Alberta, including Banff National Park Pine beetles drill through bark and feed on inner layer of pine tree. They also lay their eggs in the “sapwood” layer

14. Normally, -30 to -40 degree winter would keep the population in check Global warming lead to interior B.C. and Alberta not experiencing cold winters anymore. Beetles strive, killing pine trees

15. NATURAL GEOLOGICAL EVENTS

16. Volcanic Eruption Mount St. Helen on May 18, 1980 Earthquakes and steam-venting before eruption

17. Ashes covered Interstate-5 highway Ashes travelled all the way to Vancouver

19. Earthquake May 12,2008 in Sichuan province of China, magnitude 8.0 earthquake hit, followed by two magnitude 7.9 earthquakes 70,000 people dead 400,000 people injured 4.8 million people homeless

21. Deadliest earthquake of 20 th century: Tangshan Earthquake (July 28, 1976) in China 8.2 on Richter scale

22. 779,000 people died (~600,000 live in the city of Vancouver)

23. Tsunami -2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, aka. Boxing Day Tsunami -Triggered by 9.1 scale Earthquake -230,000 people died -$7 billion US of damage

27. We had tsunami in BC as well March 27, 1964, Port Alberni on Vancouver Island was attacked by a tsunami originated from an Alaskan Earthquake

28. Landslide San Salvador, El Salvador landslide in 2001 triggered by an earthquake

29. Avalanche Big White (Ski Resort) in Kelowna experienced a huge avalanche 2 skiers died