The Delicate Balance, Part 2: Climate Destabilization
Global climate change is believed to be created by excessive amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. While El Niño is not a reflection of climate change, it does demonstrate the results of unpredictable or unstable weather conditions. Climate...
Ecology: Biosphere 2: A Laboratory for Studying the Future
While Biosphere 2's efforts to duplicate earth's complex ecological systems were unattainable, this scaled-down model is ideal for studying the effects of man on ecosystems. It is possible, for instance, to elevate carbon dioxide to the levels predi...
Ecology: Biosphere 2: The Effects of El Nino
When an El Niño event occurred during the two year Biosphere experiment, it created surprising and unforeseen problems with food production. The unusually cloudy and rainy conditions resulted in drastically reduced crop yields. Many scientists beli...
Ecology: Biosphere 2: Elevated Carbon Dioxide Levels
By overstocking the soil with organics, an excess of carbon dioxide production was created in Biosphere 2. The elevated levels of carbon dioxide affected the pH of the ocean water and the growth and productivity rates of plants. The greenhouse gases...
Dealing with Climate Change
Scientist and climate change expert Michael Oppenheimer expresses optimism about global efforts to come to grips with environmental problems.
Dirty Water: Global Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
Many scientists are convinced that there is a connection between global climate change and the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Those who believe that global warming is a real and serious problem often cite sea level rise as one reason ...