Mauna Loa Observatory

Some data are in the form of Some data are in the form of “physical” evidence, such as “physical” evidence, such as temperature recordings, along with temperature recordings, along with changes in arctic and mountain changes in arctic and mountain glaciers, and arctic and antarctic glaciers, and arctic and antarctic sea ice.sea ice.

Global mean surface temperatures have increased

~ highest level of CO2 over past 400 Kyrs

Increase intemperature trackscarbon emissionsand CO2

CO2, CH4 and temperature records from Antarctic ice core data Source: Vimeu et al., 2002,

100’s of thousands of years:Ice Core Data

today450,000 yrs ago time

Ice is breaking up Ice is breaking up earlier on rivers and earlier on rivers and lakes in the spring lakes in the spring around the worldaround the world

10-15% Decrease in Arctic Sea Ice Revealed by NOAA Operational Satellites

Rise in Global Mean Sea Level

Glaciers are Retreating GloballyIn Switzerland…In Switzerland… In Alaska…In Alaska…

Qori Kalis Glacier,Quelccaya Ice Cap, Perubetween 1978 and 2000.

Courtesy of L. Thompson, Byrd Polar Research Center

Permafrost in the Permafrost in the Arctic is melting, Arctic is melting, leading to leading to infrastructure infrastructure damage as well as damage as well as disrupting disrupting subsistence life subsistence life stylesstyles

250 Year Record of Leafing Out Date of English Oaks

Research is also turning up Research is also turning up many biological indicators … many biological indicators … all of which suggest that all of which suggest that

average temperatures, in many average temperatures, in many habitats around the world, are habitats around the world, are

rising.rising.

Not only are more and more Not only are more and more range shifts being documented, range shifts being documented, but other temperature-related but other temperature-related changes are being reported in changes are being reported in

the literature. the literature.