BIO 1070 FINAL NOTES - INQUIRY
CASE 3 Q & A
Climate Change - An Arctic Ecosystem 8C Warmer
● Some people believe that climate change is real while
others do not.
● Scientific studies show PROOF that climate change is
an issue which is why you need to be careful where you
get your information from!
● CO2 in the air influences the overall mean temperature of
the planet.
● Rising CO2 levels are from burning fossil fuels and other
anthropogenic activity
● The arctic is a MAJOR concern as it is warming at a
much higher rate than any other parts in the world…
most of the ecosystems in the arctic rely on properties of
the habitat.
● 50% land and 65% of its coastline in the arctic ...this is
alarming to Canadians
● The north pole may become 8-11 degrees celsius
warmer unless we slow down greenhouse gas
emissions.
● Drastic changes in 34 years.
What do we know about the arctic ecosystems?
, BIO 1070 FINAL NOTES - INQUIRY
CASE 3 Q & A
● Sub arctic regions of Canada (Churchill Manitoba)
have both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems that have
different abiotic and biotic factors. In high arctic, the
terrestrial environment is dominated by tundra
(frozen wasteland).
● At high latitudes, there are freshwater and marine
habitats.
What do we know about arctic organisms?
● A big feature of arctic aquatic ecosystems is ice.
● Ice cover for all or part of the year has been consistent…
until warming.
● Many animals and plants have adapted to icy conditions.
Aquatic animals
● Narwhal, now head whale, polar bear, atlantic puffin,
arctic char, greenland cod
● For marine animals, such as listed above, they have to
maintain a constant body temp of around 37 degrees
celsius.
● Being exposed to near freezing temps presents obvious
challenges.
● Generally, these animals have a thick layer of insulating
blubber just under the skin
,BIO 1070 FINAL NOTES - INQUIRY
CASE 3 Q & A
● Endotherms - generate their own internal heat through
metabolism (inside heat)
● Endotherms are usually restricted to “warm-blooded”
vertebrates - mammals and birds
● “Warm-blooded” is not favoured by biologists because it
doesn't actually explain how an animal is able to
regulate body temperature using internal heat.
● Some reptiles, can bask in the sun and have their
internal body temperature reach 37 degrees. However,
when they go into a cooler location their body
temperature can drop and match the temp of the
external environment. THEY ARE NOT
ENDOTHERMS
● Fish do not regulate their body temp internally, so they
have the same internal temp as the water they live in.
, BIO 1070 FINAL NOTES - INQUIRY
CASE 3 Q & A
● Ectotherms - are animals such as amphibians,
reptiles and invertebrates, that rely on environmental
sources of heat (outside heat)
● Ectotherms are not always “cold-blooded” (reptile
basking in sun)
● They can't retain heat from metabolism
● If a fish is swimming in 4 degree water and moves to 1
degree its body temperature will change.
● Heat is dissipated more easily in water because water has
a high heat capacity.
● Water breathing animals (molluscs, and crustaceans,
fish) have a gill structure that brings blood to an
interface with the water (external environment) and the
blood (internal environment) with a thin layer of gill
cells in between.
● Any heat generated through metabolic processes is
quickly lost at the gills, so that blood temp is equal to
the ambient temp
Terrestrial Animals
● Musk Ox, Caribou, Arctic fox, arctic ground squirrel,
wooly caterpillar, rock ptarmigan
● The high north has been called “the land of the
CASE 3 Q & A
Climate Change - An Arctic Ecosystem 8C Warmer
● Some people believe that climate change is real while
others do not.
● Scientific studies show PROOF that climate change is
an issue which is why you need to be careful where you
get your information from!
● CO2 in the air influences the overall mean temperature of
the planet.
● Rising CO2 levels are from burning fossil fuels and other
anthropogenic activity
● The arctic is a MAJOR concern as it is warming at a
much higher rate than any other parts in the world…
most of the ecosystems in the arctic rely on properties of
the habitat.
● 50% land and 65% of its coastline in the arctic ...this is
alarming to Canadians
● The north pole may become 8-11 degrees celsius
warmer unless we slow down greenhouse gas
emissions.
● Drastic changes in 34 years.
What do we know about the arctic ecosystems?
, BIO 1070 FINAL NOTES - INQUIRY
CASE 3 Q & A
● Sub arctic regions of Canada (Churchill Manitoba)
have both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems that have
different abiotic and biotic factors. In high arctic, the
terrestrial environment is dominated by tundra
(frozen wasteland).
● At high latitudes, there are freshwater and marine
habitats.
What do we know about arctic organisms?
● A big feature of arctic aquatic ecosystems is ice.
● Ice cover for all or part of the year has been consistent…
until warming.
● Many animals and plants have adapted to icy conditions.
Aquatic animals
● Narwhal, now head whale, polar bear, atlantic puffin,
arctic char, greenland cod
● For marine animals, such as listed above, they have to
maintain a constant body temp of around 37 degrees
celsius.
● Being exposed to near freezing temps presents obvious
challenges.
● Generally, these animals have a thick layer of insulating
blubber just under the skin
,BIO 1070 FINAL NOTES - INQUIRY
CASE 3 Q & A
● Endotherms - generate their own internal heat through
metabolism (inside heat)
● Endotherms are usually restricted to “warm-blooded”
vertebrates - mammals and birds
● “Warm-blooded” is not favoured by biologists because it
doesn't actually explain how an animal is able to
regulate body temperature using internal heat.
● Some reptiles, can bask in the sun and have their
internal body temperature reach 37 degrees. However,
when they go into a cooler location their body
temperature can drop and match the temp of the
external environment. THEY ARE NOT
ENDOTHERMS
● Fish do not regulate their body temp internally, so they
have the same internal temp as the water they live in.
, BIO 1070 FINAL NOTES - INQUIRY
CASE 3 Q & A
● Ectotherms - are animals such as amphibians,
reptiles and invertebrates, that rely on environmental
sources of heat (outside heat)
● Ectotherms are not always “cold-blooded” (reptile
basking in sun)
● They can't retain heat from metabolism
● If a fish is swimming in 4 degree water and moves to 1
degree its body temperature will change.
● Heat is dissipated more easily in water because water has
a high heat capacity.
● Water breathing animals (molluscs, and crustaceans,
fish) have a gill structure that brings blood to an
interface with the water (external environment) and the
blood (internal environment) with a thin layer of gill
cells in between.
● Any heat generated through metabolic processes is
quickly lost at the gills, so that blood temp is equal to
the ambient temp
Terrestrial Animals
● Musk Ox, Caribou, Arctic fox, arctic ground squirrel,
wooly caterpillar, rock ptarmigan
● The high north has been called “the land of the
