Impact of Climate Change on Precipitation and Temperature in British Columbia

This essay focuses on how anthropogenic climate change is expected to impact on spatial and temporal variation of precipitation and temperature in British Columbia.

Running head: GEOGRAPHY 1
Geography
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Geography 2
Essay 5
Introduction
Rising average temperatures and variation in amount of precipitation in British Columbia is
associated with widespread weather pattern variation. Scientific studies show that extreme
weather events such as fluctuating precipitation and heat waves are likely to become more severe
and frequent with climate change. Temperature and precipitation are fundamental features of
climate change that are directly observable and measurable. They are also consistent and reliable
indicators of effects of climate change. This essay focuses on how anthropogenic climate change
is expected to impact on spatial and temporal variation of precipitation and temperature in British
Columbia (Werner, Schnorbus, Shrestha, & Eckstrand, 2013).
Effects of Atmospheric warming on Climate system and Ecosystem
From 1900-2013, British Columbia province temperatures have risen at an average rate of
1.4˚C per century in each of the four seasons namely spring, summer, fall and winter. This is
higher than the global average rate which is 0.8˚C per century. The report from
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) show that the high rate of warming in
British Columbia is consistent every year from 1880 to 2012.
Winter has been a season with the highest warming trend in BC with its average
temperature increase of 2.2˚C across the province per century. In summer and spring there is
province-wide warming trend whereby warming in each of the province vary from the other. In
the fall there is very little province-wide warming trend. Sub-boreal interior are warmed by 1.0˚C
per century while the coastal parts are warmed by 0.6˚C to 0.8˚C per century. The dates of arrival
at every season changes from one region of BC to the other depending on elevation, climate and

Geography 3
latitude of a place (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2013).
Fig.1. Average temperature increased over all regions of British Columbia from 1900-2013 as
shown by the significantly positive trends which indicate warming.
SOURCE: Analysis of trends for 1900 through 2013 conducted by PCIC, 2014 for the Ministry
of Environment Climate Action Secretariat. Data from Ministry of Environment Climate Related
Monitoring Program and Environment Canada.
Effects of atmospheric warming is associated with increased precipitation and warming of
sea surface in some regions of BC. Climate change influences other physical processes, such as
ice duration on lakes and rivers, temperature in freshwater ecosystems and the ratio of snow to
total precipitation. These effects may also interfere with biological systems such as growth of
aquatic plants and shifting in distribution of species and ecosystems. Some trees may be able to
grow in places that were formerly too cold for them.
Warmer temperatures will have both negative and positive effects on activities of human
being. The impacts will also be different for each side of BC and vary from one season to the
other. Melting ice at the rivers and lakes causes overflow of water leading to flooding. Summer
seasons which will be warmer will increase the rate of transpiration in plants and evaporation.
Increased rates of evaporation reduce soil moisture content thus exposing soils to erosion and

Geography 4
dust storms, forest fires, reduction of wet lands, higher demand for irrigation and diminishing of
forest cover.
Effects of Atmospheric warming on other parts of Climate system and Ecosystem
In every century, there have been an increase of 12% Province-wide average annual
precipitation. In the Southern Interior there was increase in average annual precipitation by 17%
while in the Southern Interior Eco province there was an increase of 21%. Precipitation in
Georgia Depression increased by 14% per century. In Central Interior precipitation increased by
17% per century. For Mountains and coast Eco provinces the increase was 10% per century.
Average annual precipitation for Boreal Plains and Sub-Boreal Interior increased by 14%.
Observed Average Precipitation Change (1900-2013)
Fig. 2. The diagrams show the trends of precipitation across different parts of BC. Changes in
seasonal precipitation varied from one region to the other from 1900-to 2013.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/soe/indicators/climate-change/precip.html
Seasonal precipitation trends vary from one region to the other through BC. In larger part
of the province, the data present significant trends in winter precipitation and indicate seasonal
trends in the Mountains and Coast ecoprovince. Precipitation increased in Georgia Depression
Eco province in spring by 23% per century. Precipitation in the southern and interior coast of BC
is increasing in the spring season. Precipitation in the Boreal Plains Eco province increased by
18% per century in the summer. Precipitation trends in Northern Boreal Mountains and Taiga

Geography 5
plains indicate an increase in precipitation in the summer, winter and fall unlike in the spring.
The dates of arrival at every season varies from one part of BC to the other depending on
elevation, climate and latitude of a place (Zwiers, Schnorbus, & Maruszeczka, 2011).
Changes that occur after a long period in the timing, form, and amount of precipitation have
various effects on human activities as well terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. High
precipitation rates supply more water for groundwater aquifers, replenish soil moisture, support
plant growth, maintain wet lands and river flows. Increased precipitation may also benefit human
activities such as irrigation, industrial activities, hydroelectric power generation and home water
use. Too much precipitation may also bring in several disadvantages to the ecosystem and
infrastructure through flooding which interferes with drainage systems reducing the quality of
water.
Precipitation increase due to warming of the atmosphere. The air cools and release moisture
as it rises over coastal mountains. Prevailing winds in transport moisture inland from Pacific
Ocean. During the 20th century there have been an increase in average surface temperature of the
land and the ocean. This has resulted in winds carrying more moisture from the ocean to the
interior and coastal part of the province (White, Wolf, Anslow, & Werner, 2016).
Conclusion
Causes of climate change are either natural, for example long term radiation from the sun or
anthropogenic of human origin including burning of fossil fuels which increase amount of
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Anthropogenic climate change accounts more for
atmospheric warming over the past century. Climate research sources and projects show that
warming will still continue for a few centuries even if fossil fuel burning is ceased tomorrow
(Schnorbus, Werner, & Bennett, 2014).

Geography 6
Essay 8
Introduction
Ecosystem has been changed extensively and rapidly by humans than ever basically to
meet the demand for needs and resources along with the developing economy. These demands
have been noted to be the main facilitators of biodiversity loss and degradation of the ecosystem.
Increase in human population and development leads to rapid conversion of natural ecosystems
to industrial, agricultural and residential use.
Biodiversity and ecosystem conservation have faced a lot of challenges from the economic
development which has occupied about two-third of the pristine habitat for biodiversity. The
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) reported the significance of ecosystem services to
well-being of humans and explained that continued use of these services is threatened by
unsustainable anthropogenic activities (Zhongwei, Lin, & Yiming, 2010). This essay presents
human dependence on “ecosystem” services and how such services are experiencing many
challenges as a result of human activities.
How Human Activities Utilize Natural Systems and their Impacts on the Ecosystem
Climate Change- Accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere causes
temperatures at the surface of the global to rise resulting in rising sea levels, ocean acidification,
ecosystem damage and melting of ice sheets.
Biodiversity- Significant reduction in number of animals and plants has been accelerated by
human activities. Such activities have also led to extinction of some species which endangers the
state of the formerly stable ecosystem.
Ocean acidification- Most of the carbon dioxide emissions end up dissolving in the
oceans increasing the acidity of water thus damaging marine ecosystems and organisms.
Therefore, climate change is associated with ocean acidification. Since the start of Industrial
Revolution Ocean acidity has increased by 26% due to increased release of carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere.
Land use- Forests serve as important part in climate regulation by absorbing carbon
dioxide and providing favorable ecosystem for survival of animals and plants. Since the
beginning of agricultural revolution, the total number of tress has reduced by half. By 2050, land
degradation and climate change are predicted to cut down the amount of crop yields by an

Geography 7
average of 10% worldwide and up to 50% in other places. This will lead to increase in starvation
and malnutrition levels. It will also cause conflicts and displacement of other organisms in the
ecosystem.
Biogeochemical flows-Nitrogen and phosphorus are elemental to life and are necessary
for food systems functionality. Agricultural activities become destructive when nitrogen and
phosphorus flow into rivers, lakes and seas causing over accumulation of nutrients and minerals
in water. This instigates rapid growth of algae and water plants leading to depletion of oxygen
and formation of dead zones where other marine organisms cannot survive due to absence of
oxygen.
Ozone layer- Ultraviolet radiation from the sun are filtered by stratospheric layer else
excess of the ultraviolet radiation would be harmful to organisms on the surface of the earth. In
the 20th century there are synthetic substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that were
emitted to the atmosphere and have generated an opening in the ozone layer which is seen during
spring over the Antarctic. With the ban of these harmful substance, the size of the hole has
reduced.
Pollution and new substance- Exhaust fumes from automotives and industrial activities, dust and
smoke from use of land also influences the climatic system and have harmful effects on human
health. Environment is also negatively affected by use of other chemicals, radioactive materials
and pollutants (Laybourn, Rankin, & Baxter, 2019).
Conclusion
Globally, negative impacts on the environment has exceeded climate change to surround
many other natural systems and other human activities forcing them to insecure operational
environments. This leads to complex and dynamic ways of unrivalled environmental change that
has arrived at extreme states leading to new period of environmental breakdown.
Despite the existence of several steps taken to transform from the damage, the efforts taken
are limited in that they have inadequately emphasized on every element of environmental
breakdown. Also, they don’t basically transform fundamental economic and social systems.
Little emphasize have been put to ensure social communities are equipped adequately to deal
with increasing outcomes of the breakdown. Failure to progress somehow results from
policymaking challenges due to factors such as difficulties faced by decision making organs
while responding to complex system wide problems and lack of interests. These challenges

Geography 8
develop from one generation to the other leaving the younger generations with a task of
environmental breakdown prevention and satisfactorily becoming answerable to increasing
negative impacts.
The damage caused to the environment can be adequately dealt with by developing policies
which are able to realize a just, prepared and sustainable world. The policies should also be able
to understand how political communities can be made to be aggressive with the urge of
overcoming environmental breakdown (Baer, 2012).

Geography 9
References
Baer, P. (2012, 11 14). The greenhouse development rights framework for global burden
sharing:reflection on principles and prospects. Retrieved from WIREs Climate Change:
https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.201
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 2013. Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change2013 :
The Physical Science Basis. Contributionof Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, USA.:
Cambridge University Press.
Laybourn, L., Rankin, L., & Baxter, D. (2019). This is a Crisis: Facing up to the Age of Environmental
Breakdown. Retrieved from Institute for Public policy Research White Paper:
https://issuu.com/ippr/docs/this_is_a_crisis_february19
Schnorbus, M., Werner, A., & Bennett, K. (2014). Impacts of climate change in three hydrologic regimes
in British Columbia, Canada. Hydrol. Hydrological Processes, 28, 1170–1189. Retrieved from
Hydrological Processes.
Werner, A., Schnorbus, M., Shrestha, R., & Eckstrand, H. (2013). Spatial and Temporal Change in the
Hydro-Climatology of the Canadian Portion of the Columbia River Basin under Multiple
Emissions Scenarios. Atsmosphere-Ocean, 357–379. 51.
White, T., Wolf, J., Anslow, F., & Werner, A. (2016). Indicators of Climate Change for British Columbia
2016 Update. Retrieved from British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection:
PDFhttps://www2.gov.bc.ca › archived-reports
Zhongwei, G., Lin, Z., & Yiming, L. (2010). Increased Dependence of Humans on Ecosystem Services and
Biodiversity. Retrieved from Plos One:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0013113
Zwiers, F., Schnorbus, M., & Maruszeczka, G. (2011). Hydrologic Impacts of Climate Change on BC Water
Resources: Summary Report for the Campbell, Columbia and Peace River. Columbia: University of
Victoria.