Records of global climate change
1. What are the characteristics of ice ages that the first research study seeks to address, and what approach
was adopted in" rel="nofollow">in this study to achieve its goals? (5 poin" rel="nofollow">ints; a strong answer will quantify atmospheric levels
of CO2 and global temperatures durin" rel="nofollow">ing glacial episodes and explain" rel="nofollow">in the focus of the study.)
2. Why is the ocean the greatest regulator of CO2 in" rel="nofollow">in Earth’s atmosphere and how does the concept of a
“biological pump” help explain" rel="nofollow">in the role of the ocean in" rel="nofollow">in sequesterin" rel="nofollow">ing CO2? (5 poin" rel="nofollow">ints; a strong answer
will describe the significance of the ocean carbon reservoir, explain" rel="nofollow">in the nature of the “biological pump”
and its in" rel="nofollow">influence on atmospheric CO2.)
3. Why is the in" rel="nofollow">incorporation of studies of deep-sea corals from the Southern Ocean of critical importance
to the study? (5 poin" rel="nofollow">ints; a strong answer will explain" rel="nofollow">in the specific characteristics of the Southern Ocean
in" rel="nofollow">in terms of modern phytoplankton productivity and the “biological pump.”)
4. How does measurement of nitrogen isotopes (
14N to 15N ratios) in" rel="nofollow">in deep-sea corals provide a measure of
the efficiency of the “biological pump”, and how do the nitrogen isotope data from the last ice age help
understand in" rel="nofollow">influences on atmospheric levels of CO2 durin" rel="nofollow">ing glaciations? (5 poin" rel="nofollow">ints; a strong answer will
explain" rel="nofollow">in the controls on the nitrogen isotopic composition of deep-sea corals and how their variations
reflect the efficiency of the “biological pump” and atmospheric levels of CO2.)
5. What two biological processes in" rel="nofollow">in coccolithophores are reflected in" rel="nofollow">in their carbon isotopic compositions?