HNUH 218Y: Energy Revolution Discussion #2: Prologue and the Maya Ross Salawitch *or
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HNUH 218Y: Energy Revolution
Discussion #2: Prologue and the Maya
Ross Salawitch rsalawit@umd.edu *or* rjs@atmos.umd.edu
Class Web Site: https://www2.atmos.umd.edu/~rjs/class/hnuh218y
ELMS Page: https://myelms.umd.edu/courses/1299564
https://www.locogringo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/mayan-ruin-tour-in-mexico-riviera-maya.jpg
4 February 2021
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland.
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch. 1
HNUH 218Y: AT01
1) Jared Diamond states Easter Island is the most extreme example of:
Diamond states that "Easter is the most extreme example of forest destruction in the Pacific,
and among the most extreme in the world: the whole forest gone, and all of its tree species
extinct." Diamond indicates that this consequently hurt the natives of Easter Island by
reducing their raw materials, ability to hunt, and ability to effectively grow crops.
It is amazing to contemplate the lush landscape that must have been in place when humans
first set foot on the island.
https://www.travelzoo.com/au/blog/5-reasons-to-fall-in-love-with-the-cook-islands/
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 2
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.
HNUH 218Y: AT01 Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 3 This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.
HNUH 218Y: AT01
2) Describe the main points Jared Diamond is trying to convey about Easter Island Rapa Nui in this chapter?
To me, this chapter is a reminder that complete deforestation and habitat destruction is within
the realm of possibility for humanity on a larger scale if we fail to take the necessary
measures to preserve our natural resources. One of Diamond's most powerful points is that
although the current residents of Easter Island couldn't imagine their ancestors doing such a
thing, it nevertheless happened. Lastly, he asserts that this phenomenon is not unique and
that certain factors are better predictors of ecological depletion than others, and it is crucial
that we observe those factors to prevent future deforestation.
Great reply. As we shall see, deforestation is a huge theme of Diamond's writing, and is in also
a critically important issue for the world, today!
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 4
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.
HNUH 218Y: AT01
2) Describe the main points Jared Diamond is trying to convey about Easter Island Rapa Nui in this chapter?
Jared Diamond is trying to convey the collapse of Easter Island as a metaphor for our entire
globe. As a remote island with a society of 12 integrated clans, Easter Island can be compared
to an isolated Earth with all countries and continents trading amongst each other and sharing
resources. In the end, the human environmental impact on Easter Island led to an
overexploitation of resources that left its islanders with nowhere to turn, alluding to the fact
that Earth could be headed in the same direction if no major change is made.
I truly believe Jared Diamond would embrace this succinct summary!
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 5
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.
HNUH 218Y: AT01
3) Describe in a sentence or 2 something new you learned upon reading this chapter.
I was fascinated to learn that an island's distance from the Central Asian dust plume is
positively correlated with the chance it will be prone to deforestation. This seemingly obscure
correlation makes me respect Diamond's exhaustive body of research that he compiled and
conducted in writing this book.
I hope it was interesting to read about Rapa Nui in a manner that combined the romance and
realism of the Island, along with the academic aspect you have described.
Indeed, the Central Asian dust plume is a real phenomenon. Here is more info:
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-06/osu-sdu060519.php
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 6
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.
HNUH 218Y: AT01 Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 7 This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.
HNUH 218Y: AT01
4) Describe, in 2 to 3 sentences, something that is stated in this chapter that you might challenge, should be
in a debate about Easter Island Rapa Nui and the chapter you have just read is the opening argument
from your opponent.
I would challenge the idea that the islanders carelessly chopped down all the trees. Although
they were prone to deforestation, someone still had to make the decision to cut the last few
trees, and I think that they would not have done so with no thought for the future. I think that
the warring territories likely fought over the scarce resources as they started to watch them
dwindle. Each clan was trying to look out for their own people and claim resources first (to
build the biggest statues and best canoes) and in the process destroyed the island's forest.
Likewise, it is exceptionally difficult for me to imagine the last tree being willfully cut down by a
human. Alas, we'll most likely never know what happened. However, much more likely a
small, final tree stand was felled by bad weather, a fire, or some sort of belligerent action,
which the invasive rats playing an important role in the havoc on Rapa Nui.
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 8
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.
HNUH 218Y: AT01
4) Describe, in 2 to 3 sentences, something that is stated in this chapter that you might challenge, should be
in a debate about Easter Island Rapa Nui and the chapter you have just read is the opening argument
from your opponent.
I would challenge the idea that the islanders carelessly chopped down all the trees. Although
they were prone to deforestation, someone still had to make the decision to cut the last few
trees, and I think that they would not have done so with no thought for the future. I think that
the warring territories likely fought over the scarce resources as they started to watch them
dwindle. Each clan was trying to look out for their own people and claim resources first (to
build the biggest statues and best canoes) and in the process destroyed the island's forest.
Likewise, it is exceptionally difficult for me to imagine the last tree being willfully cut down by a
human. Alas, we'll most likely never know what happened. However, much more likely a
small, final tree stand was felled by bad weather, a fire, or some sort of belligerent action,
which the invasive rats playing an important role in the havoc on Rapa Nui.
Any cat lovers in the audience?
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 9
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.
HNUH 218Y: AT01
4) Describe, in 2 to 3 sentences, something that is stated in this chapter that you might challenge, should be
in a debate about Easter Island Rapa Nui and the chapter you have just read is the opening argument
from your opponent.
I would challenge the idea that the islanders carelessly chopped down all the trees. Although
they were prone to deforestation, someone still had to make the decision to cut the last few
trees, and I think that they would not have done so with no thought for the future. I think that
the warring territories likely fought over the scarce resources as they started to watch them
dwindle. Each clan was trying to look out for their own people and claim resources first (to
build the biggest statues and best canoes) and in the process destroyed the island's forest.
Likewise, it is exceptionally difficult for me to imagine the last tree being willfully cut down by a
human. Alas, we'll most likely never know what happened. However, much more likely a
small, final tree stand was felled by bad weather, a fire, or some sort of belligerent action,
which the invasive rats playing an important role in the havoc on Rapa Nui.
Any cat lovers in the audience?
Domestic cats “are what they are” due to their ability to mitigate the impact of rats and mice,
throughout human civilization.
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 10
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.HNUH 218Y: AT01
4) Describe, in 2 to 3 sentences, something that is stated in this chapter that you might challenge, should be
in a debate about Easter Island Rapa Nui and the chapter you have just read is the opening argument
from your opponent.
In this chapter, it is stated that Easter Island's deforestation was contributed a lot to its
isolation and terrain, but I believe that the deforestation could have been easily avoided if the
elite people did not overexploit resources or man power to help create these large statues. As
stated in the book, the manpower used to carve and move the infamous heads required 25%
more food than it would have without it. The competitive construction of these [Moai] lead the
island to the beginning of its downfall.
It is worthwhile noting that two societies we'll read about next week, Tikopia and Japan, faced
similar pressure on their forests, and handled in two vastly different political manners.
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 11
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.HNUH 218Y: AT01
4) Describe, in 2 to 3 sentences, something that is stated in this chapter that you might challenge, should be
in a debate about Easter Island Rapa Nui and the chapter you have just read is the opening argument
from your opponent.
In this chapter, it is stated that Easter Island's deforestation was contributed a lot to its
isolation and terrain, but I believe that the deforestation could have been easily avoided if the
elite people did not overexploit resources or man power to help create these large statues. As
stated in the book, the manpower used to carve and move the infamous heads required 25%
more food than it would have without it. The competitive construction of these [Moai] lead the
island to the beginning of its downfall.
It is worthwhile noting that two societies we'll read about next week, Tikopia and Japan, faced
similar pressure on their forests, and handled in two vastly different political manners.
Diamond might counter that the effort to build, transport, and display the Moai amounted to an
Island-wide commercial enterprise that led to widespread cooperation, peace, and in some
ways prosperity, until essential resources were unfortunately depleted.
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 12
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.El Niño Southern Oscillation, or ENSO
Under normal conditions, ocean surface is warmest in the Tropical Western Pacific
Original source: http://esminfo.prenhall.com/science/geoanimations/animations/26_NinoNina.html
See also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyPq86yM_Ic
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 13
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.El Niño Southern Oscillation, or ENSO
Animated GIF:
Original source: http://esminfo.prenhall.com/science/geoanimations/animations/26_NinoNina.html
See also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyPq86yM_Ic
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 14
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.Observed rise in GMST (ΔT) well explained by human driven increase
in RF of climate over the past several centuries
AAWR: Attributable Anthropogenic Warming Rate
Canty et al., ACP, 2013; Hope et al., Springer Climate, 2017, Hope et al. 2021; McBride et al., 2021.
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 15
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.Global Oceanic Circulation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermohaline_circulation
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This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC
http://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/feature/the-once-and-future-circulation-of-the-ocean
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 17
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.Intensity of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)
http://www.climate4you.com/SeaTemperatures.htm#AMO%20(Atlantic%20Multidecadal%20Oscillation)%20Ind
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 18
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.Maya, Precipitation, and AMOC
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-15942-0
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. 19
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch.HONR 229L: Climate Change: Science, Economics, and Governance
Prologue and The Maya
Abbey Susel
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland.
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch. 20Peer Evaluations Peer Evaluation Feedback: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdK3d8MhjXF88EZ2zIWnuLmMek52z9FlHLDhdh8P-rxPJJ7Dg/viewform?usp=sf_link Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland. This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch. 21
HONR 229L: Climate Change: Science, Economics, and Governance
Prologue and The Maya
Ross Salawitch
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland.
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch. 22Diamond (pg 169 to 170) writes:
Can deforestation really alter rainfall ?!?
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland.
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch. 23Diamond (pg 169 to 170) writes:
Can deforestation really alter rainfall ?!?
Yup !!!
We find that for more than 60 per cent of the tropical land surface (latitudes 30°S to 30°N), air that has
passed over extensive vegetation in the preceding few days produces at least twice as much rain as air
that has passed over little vegetation. We demonstrate that this empirical correlation is consistent with
evapo-transpiration maintaining atmospheric moisture in air that passes over extensive vegetation. We
combine these empirical relationships with current trends of Amazonian deforestation to estimate
reductions of 12 and 21 per cent in wet-season and dry-season precipitation respectively
across the Amazon basin by 2050 due to less-efficient moisture recycling.
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v489/n7415/full/nature11390.html
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland.
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch. 24Ground Water Availability: Huge Contemporary Concern
Connection to climate change?
Projected Spatial Distribution of Precipitation Changes, 2081−2100 relative to 1986−2005
Climate model projections, RCP 8.5 (aggressive growth of GHGs)
IPCC 2013
WWDD: Wet-gets-Wetter, Dry-gets-Drier
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland.
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch. 25Connection to Climate Change
WWDD: Wet-gets-Wetter, Dry-gets-Drier (WWDD) paradigm
http://www.windows2universe.org/vocals/images/HadleyCell_small.jpg
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland.
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch. 26Ground Water Availability: Huge Contemporary Concern
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/05/16/humans-are-causing-massive-changes-in-the-location-of-water-all-over-the-earth-nasa-says
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0123-1
The idea of mid-latitude drying and higher- and tropical-latitude wetting is a common feature of climate change models.
“We only have 15 years of data from GRACE, but it sure as heck matches that pattern, it matches it now,” Jay Famiglietti
said. “That’s cause for concern.”
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland.
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Closer look at the U.S.
Famiglietti and Rodell Science, 2013.
See:
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/340/6138/1300
https://jayfamiglietti.com/writing/#jp-carousel-162
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland.
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch. 28WWDD: Wet-gets-Wetter, Dry-gets-Drier (WWDD)
https://trend.pewtrusts.org/en/archive/spring-2019/a-map-of-the-future-of-water
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland.
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch. 29Widening of the Tropics
http://sphere.ssec.wisc.edu/20130715
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttYnE0XjmvM
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland.
This material may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without written permission from Ross Salawitch. 30Tuesday’s Reading
Fixed Nitrogen:
Process by which molecular nitrogen (N2) is converted into a form useful for
plant s (i.e., fertilizer), which means the N N bond most be broken
Modern world relies in Haber-Bosch reaction N2 + 3 H2 → 2 NH3
conducted in steel reactors
Cyclones:
Hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons refer to the same phenomenon, but
various names are used depending on location.
Hurricanes: Atlantic and Northeast Pacific
Typhoon: Northwest Pacific
Cyclone: South Pacific and Indian Ocean
Copyright © 2021 University of Maryland.
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