BRAINCAKEData Reliability
Climate data come from many sources, and each has limitations that affect how reliable it is.
Temperature records: early thermometers were less precise, and weather stations were concentrated in Europe and North America, with few over the oceans, polar regions or Africa. Stations may have moved, or towns may have grown around them, causing the urban heat island effect, where a built-up area is warmer than the countryside. Scientists correct for these, but corrections add uncertainty. Satellites now give global coverage.
Dendrochronology: ring width is affected by rainfall, soil, disease and competition as well as temperature, so it is not a pure temperature record. It only works where trees grow.
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More in Human Influence on Ecosystems
- Evaluating Studies
- Greenhouse Effect
- Evidence for the Global Temperature Increase
- Analysis of Ice Cores
- Methane
- Correlation or Causation
- Models of Global Warming
- Effects of Climate Change
All 29 lessons in Human Influence on Ecosystems · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics