TPO 27 Integrated Task

Both the passage and the lecture talk about reasons that caused the Little Ice Age. the writer presents three reasons that might have contributed to the Little Ice Age. But the professor disagrees and says that reasons mentioned by the writer are out of date.

First, the writer claims that disruption of the Gulf Stream by some cold freshwater may have caused this phenomenon. However, the professor rejects this claim. He says scientists now know that disruption of the Gulf Stream can only has an effect in North America region. but according to them, there were signs of the Little ice Age in southern parts of earth as well. Hence, disruption of the Gulf Stream couldn't have caused the Little Ice Age.

Secondly, the writer asserts that another factor that might have contributed to this phenomenon is volcanic eruptions which resulted in blocking sunlight from reaching earth. but again, the professor rejects this reason. even though He agrees that volcanic eruptions can do this if they were strong enough, He explains that if this was the case, Then, there must have been some recordings or documents by people lived in that era about the eruptions like colorful sunlight. but there are no such documents. Thus, the eruptions were not strong enough to bring the Little Ice Age.

Last but not least, the writer points out that a decrease in human populations might have caused the Little Ice Age which resulted to growing forests that absorbs carbon dioxide. but again, the professor disagrees. He asserts that human population recovered fast and there was not enough time for forests to do this.