What does global warming effect?
(Coral Bleaching)
OceanThe different ways that global warming can effect the ocean is by temperature, pH, and volume.
The temperature is changed due to the greenhouse effect warming the waters causing coral bleaching (pictured above) leaving all that survive on the reef to die or migrate to a different reef. Causing invasive species to enter and possibly disrupt that ecosystem. The pH is decreasing because of the excess carbon dioxide in the oceans making it more acidic. Affecting many marine organisms that are sensitive to the pH of the water. The increasing water levels are mostly caused by the melting of land ice, not glacier ice. This is because of the displacement of the glaciers in the Arctic are equal to what they will be melting at, compared to when you add more water from another area not in the water in the first place. Its kind of like if you were so sit in a bath tub and fill up the tub, compared to being outside the tub filling it up with water. When you are in the tub you know when to stop before you overfill the tub, but when you are out of the tub you don't completely know when to stop because if you fill it up too much your body will displace the water, overflowing the tub. You being in the tub is like a glacier in the ocean, while you getting into the tub after it is filled is like land ice coming into the ocean. |
(Global Warming. Are We in Danger?)
HumansGlobal warming can effect many people along the coast lines and will have to relocate due to slowly rising water levels. If they are not able to they will be faced with salt water intrusion and flooding.
Also it could affect human health. The warm atmosphere welcomes diseases to travel more easily. Like mosquito that like the warm wet air, carry malaria and West Nile that can spread geographically. People more effected by heat waves are the young and old. They are more susceptible because they are not fully developed or they have a low immune system. With the seasons being effected, there will be economic changes. With longer summers and shorter winters, there will be less snow in the northern areas. Losing tourism in ski resorts and loges. Also with the increase droughts it affects the agricultural world. With most of the crops in low supply and in high demand causing prices to increase in time of droughts and flood. |
(Climate Impacts on Ecosystems)
Polar Ice CapsThe ice caps have decreased in size and are continuing to do so. As waters are no longer accumulated with ice there will be new shipping lanes which would increase the amount of fossil fuels used for boat transportation. Also this would continue due to the fact that there is extreme amounts of undiscovered oil and natural gas under the polar ice caps.
When most of the animals in the arctic rely off of the ice for hunting, transportation and food. The food chain is being disrupted by the loss of ice in the arctic. The loss of ice causes a decline in the ice algae, that are eaten by the zooplankton,which are then eaten by arctic Cod. The Cod is then eaten by marine animals. Seals which eat the cod are eaten by the Polar Bears. (seen above) The food chain is a very delicate cycle, and with one change from one food source can effect all of them. |