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Climate change impacts on the natural environment
Affects of global warming
Climate change and its impact
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Recommended: Climate change impacts on the natural environment
Climate change, no matter who you ask, is either real or a factious phenomenon that has been altering our planet at an alarming rate. With temperatures rising, weather events becoming more dangerous, and ecosystems suffering climate change can be viewed as a problem that is real. One of the places that is under the climate change gun, is a delicate ecosystem in Northern Minnesota. In Northern Minnesota two of the state’s biggest ecosystems come together and create a very delicate transitional zone called the prairie-forest ecotone. In this zone the vast conifer and deciduous forests transition into tallgrass prairie, an area where climate change can have a big impact on plant and wildlife communities, disturbance regimes and forest succession. As the climate continues to change numerous species will be under the climate change gun and will continue to be negatively affected.
Currently, in Minnesota temperatures are rising at an alarming rate and predictions are calling for an increase of 1.5°C to 2°F in spring and summer temperatures as early as 2025-2035 and winter and fall temperatures are also expected to rise as much as 5°C to 8°C (Lenarz et al 2009). With the rising temperatures many species that need and depend on the cooler temperatures are beginning to suffer. The transition zone in Minnesota is an area full of a delicate mix of tree and grass communities that need specific temperatures, growing season lengths, and natural disturbances to maintain the delicate balance. To help maintain the balance of plant communities, many studies have reveled large and continued changes in the distribution and abundance of various plant taxa in response to climatic change (Umbanhowar Jr, 2004). The biggest occurrence that is happening ...
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...emperatures. In 2007 an aerial survey of moose populations showed a substantial decline because of climate change and malnutrition (Lenarz 2008). Climate change in wildlife species is a cumulative process that is changing the health of the moose that could possible lead to very serious illness or death.
Climate change is ushering in a host of changes in the plant and wildlife community along with these changes normal disturbance regimes and forest succession are shifting as well. Increased heat and decreased moisture have ushered in a new era of grasslands in the area and along with that have increased the threat of fire to the area. As more fires are seen small trees have no change to grow and remain forage for small to medium sized herbivores. But fire is not the only disturbance occurring in this area and comes in second of most concern, compared to the beetle.
The ecological effects of wildfires on Yosemite are among some its greatest benefits. Trees like Bishop Pines and Sequoias have evolved in such a way that their seeds will only open when exposed to high temperatures. The fires also help to clear out dead leaves and weeds, thereby making sunlight accessible to new plants and increasing their chances to germinate (Marder). Wildfires are so essential in areas like Yosemite that over millions of years, plants have developed strategies to be successful in this type of environment. For instance, giant sequoias have developed a thick layer of fire-resistant bark. This bark is “the main explanation for tree survival in intense fires” (Gignoux, Colbert, and Menaut). Fire makes the soil fertile and redistributes the nutrients evenly so that the next generation of trees can cover more space. The fires have helped...
Minnesota has 4 different ecosystems which are also quite diverse. Regardless of the size of the biomes or the number of biomes in each state, they are all important not just to the locate environment but on a global level because of the life they support. We are going to take a look at the different biomes, comparing climate and rainfall, as well as vegetation fauna. “Texas is 860 miles north to south and 773 miles east to west and contains 267,339 square miles with 624 miles of coastline.” (What are the Ecoregions of Texas, 1978)
A small beetle can kill a 1,000 year old tree. In recent years, the number of live whitebark pine trees has been declining dramatically. In the past, mountain pine beetle populations have erupted at times, causing widespread adverse effects on whitebark pine trees. A similar type of warming-related outbreak is occuring today. The whitebark pine tree is beneficial in many ways. In response to increased tree mortality, researchers have established some methods of restoration for the whitebark pine. Increasing temperatures due to global warming may be significantly changing the way mountain pine beetles interact with ecologically important whitebark pine trees by enabling the beetles to more
For years, we have heard of the devastating effects of global warming and how the melting of the polar ice caps will cause severe climate changes. One animal that has suffered most from global warming is the polar bear. Global warming has caused the polar bear population to decrease due to the results of having to swim longer distances, loss of habitat, and lack of mates to reproduce offspring. Global warming has caused this species to become endangered and has some attention with social media. Global warming has caused much damage to the polar bear population due to the warming of their habitat.
Climate change has been happening for many years and it continues to do so. It is a significant change in regards to the distribution of weather patterns over a given time frame such as decades or millennia. In recent times, the climate change is called “global warming” and it has been linked to certain human activities (NRC 2010). This shows that climate change is not limited to biotic factors. In a general sense, these changes have the potential to impact populations and ecosystems due to alterations in the water cycle. Climate change impacts includes too little water in some regions while too much water in other regions. Changes in precipitation patterns can influence plant physiology and thereby affect the rates of photosynthesis. Such patterns include drought in which warmer temperatures increase evaporative stress on a plant and increased rain or frequency of storms can influence water uptake by plants. Under both conditions, there is a change in photosynthetic rates. Photosynthesis allows the plant to accumulate carbon, grow and produce biomass (Niu et al. 2008). Therefore, a change in photosynthetic rates can be either beneficial or harmful to a plant. The effects of altered precipitation patterns on photosynthetic rates is significant to the scientific field because it gives insight on the shifts in plant community composition and how it affects the water availability for human and ecosystem uses (Kray et al. 2012). In addition, understanding the connection between water relations and photosynthesis with respect to changes in precipitation patterns could help with management decisions of ecosystems, where climate change indicates alterations in species composition, in water availability for wildlife and in fire regimes (L...
Shwartz, M. (2003). Effects of global warming already being felt on plants and animals worldwide. Retrieved February 18, 2011, from http://news.stanford.edu/pr/03/root18.html
Hurricanes, Tsunamis, retreating glaciers, volcanoes and cyclones. What I'm about to tell you is real and will change your life forever-so wake up and smell the roses which are now blooming in winter.
"The Consequences of Global WarmingOn Wildlife." Consequences of Global Warming. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2014. .
In recent years, climate change has been a controversial topic. Many people, including country leaders argue that the change is real and irreversible, while others claim it is a tactic to envoke fear among people. Climate change is defined as, “a change in the typical or average weather of a region or city” (nasa). Their is remarkable evidence for both sides of the debate which raises the arguable question, is climate change real? In this essay, I will explain both arguments of the topic about the controversy that surrounds climate change. For argumentative paper you must also develop your own position and defend your point of view on this topic. In your intro please provide a clear thesis statement.
Climate Change is any substantial change in climate that lasts for an extended period of time. One contributor to current climate change is global warming, which is an increase in Earth’s average temperature. Plants and animal species throughout the world are being affected by rising temperatures. Many plants are flowering earlier now than they once did; animals, such as the yellowbellied marmot, are emerging from hibernation earlier; and many bird and butterfly species are migrating north and breeding earlier in the spring than they did a few decades ago, all because of slight changes in temperature cues. (Shuster)
Although climate change isn’t visible from one day to the next, year to year there are many visible signs of climate change, are there is strong evidence of this due to observations and measurements all over the world. Some of the most prominent visible signs are higher temperatures, more droughts, increased extreme weather events, changing rain and snow patterns, less snowpack, melting glaciers, shrinking sea ice, thawing permafrost, increased ocean acidity, warmer oceans and rising sea levels.
Climate change is one of the major issues surfacing on Earth over the past century. The earth’s temperature has increased over the years, leading to detrimental effects on the economic and life sources of people, especially that of agricultural production and livestock. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary (2014), defined climate change as a change in global climate patterns apparent from the mid late 20th century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, (2007) predicts that by 2100 the increase in global average surface temperature may be between 1.8° C and 4.0° C. With increases of 1.5° C to 2.5° C, approximately 20 to 30 percent of plant and animal species are expected to be at risk of extinction. Moreover, the IPCC (2007) purported that climate change has severe consequences for food security in developing countries.
In many parts of the world, ecosystems’ temperatures begin to rise and fall to extreme levels making it very difficult for animals and plants to adapt in time to survive. Climate has never been stable here on Earth. Climate is an important environmental influence on ecosystems. Climate changes the impacts of climate change, and affects ecosystems in a variety of ways. For instance, warming could force species to migrate to higher latitudes or higher elevations where temperatures are more conducive to their survival. Similarly, as sea level rises, saltwater intrusion into a freshwater sys...
Our planet has managed to survive and thrive for about 4.54 billion years. In the last 2 million years we have caused enough damage and destruction to make our world “broken” beyond repair. We will not be able to get back the world we once had. The reason behind this is global warming, specifically, the increase of the global temperature due to the burning of fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gas emissions into our atmosphere. If we do not make the issue of global warming a priority in today`s society, our entire way of life will be at risk. There are many reasons why so many people believe global warming should be a concern. Thoroughly examined points include: scientific predictions, rising temperatures, human causes, drastic climate changes and animal adaptations. Though there are several points arguing how global warming should not be a concern, the reality of the matter is that it needs to be taken into consideration on a global scale before it is too late, as to do nothing would have devastating implications on humankind.
Global warming is a serious problem with two major effects which are increasing in sea level and degradation of wild lives. Increase in sea level is affecting the entire landmass of the earth. According to NASA, the polar ice cap is melting at the alarming rate of nine percent per decade. Arctic ice thickness has decreased 40 percent since the 1960s (Oskin). The amount of water is more than the land in our planet. If this global warming continues at this pace, soon there will be no ground left on earth. The terrestrial animals will be exterminated from the earth if glo...