Coastal Wetlands Essay

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Recommended: A note on rise in sea level and its effect

Sea Level Rise and Coastal Wetlands
INTRO
RISING SEA LEVEL AND ITS MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS/COASTAL WETLANDS BEING MOST VULNERABLE AND THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES AND IMPACTS (2 PAGES)
The Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) has concluded that sea-level will continue to rise globally until the 21st century and beyond, due to changes of climate brought on by greenhouse gas emissions (Church et al., 2001). This trend in global sea-level rise will have profound effects on our coastal populations and ecosystems. Coastal wetlands are particularly vulnerable to rising sea-level because .
HABITAT ITSELF & ITS BENEFITS TO HUMANS AND WILDLIFE (1.5 PAGES)
Coastal wetlands are found in just about every country of the world and are of great value to society. In the United States in particular, 40 percent of our wetlands are coastal wetlands and just over 80 percent of those coastal wetlands are found in the Southeast (NOAA). Coastal wetlands can take on several different forms, including the salt marshes that line our bays, freshwater marshes, mangrove swamps, hardwood swamps, and seagrass beds (NOAA). Humans are connected to coastal wetlands in more ways than they may or may not know. Coastal wetlands are greatly responsible for the various seafood we indulge in every year. These wetlands provide the perfect habitat for the reproduction and feeding of many wildlife, including lobster, shrimp, crabs, oysters, and many types of fish including salmon and bass (NOAA). Natural gas and oil production are also connected to our coastal wetlands. Eighteen percent of oil production and nearly 24 percent of natural gas production in the U.S. originates in, travels through, or is processed in Louisiana coastal wetlands (NOAA). If you enjoy b...

... middle of paper ...

... to accommodate the coastal wetlands, they will likely be threatened by local extinction, along with the services they provide to humans and wildlife (Wetlands are being wedged).

WHERE WE ARE NOW AND FUTURE PROJECTIONS (2 PAGES)
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF COASTAL WETLANDS ARE IN DANGER/AT SEVERE RISK?
WHICH REGIONS ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE?
WHAT KIND OF STATISTICS AND PREDICTIONS ARE THERE FOR THE FUTURE?

CONSERVATION ATTEMPTS (1.5 PAGES)
WHAT ACTIONS ARE BEING TAKEN TO SAVE OUR WETLANDS?
HOW SUCCESSFUL ARE THESE ATTEMPTS PROJECTED TO BE?
HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT THESE CONSERVATION ATTEMPTS WILL PROLONG THE LIVES OF OUR COASTAL WELANDS?

CONCLUSION (1 PAGE)
OVERVIEW AND PERSONAL OPINION OF THE MATTER. REITERATE IMPORTANCE OF BEING KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT FURTHER LOSS OF OUR WETLANDS AND OTHER ECOSYSTEMS ALIKE

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