Minnesota's Changing Environment

Land of Changing Environments Climate change has been debated around the world, and multiple sources are being blamed for global warming. While many people are trying to discover the causes of global warming, the effects of climate change are already impacting environments locally. Minnesota contains many environments and species which are being affected by the changing climate. “From 1895 to 1970, Minnesota's average temperature rose about one tenth of a degree every decade. But since then it has risen more rapidly, about half a degree every decade” ("Climate Change"). The exact causes of climate change are not known; however, the effects of rising temperatures in Minnesota are already influencing the environment. Rising temperatures due

The once bountiful North American Moose population in Minnesota is diminishing due to climate change. Because the warming environment is hard on the large animal, moose are moving North and out of Minnesota. The moose that are staying in Minnesota are dying rapidly. “In a recent study of moose at the southern edge of their range in northwest Minnesota, researchers found that over the past 40 years, declines in population growth are related to increases in mean summer temperature with winter and summer temperatures increasing by an average of 12 and 4 degrees F (6.8 and 2.1 degrees C), respectively over this period” ("Global Warming"). The increasing temperatures are not only too warm for moose, but the temperatures are welcoming to parasites such as deer ticks that live on moose. “Increased exposure to deer parasites associated with warmer summer temperatures appear to be the primary cause of their decline” ("Global Warming"). Large infestations, which can reach as many as 50,000 bugs on a single animal, can kill a moose (Walsh). Global warming is causing longer summers, allowing ticks to spread their diseases to moose who, as a result, die. The decline of moose in Minnesota is a sad situation. The large moose, on average about 990 pounds, are already rare in Minnesota; no moose hunting will be allowed in 2015 (Walsh). To hunters who have dreamt of moose hunting, they will have to find somewhere other than Minnesota because of rising temperatures. Maybe avid moose hunters in Minnesota can turn to turkey hunting