With rapid global warming and climate change, one-fourth of the earth’s species could be headed for extinction by 2050 (Nature Conservancy, 2010). Riebeek (2010) explains that global warming is the rapid increase in the earth’s average surface temperature over the past century and is primarily due to the increase in greenhouse gases within the earth’s atmosphere. This current cycle of global warming is changing the rhythms of the climate that all living things have come to rely upon. Currently, these changes are having the most visible and significant impacts to the Polar Regions. Marine and terrestrial fauna at the earth’s polar regions are negatively impacted by global climate change due to the increase in temperatures most of which are now listed as endangered species due to the destruction of their habitat and alteration of their food web.
The earth’s polar regions are the ice-covered areas located at the northern and southern ends of the globe known as the Arctic and Antarctica respectively. Life in these regions are incredibly difficult thus there are few and specific species living there. The north pole; the Arctic is affected most by the increasing temperatures as it has been proven to be heating up twice as fast as the rest of the world. This heat is therefore resulting in the melting of the ice. The Arctic region is home to the polar bears. They roam this frozen continent and feed on seals and walruses as they come up for air from holes they make in the ice. Polar bears are one of nature’s ultimate survivors as they are able to live and thrive in one of the world’s harshest environments. However, their homes are melting, added to that fact that the Arctic now experiences longer periods of summer in which more ice is bein...
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...e forms in the Antarctic would disappear. Unfortunately, as the ice melts, so does their food. This is causing a great cascading effect as Krill populations are reducing but are in high demand as penguins feed on them. It is also a crucial part of the diet of the blue whales. Without this important source in abundance, they are all forced to eat less as there is great competition for this limited resource. Thus, they are unable to produce the required nutrients for their young causing reproduction rates to decline.
Global warming and its resultant climate changes are slowly destroying the earth’s polar regions and everything that depends on it. These regions are home to various animals which are endemic to these places but, they are now struggling to survive and adapt to the changes occurring in their environments, while some may survive, others may become extinct.
The Arctic region is home to a variety of valuable animals and plants, including polar bear, seal, and so on. The ecosystem of the Arctic region is fragile because these animals are evolved to live in extreme conditions. With the climate change, many animals are endangered. Ice is the habitat of polar animals because they have to rely on sea ices for resting, food, and reproduction. With the climate change and the decrease of sea ice, the number of polar animals is decreasing and their health is threatened. For example, the average weight of female polar bears in 1980 was about 650 pounds, but the number reduced to about 500 pounds in 2004 (Djoghlaf 15). The earlier breakup and later condensation of sea ice shortens the hunting season of polar bears. Polar bears mainly feed on seals that indwell icy land. The melting ice reduces the number of seals and food intake of polar bears. In addition, polar bears are used to living in ice caves. The rising temperature causes the collapse of ice caves, which can kill baby bears. The climate change is negatively affecting the biodiversity in the region and will definitely harm the ecosystem
The reduction if sea-ice coverage is likely to effect krill population (Meade, et al., 2015). The reduction in the duration of sea-ice coverage will allow greater opportunity for humans to exploit the Antarctic ecosystem. Extended periods of ice-free water allow the temporal and spatial expansion of krill fisheries. This leads to increased krill catch, which means a reduction in the number of krill for leopard seals (Meade, et al.,
* Polar bears are members of the bear family Ursidae. They are a carnivorous bear which can be found throughout the Arctic region where they rely on sea ice to sustain their hunting activities. Canada hosts approximately 60% of the polar bear population. Other areas inhabited by polar bears include Alas...
Out of an Ice Age emerged one of our most majestic creatures in the world the polar bear. From its brown bear ancestry, the predator evolved to be a master of a harsh and unwelcoming ice kingdom. Intelligent, adaptable and fierce, the polar bear learned how to survive in a place that offers few comforts to any creature. But now that very environment is in flux. And so is the polar bear’s fate (Nature). Polar Bears are very different from other bears. Polar bears are very large bears compared to Black bears. Polar bears weigh anywhere between 330-1700lbs and Black bears weigh anywhere between 150-600lbs. They have strong legs with large, flattened feet with some webbing between their toes that help with walking on ice and swimming. The wide paws prevent sea ice from breaking by distributing weight while walking. Their paws allow them to pull a 600 pound seal out of its breathing hole (Rosing, 20). The webbed feet results in making polar bears, unlike other bear species to be considered as marine mammals along with seals, sea lions, walruses, whales and dolphins (Polar Bear). According to Rosing Polar bears are excellent swimmers and have been known to swim up to six miles an hour and as far as 60 miles at a stretch. The bears paddle with their front feet and steer with their back feet. They often overheat. Sometimes they venture into the waters just to cool off. When a bear climbs on an ice floe, it shakes itself off because it is trying to prevent ice from forming on its fur (22-23). Because of climate change and hunting of polar bears are now becoming an endangered species which is affecting the food chain. We can fix this by going green, banning polar bear hunting and keep creating these new hybrid bears that are mixed with griz...
Polar bears adaptation is thick fur (thicker than any other bears’), they have a thick layer of blubber beneath their fur that provides insulation, and their long neck and narrow skull aids the animal in the water while warming the air that they breath. Also, their front feet are large, flat, and oar like, making them excellent swimmers. They feed primarily on the fat of ice-dependent seals. They also eat walrus, beluga, fish, birds, and many other small animals. Two percent of their hunts for seals are actually successful. Another interesting fact is
To begin with, the melting of polar ice caps has caused polar bears to swim long distances. According to Bryan Walsh of TIME Magazine the melting of the ice caps have caused polar bears especially the young cubs to swim longer distances which has caused a “ forty-five percent mortality rate” (Walsh). In the article Walsh, writes about a study that showed that younger cubs because of low fat and strength were more likely to die due to the long di...
Polar bears don't just live on ice, they use the ice as an advantage to catch prey such as seals. Polar bears have adapted to living on ice and being able to withstand the cold weather. Now that the climate is changing at a fast pace, polar bears are losing their land because its melting, leaving them with no place to walk, sleep and taking away their way of hunting prey. (polar bears international, 2015) This is all happening so fast that there is no way polar bears will be able to adapt to the new environments, causing extinction. The arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world is due to the build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, making it a problem happening very rapidly. (Bagley, 2015) Temperatures in the Arctic region have risen 7 degrees Fahrenheit over the last half century. (Bagley, 2015) Population among polar bears has decreased up to 40% in some areas. (Bagley, 2015) With the climate getting warmer, ice is melting earlier every spring, and takes longer to freeze every winter which is disrupting the feeding and breeding cycles of many different arctic species. (Bagley, 2015) Polar bears have adapted ways to survive in the cold harsh arctic environment including having the ability to cool down their outer skin to keep their vital organs warm when they are submerged in cold water. Though this may help the delay of hypothermia as they have to swim greater distances from ice shelf to ice shelf, that doesn't mean polar bears can swim forever. (Bagley, 2015) One bear that a scientist studied swam 500 miles over nine days, but lost 22% of her body weight, and lost her cub.(Bagley, 2015) Many different scientists have been studying the behaviour of the polar bear to see if it could adapt in any way to survive. Eight U.S scientists made a hypothesis consisting that polar bears could lower their metabolic rates enough to survive as food
Various glaciers in Alaska and other parts of the United States have shrunk dramatically. If temperatures continue to rise, the ice will continue to melt, and some glaciers could disappear completely, which causes sea levels to rise. There are many animals, birds, and seafood that depend solely on glaciers for survival. With an increase in sea water temperature, and increasing sea levels, sea-plants that these fish thrive on will be lost, lowering the number of seafood, which in-turn will make survival of many species difficult. The arctic is source region for cold ocean currents and with no ice it will have no density and temperature distinctions, which pushes the ocean currents. If the ocean current heat transfer mechanism powers down,
Global warming is one of the most serious problems that people all over the world are dealing with. In fact, however, many people may not realize that global warming also affects animals as badly as it does to human. All Americans should help protect animals from global warming because global warming changes animals’ habitats, decreases food supplies of animals, and even shortens animals’ lifespan.
"The Consequences of Global WarmingOn Wildlife." Consequences of Global Warming. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2014. .
As the following report demonstrates, some species are adapting to climate changes while many others are not. In some cases, laboratory experiments have lead to the conclusion that certain species can or cannot adapt and evolve. This research is not sufficient to make definitive statements regarding what will happen to species if temperatures and sea levels continue to rise.
Polar bears also prey on young walrus’s. The remains of whale, seal, and walrus are also important sources of food for polar bears. In fact, because of their acute sense of smell, polar bears can sense animal remains from far away.
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...
The polar regions are most affected and vulnerable to the warming temperatures because the poles are covered in ice. The world’s ice sheets are melting faster than ever and temperatures in the Arctic region are rising twice as fast as anywhere else on Earth according to the NRDC. This will have a serious impact on people, wildlife and plants in that region. The National Climate Assessment has said that “By the year 2100, it 's estimated our oceans will be one to four feet higher, threatening coastal systems and low-lying areas, including entire island nations and the world 's largest cities, including New York, Los Angeles, and Miami as well as Mumbai, Sydney, and Rio de Janeiro”. Polar bears are in great threat as the ice sheets melt because they use the ice to travel across the land and hunt. As the sea-ice platforms move further apart, the swimming conditions become more dangerous. The U.S Geological Survey done by the National Wildlife Federation predicts that by the year 2050, two thirds of all polar bears will disappear. Researcher Bill Fraser has tracked the Adelie penguins in Antarctica and reported the numbers have fallen from 32,000 to only 11,000 over the last 30
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...