“If the Earth keeps getting warmer, up to one–fourth of all animals on Earth could become extinct within 100 years” (Global Climate Change). Climate change can be caused by humans or by natural causes. Humans can cause climate change by emitting aerosol pollution into the atmosphere and by burning fossil fuels. Over the years humans have become incredibly selfish and have not been taking care of the Earth like they should be doing. Because of this the temperature of the Earth has been rising and many animals have been getting affected by this. Climate change is affecting the animals around the world drastically.
Climate change has been affecting many animal habitats. Coral reefs contain microscopic algae called zooxanthellae this algae provides
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When the coral reefs get stressed they expel the zooxanthellae, they then turn white or “bleach”. If the zooxanthellae doesn’t return back to the coral reef’s tissue to coral will die. Climate change is not only affecting the ocean animals it’s also affecting land animals. Because of the rising temperature change the arctic sea ice would melt. Polar bears depend on the arctic sea ice. They usually catch their prey by the edge of the arctic sea ice. Without the ice they wouldn't be able to get their food. If the arctic sea ice disappears the polar bears will disappear with it. (Climate Change Causes Habitat Loss and Species Extinction). Higher temperatures have been reducing the availability of plants that the mountain gorillas eat. Because the plants are not used to the temperature. (Gorillas …show more content…
Animals may respond quickly to temperature changes and migrate. Boreal forests are invading tundra reducing habitat for the unique species that depend on the tundra ecosystem like the caribou, arctic foxes, and snowy owls. “As rivers and streams warm, warmwater fish are expanding into areas previously inhabited by coldwater species. As waters warm, coldwater fish, including many highly-valued trout and salmon species, are losing their habitat, with projections of 47% habitat loss by 2080.” (Climate Impacts on Ecosystems). As the temperature increases. Habitats of many North American species are moving north to higher elevations. Both land and aquatic environment animals have been moving to higher elevations at a rate of 36 feet. High temperature can damage the amount of vegetation in a region, the primary food for mountain gorillas. Some plants may stop growing in some areas or they will start growing in higher altitudes where the mountain gorillas will not be able to reach them. At higher temperatures the plants have more fibers and less digestible proteins. This then will cause the gorillas to change their whole habitat all together. (Gorillas and Global
It is an unquestioned fact that the climate is changing. There is abundant evidence that the world is becoming warmer and warmer. The temperature of the global land average temperature has increased by about 8.5 degrees centigrade from 1880 to 2012 (Karr, et al 406). The one or two degrees increase in temperature can cause dramatic and serious consequences to the earth as well as humans. More extreme weather occurs, such as heat waves and droughts. The Arctic Region is especially sensitive to global climate change. According to the data in recent decades, the temperature in the Arctic has increased by more than 2 degrees centigrade in the recent half century (Przybylak 316). Climate change has led to a series of environmental and ecological negative
Climate change has been affecting coral reefs in a negative way. If the climate continues to get warmer more of our coral reef become bleached, the structure of the reefs will become weak, and algae that keeps coral healthy will die. In the essay, “A framework for understanding Climate change impacts on Coral Reefs” by Joshua Clinner (2016), he emphasizes our climate change has become one of the long-term threats to coral reef. The article “Climate change and human impacts are damaging the world’s coral reefs”, which didn’t include an author (2001), states that the sea temperatures throughout the tropics has increased dramatically leaving much of the coral unhealthy. Spencer Hall (2008), discussed in his article “Coral Reefs and Climate Change”, how the increase in climate change puts a lot of stress on coral reefs because they are very sensitive to the change of temperature. Rigel B (2003) states in his essay, “Climate Change and Coral Reefs”, that coral reef has already been negatively impacted by
Leading scientists advise climate change will cause increases to the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Rising sea levels pose a significant risk to coastal communities, while the world’s oceans could become too acidic to support coral reefs and other calcifying marine organisms. Coral reefs contain only six per cent of the area of the Great Barrier Reef, yet they provide critical habitat and food for numerous species in the ecosystem. However, climate change has already impacted coral reefs in the Great Barrier Reef as corals are very helpless against its potential impacts. Eight mass coral bleaching events has occurred since 1979, triggered by unusually high water temperatures. And because of this, zooxanthellae (photosynthetic algae) leave their tissues and corals will have no more colours hence ‘bleaching’. Without the zooxanthellae, the corals that remain gradually starve to death. Once the coral dies, fish and a multitude of other marine species are soon affected. Rising sea levels and more frequent and intense storm surges will see more erosion of Australia’s coastline, causing community and residential
A. Global Warming kills Great Barrier Reef coral. http://www.usyd.edu.au/su/exterel/news/981008News/8.10.coral.html. Coral bleaching http://www.uvi.edu/coral.reefer/bleach.htm Coral Reef http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg=2&ti=050FE000 Coral reefs in peril worldwide. http://usatoday.com/life/science/environ/lse011.htm Coral'stress' worsening, expert says.
...ld. Globally, more intense hurricanes and downpours could cause billions of dollars in damage to property and infrastructure. Declining crop yields due to prolonged drought and high temperatures, especially in Africa, could put hundreds of thousands of people at risk for starvation. The Ski resorts located in the lower altitudes of the Swiss Alps have difficulty obtaining bank loans because of declining snow.
Species are decreasing and becoming extinct over time due to climate warming. Animals and plants have developed and diversified from earlier forms to become more complex organisms. Not only have living organisms changed, but so has the Earth. Over time, the world itself has changed drastically, not just the climate but the way it looks as well. The ice on the arctic is melting, causing oceans to become more acidic, oceans became deserts and pollution from our everyday lives are affecting the ozone. It all adds up and changes the world negatively. When the world changes, so do the animals within it. Climate warming has been a big part of the change we see in the population of different species. The speed of climate change is excelling, which
Now that corals have been briefly described we can see why the effects of climate change damage coral reef systems. Ocean acidification is one result of climate change. Acidification is caused by an increase of carbon dioxide in our oceans and leads to a decrease in the pH levels of seawaters. This pH decrease reduces the ability of corals to make their hard skeletons. Rates of coral calcification on the Great Barrier Reef and many other reef systems around the world have declined by 15-20% since 1990 due to increasing thermal stress (De’ath 2012). It has already been mentioned that the oceans are absorbing almost all of the excess heat from climate change. This effects coral reef systems in what is known as coral bleaching. The term bleaching refers to the loss of corals’ colors. A coral’s color is the result of the zooxanthellae present. When water becomes too warm the
One huge impact of global warming is the change in animals’ habitats. When the earth’s temperature is increasing, it creates the change of weather conditions in a certain area, which causes some kinds of animals in this area to live with many difficulties, or sometimes those kinds of animals are forced to move to new region when they cannot handle the difficulties. The arctic fox is an example for this situation. According to the article “How Does Global Warming Affect Wildlife,” arctic foxes prefer to live in the cooler environment while their habitat is getting warmer and warmer due to global warming, so arctic foxes have to leave their own home to seek a more suitable area (National W...
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.
The leading natural cause of destruction among the coral reefs is global warming. Global warming causes the bleaching of coral reefs to occur. Bleaching is a response to stress by the coral reef that happens when the water becomes to warm. The coral then put out a brownish zooxanthelle which causes them to lose their color. Without the zooxanthelle, the corals cannot provide nourishment for itself and th...
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)
There are numerous factors that are solely responsible for this change, which are both natural and man-made. Climate change has led to a decrease in quality and quantity of plant produce and livestock because of heat stress, drought and an increase in plant and animal diseases. According to Health and Safety Executive (HSE), (n.d), heat stress is a component of climate change “that causes the body temperature to fail”, and is a global problem which affects agriculture and livestock. The effect of heat stress on livestock’s has become greater for animals such as dairy cows and beef cattle. When animals are in distress due to temperature rise, they usually cut back on their feeding practices; have a rise in body temperature and face weight loss.
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...
Even if the reason of climate change may be the natural cycles, we humans are the major determinant to it. The huge amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is causing the climate change and this amount is rising day by day, as a result of our actions. Greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, generally absorb and emit the heat in the atmosphere to keep the Earth’s climate habitable. However, as we continue to burn fossil fuels, this habitable Earth’s temperature will blow up, and as a result, some species will die out due to various problems which are caused by climate change. According to EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), the most obvious consequence of climate change is the rising sea levels, which will cause some seashore habitats to become unavailable to live to its species.
Increases in temperature can decrease the efficiency of photosynthesis; however the extent of this impact may be determine on the species' dependency on light.