Climate Change and Ecosystems

Effects of Climate Change

Already many effects of global warming are being seen. As Earth has warmed sea ice has melted. This has raised the level of water in the oceans (See image below).

The overall trend in sea level since 1870; it has risen about 9 inches.

The extent of Arctic sea ice in summer has been decreasing rapidly. The ice pictured is the sea ice minimum in 2011 (See below ). The line that traces outside the pictured ice is the median minimum ice for 1979–2000. Notice how much smaller the ice coverage was in 2011 compared to the normal 1979-2000 average.

The sea ice minimum for 2011 was the second lowest on record.[Figure8] 

For more information about global climate change, visit NASA’s Climate Change website. http://climate.nasa.gov/  Click on “Facts” in the upper right corner for data on evidence, causes, effects, and scientific consensus related to global climate change. 

How has global warming affected Earth and its life? Some of its effects include:

  • Decline in cold-adapted species such as polar bears.
  • Melting of glaciers and rising sea levels.
  • Coastal flooding and shoreline erosion.
  • Heat-related human health problems.
  • More droughts and water shortages.
  • Changing patterns of precipitation.
  • Increasing severity of storms.
  • Major crop losses.

This video discusses some of the consequences from changes in ecosystems:

 

http://www.ck12.org/biology/Global-Climate-Change/lesson/Global-Climate-Change/r25/
CC-BY-NC https://www.ck12.org/user%3Adxrhac1vzxitzg9llnbhcnruzxjay2sxmi5vcmc./book/8th-Grade-Science-for-UT-SEEd-Standards/section/5.4/