A Loss of more than just Agriculture

           Robin McKie, a science editor for the Observer, part of the Guardian, recently released an article entitled 'Climate Change 'will make hundred of millions homeless'' informing us of the carbon dioxide levels indicating a rise in temperatures leading to continental agricultural failure.  He tells us that millions will eventually be displaced from their current homes as an effect of global warming and climate change.  Temperatures are likely to rise up at 5 degrees Celsius which will cause a disruption in normal weather patterns including precipitation and drought.  There has been news of carbon dioxide levels reaching an astonishing 400 parts per million (ppm) with rates rising since the 1960's, now at 2.1 ppm/year.  Eventually these rising carbon dioxide emissions will create a feedback loop of rising temperatures to melting ice to loosing coastal lands and so on and so forth.  Changes need to happen and they need to happen soon.

The article can be found here: The Guardian | The Observer




McKie, Robin. " Climate change 'will make hundreds of millions homeless' | Environment | The Observer ." Latest US news, world news, sport and comment from the Guardian | guardiannews.com | The Guardian . N.p., 11 May 2013. Web. 12 May 2013. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/may/12/climate-change-expert-stern-displacement>.

Wildlife Conservation Society

"The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth."

(WCS; Mission Statement)

         The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is an organization that was founded back in 1895 with a missions to save not only wildlife but the 'wild' places that they live in and call home.  They protect animal species all over the world and work against things such as climate change, wildlife and human health, natural resource exploitation  and sustainable development.  They recognize that climate change and global warming threatens both terrestrial and marine habitats in a multitude of ways.  In terms of climate change they have projects and looks at home it effects landscapes, wildlife, and conservation as well as carbon markets.


WCS. "Wildlife Conservation Society."Wildlife Conservation Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 May 2013. <www.wcs.org/>.

Personal Actions for the Future

           Along with the assignment for an immediate action plan during the semester, we were also supposed to come up with different things we could do throughout the years to combat climate change.  There are a few things that I looked into working on as time goes on.

Carpooling

         It may not seem like much but I try to carpool, and get other people to carpool, as often as possible.  I don’t drive so I usually have to find rides and end up figuring out a way for everyone to get to wherever we are going the easiest possibly way.  I think carpooling really helps with the reduction of greenhouse gases from cars, especially with the amount of driving that is done by everyone these days, whether it be for work or for fun.  I’ve been able to implement this at school too.

 

Beekeeping

          My dad has been beekeeping for a couple years now and I usually try and help him by going with him to pick up packages of bees, painting hives, and sometimes helping him check on the hives.  I’m not a huge fan of bees so helping him actually go in the hive makes me nervous and is not something I’m a huge fan of, but I’m hoping that once I’m out of school I’ll possibly be able to help him more with other processes like spinning and bottling the honey from the season.

Volunteering

          I’ve done some volunteering for different groups throughout the years and I think it would be nice to keep it up.  I’ll have to keep my eyes open for days that things like that are happening for cleanups around the town and surrounding towns.  Other things I could try and participate in could be Arbor Day or Earth Day.  Doing these activities I think will really help the communities to look better and clean up as well as make me feel like I’m doing a bigger part in the world.  I think that these will also give me a chance to be outside more and possibly make new friends and relationships with people.

Composting & Chickens

          Composting would be a way to greatly reduce the amount of waste that I would be potentially sending to the landfills.  I don’t think that it would be smelly, and if it was I’m sure I could figure out a place to put it where it wouldn’t smell.  Plus it would be a great source of fertilizer for the people I know who plant.  Chickens would also be a way to reduce my carbon footprint because I wouldn't be buying eggs that would otherwise have traveled possibly across country in large vans.  They would be fresh, free range chickens without any hormones in them, and they aren't very hard animals to take care of.  I have an aunt and uncle who do composting as well as have chickens and they never seem to have a problem other than the occasional hawk attack on their birds.  

Solar Panels

          My old house had a couple solar panels on the garage and supposedly helped to keep some prices down on our bills.  I think the solar panels would be a great thing to have and would definitely help in the long run.  The only real issues that I think would come with this would be the cost, or initial investment, of them and actually having a place where I could put them in.

Animal Endangerments may lead to Extinction pt. 2

As we know different species of animals have different requirements in terms of food source and habitat.  As Earth's average global temperatures increase so do the various climates throughout the different regions of the world.  Scientists say that global warming is likely to be a part of major and mass extinctions of animal species in the future. 
This won't be just for land species, but for marine species as well

       Polar Bears are probably one of the most well known animals that is being effected by global warming. They are more or less seen as the 'poster child' of many campaigns.  Because of global warming and climate change though there are a few reasons that the polar bear is so greatly affected.  For one the loss of sea ice leaves them with less land for breeding grounds as well as overall habitat.  This loss of habitat causes them to have not only less breeding grounds, but fewer areas for resting as well as for hunting.  But that isn't it, there is also a reduction in their food sources as well.  The abundance of seals within the areas is reducing as well.


       Right whales are also affected by climate change.  There are fewer than 500 right whales around the world today.  Back in the day people almost hunted whales to extinction but now they are under threat due to another kind of human attack.  Due to changes in sea water temperatures these large creatures are losing their main food source, Calanus finmarchicus, otherwise known as zooplankton.  Without this food source in abundance the whales aren't able to bulk up and be able to provide for their young as they should.  


       Seals, such as the Harp Seals and Ringed Seals, are suffering from a loss of sea ice that is no longer there for resting on while they search for fish and other food staples.  The underlying fact that climate change is effecting the animals that are part of the bottom of the food chain and ultimately will lead to the whole food chain being disrupted.



       Fish, such as cod, as well as lobsters are influenced by climate change because of the rising temperatures.  Most fish have specific requirements for their living and breading habitats.  It can also affect their growth as well.  Lobsters are affected by the rising sea temperatures more so than some other animals because they are coldblooded.  Because of this they require more energy to keep warm and it also depicts where the lobsters will live.  With a decline in fish and lobster many local fisheries and other economic areas will be affected.  


       Sea turtles are affected in multiple ways by climate change and global warming.  As the temperatures rise the nesting areas of the turtles are changing and becoming warmer.  As the temperatures warm there is less of a chance for a mix of male and female turtles as their gender is
 decided while in the egg by temperature.  Rising temperatures in water are also affecting the feeding grounds that the turtles utilize.  Aside from the rising temperatures the rising sea levels are causing there to be less area for nesting sites by the female turtles.  This causes them to be more at risk from human encroachment as well as them and their young being prayed on by other animals.




       Penguins are in a similar boat as the sea turtles.  While some penguin species though are suffering from loss of habitat and nesting grounds other penguin specie populations, such as the Adelie Penguin, are gaining nesting grounds due to the loss of sea ice.
       



NEAQ. "Climate change: the effects on ocean animals." New England Aquarium Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 May 2013. 

Animal Endangerments may lead to Extinction

As we know different species of animals have different requirements in terms of food source and habitat.  As Earth's average global temperatures increase so do the various climates throughout the different regions of the world.  Scientists say that global warming is likely to be a part of major and mass extinctions of animal species in the future. 

     Giant Pandas in China are dependent on bamboo, which is their diet.  Bamboo though on grows under specific conditions which if compromised by climate change would cause dire consequences for giant panda populations.



     Orangutans are being affected by loss of habitat as well.  As the temperatures warm the areas that they live in are become more prone to droughts and brush fires.  There is also a lot of logging that is going on by larger companies causing further habitat loss.


      Many frog species are being affected by the loss in rainfall in their habitats.  They require water in order to reproduce and the dryer conditions inhibit this from happening.  Warmer temperatures also cause the pools that tadpoles and eggs are left in dry up causing them to die, as well as adult frogs that lose they internal water through their skin in the higher temperatures.

      Tigers, not only under attack from poachers are at risk of losing the habitats to rising sea levels.  Their prey populations are also going down in numbers making it harder for them to find food.

In Africa elephants are losing their habitat by the encroachment of people.  Because of this they are losing places to move to as their habitats change, leaving them no where to move to.  There are also longer dry periods throughout Africa causing them more problems.




WWF. "WWF - Species threatened by climate change." World Wide Fund - WWF. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 May 2013. <http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/aboutcc/problems/impacts/species/>.

Wildlife Health

     The USGS National Wildlife Health Center has a fact sheet, as a pdf, online that talks about how wildlife is effected both directly and indirectly through climate change.  Such parasites like the black-legged tick have been able to expand northward throughout the years as global warming has shortened winters and lessened

the amount of die back of the parasites than previous  years.  There may also be a change in the transmission of mosquito-borne avian malaria in places like Hawaii, which may further threaten already endangered bird species.  The changing in warming through
out areas will also allow such pests as mosquitoes to not only live longer throughout the year but also be able have a large area to inhabit, such as higher up in mountain ranges because they will no longer be as cold.  A change in precipitation can also cause wildlife diseases to be more frequent or cause parasite species to have a higher population putting their hosts at a greater risk.  Such a disease would be brain worm, found in snail populations and infecting deer and moose species.  Even sea creatures such as corals will be effected through the rising sea temperatures.  This would not only effect the creatures that inhabit that area but local areas that may depend on the coral reefs for food or tourism.


USGS. "Climate Change and Wildlife Health: Direct and Indirect Effects." USGS National Wildlife Health Center. USGS, n.d. Web. 7 May 2013. <www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/fact_sheets/pdf>.

Romulus Whitaker

Romulus Whitaker is a herpetologist and a wildlife conservationist.  He founded a snake park in India back in 1972 as well as the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust Center for Herpetology.  The Madras Crocodile Bank is trying to re-establish multiple species of crocodiles that are close to extinction. In November of 2009 Whitaker gave a talk for TED about the pollution of India waterways and how they are affecting cobra in the area.

 

More information and works from Whitaker can be found at:

• TED Biography
• PBS
• Wikipedia

 

Whitaker, Romulus. "Romulus Whitaker: The real danger lurking in the water | Video on TED.com." TED: Ideas worth spreading. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://www.ted.com/talks/romulus_whitaker_the_real_danger_lurkin

Endangering the Wildlife

Section of Nat-Geo infographic depicting consequences of climate change on animals

Climate Change around the world not only will affect humans and our practices such as agriculture, but it also stresses out our natural ecosystems.  Within these ecosystems animals live and thrive in a particular manner.  If these delicate ecosystems are endangered it also puts stress on the wildlife which become more vulnerable than they may be already due to humans. 

Original Source: How We're Endangering Animals [Inforgraphic]
 
Howard, Brian Clark. "How We’re Endangering Animals [Infographic] – News Watch." News Watch - National Geographic News Blog. National Geographic, 16 Apr. 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/04/16/how-were-endangering-animals-infographic/>.

Endangering Wolverines

       The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to protect the wolverine under the Endangered Species Act.  This proposition for listing them as endangered is due to the loss of their wintery habitat in the Rocky Mountains.  This habitat loss is linked to climate change, which is predicting the fragmentation and reduction of the area in coming years.  Wolverines primarily live in the high mountains at the tree-line.  This area is cold all year round and has snow generally until the month of May.
       Within the lower 48 states there are an estimated 300 wolverines.  Much of their population was wiped out in the early 20th century due to poisoning and trapping.  They can have a wide home range and be found as far as the Canadian Rockies.  They have also been documented killing animals multiple times their size.

Other animals have been listed as threatened species due climate change such as corals and polar bears. Other species as well as more information about the proposed listing of wolverines can be found here,  NY Times


Source: Wolverines May Be Listed as Endangered

Main, Douglas. " Wolverines May be listed As Endangered." Our Amazing Planet - Life. Our Amazing Planet, 5 Feb. 2013. Web. 7 Apr. 2013. <http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/4093-wolverines-endangered.html>.

Penguins and Climate Change

       In the past sixty years the Adélie penguin colony on Beaufort Island, in the Ross Sea south of New Zealand, has had an 84% increase of population going form 35,000 to 64,000 breeding pairs.  As the glaciers have continuously been retreating from the island that the penguins reside on there is now more land that is available for the penguins to make nests.  Another reasons suggested for the increase of population is the increase of prey availability.  On the other hand, sea ice has declined in Antarctica bringing other penguin colonies to decline in population.  
     These Adélie penguins are smaller than Emperor penguins, only between 18 and 30 inches tall, and only ten to twelve pounds in weight.  They are listed in the near-threatened category by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to the expected 'moderately rapid population decline'.  These numbers have been concluded through the effects projected of climate change from a 2012 study by IUCN.



Original Article From OurAmazingPlanet: How Climate Change May Help Penguin Colony
 Study from PLOS ONE Journal: Climate Change Winners: Receding Ice Fields Facilitate Colony Expansion and Altered Dynamics in an Adélie Penguin Metapopulation

Main, Douglas. "How Climate Change May Help Penguin Colony." Our Amazing Planet - Life. Our Amazing Planet, 5 Apr. 2013. Web. 7 Apr. 2013. <http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/4333-climate-change-adelie-penguins.html>.

Extinctions

http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2012/02/2009-morrinhosuchus-brazil.html

     This article, found on Yahoo! News, was about the massive extinctions that happened during the Triassic and Jurassic eras and how those extinctions brought upon the rise of the crocodiles and alligators that we have nowadays.
     According to the article all but one of the pseudosuchia lineage died off, due to volcanic activity or a meteor, which then diversified to live in both sea and on land.  Whilst doing research on skull characteristics details about species diversities was found.  Through analysis there was great diversity only a few million years after the extinctions took place, fanning the new crocodilelike species into their different environments of the Triassic period.  This extintion, according to Brusatte, a paleontologist at University of Edinburgh, the extinction likely had a  major effect on giving new species a change.

Ghose, Tia. "Massive Extinction Fueled Rise of Crocodiles - Yahoo! News." Yahoo! News - Latest News & Headlines. Yahoo!, 26 Mar. 2013. Web. 28 Mar. 2013. <http://news.yahoo.com/massive-extinction-fueled-rise-crocodiles-001311363.html>.

Original Source: http://www.livescience.com/28208-extinction-led-to-crocodile-explosion.html

More Reading on fossil records: http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/palaeofiles/fossilgroups/crocodylomorpha/fossilrecord.html