Effect Of Global Warming On Polar Bears

Brenda Ceja Block G: Biology May 24, 2015 The Effects of Global Warming on Polar Bears Introduction Global warming is the recent and ongoing rise of temperature on a global scale. Over the past century, the Earth's average temperature has risen 1.4°F (Carlowicz, 2010). Global warming is the effect of an excessive amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gasses trap heat from escaping back into space to keep the Earth from freezing, this is called the Greenhouse Effect. An excessive amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap too much heat, thus, causing Earth's temperature to rise.

Polar Bears Will Soon Disappear from Earth Forever Our White Snow Loving Friends is Disappearing With the ever rising global temperatures, melting ice caps, and constant warnings about global warming, it is no wonder that the animals inhabiting the artic regions around the world are now suffering a decline in their habitat as well as their livelihood. Such is the case with the Polar Bears who may soon be gone in a scant few years.

INTRODUCTION In everyday news, there is always that one article that talks about how climate changes are scary and how it is affecting all of us. Some of us read it carefully and some of us just do not care. But it is a global issue that humans need to come together and think about. Throughout the history of human evolution, many revolutions have occurred (e.g. industrial revolution). Inventions of complex technologies and industries have caused pollution through the emissions of many greenhouse gases. One of the main climate change, increasing the temperature of the environment, is global warming. An increasing greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation and rapid burning of fossil fuels are continually causing the warming of the climate. The sunlight is the main source of energy on the planet but when greenhouse gases increase in the environment, it traps the heat radiating from earth toward space, causing the global warming. This “greenhouse effect” not only affects the plants but also animals including humans. Polar bear is one of those animal species that has been affected very much from this warming of the weather. Polar bears live

There are about 100 different species of animals there, all of which are affected by climate change, but polar bears the worst. Polar bears are the most sensitive to the rapid change in climate because most of their life is spent on sea ice. With the temperatures rising in the Beringia Upland Tundra, the sea ice they thrive on is melting at a very high rate (Powell). Without this ice, the polar bears will not be able to easily move around to mate with other polar bears. They will also not be able to successful hunts on seals because the seals will see them swimming and swim away before anything bad can happen to them. If there was not a shortage of ice, the seals would not see the polar bears on the ice and they would swim closer to the surface. Another challenge the polar bears will face is that they will be eventually forced to go on to the seashore. This would be catastrophic because there would be and increase of competition for food. This could start massive stampedes that could kill polar bear cubs due to adult polar bears trampling them. As of now, there are only 26,000 wild polar bears alive. By 2050, it is predicted that two thirds of all wild polar bears will be gone. By 2100, it is predicted that polar bears will become extinct if nothing is done about global warming and climate change (Kliskey). Another animal in the Beringia Upland Tundra that is affected by climate change in

CONSEQUENCES OF THE ISSUE There are so many consequences because of global warming and humans polluting. As a result of global warming, the polar bear habitat is getting demolished. The warmer temperatures are melting the ice in the Arctic and North Pole. Polar bears are travelling miles and miles to find ice. Polar bears live, eat, and raise their cubs on Arctic ice, which is breaking up and melting at an alarming rate. Year by year, this problem will get worse and worse. Humans and factories throw away their waste in the ocean and it goes in the water the fish and animals drink. Polar bears eat fish and they are affected by this polluted water as well. Hunters kill many animals including the polar bears and it’s decreasing their population. When polar bear population decreases, other animal populations will rise and the animal chain will change. We should not let global warming take over our species and destroy the animal chain. Polar bears are one of the many animals affected and if there are too many animals affected, the whole animal chain will fall apart. Research shows that, even if steps are taken to reduce emissions now, gases already in the atmosphere will continue to heat up the earth for another 40 to 50 years. Scientific statistics indicate they may suffer extinction by year 2100. We still have many years to make a

Another point he makes is that Polar bears are getting scrawnier because the seal habitat has declined because global warming causes the ice to melt. This is false. A common fact global warming supporters forget to mention is that arctic and Antarctic snowfall replenish the ice each year. Polar bears and seals are more in danger of poaching than losing their habitat to global warming. Both species are on the endangered list. However, weighing anywhere between 775 to 1,200 pounds. Polar bears are still the largest species of bear living on the planet.

As a result, humans are slowly destroying the bear's ability to reproduce, and function in a normal way. By removing chemicals such as mercury, DDT, PCBs and lindane to name a few from our waste it is possible that the world may be able to retain our population of arctic polar bears, and preserve the beautiful creature for generations to come. Alternatively, people should use this as a warning of things to come if they continue to be so irresponsible about their waste. The implications to other ecosystems could be sufficiently more devastating than what is being witnessed in the arctic, and it is humanity's responsibility to take action now before it is too

As human exploitation causes temperatures to increase, in turn disturbing the biodiversity of several species, laws and regulations created by organizations are becoming increasingly more valuable. Over billions of years, Earth has endured several periods of mass extinction and has recently entered another era of mass extinction. Maintaining and protecting the biodiversity of species and their habitats is beneficial since genetic variability increases species ability to adapt. To avoid the further effects of climate change, carbon emissions must be drastically reduced across the globe. The World Wildlife Fund works to prevent the effects of climate change by partnering up with local communities and governments through restoring beach vegetation to shade marine turtle nests in the Caribbean, secure access to fresh water for elephants in Thailand during periods of drought, and identify areas where polar bears can live on solid Arctic sea ice for decades to come.

In recent years, society has been extremely innovative with its technology, thereby generating a mass increase in the efficiency of the commodities we use in our daily lives, but also elevating the amount of pollution that’s being released into our ozone. This, sequentially, is worsening the effects of the polar bear’s prime enemy: global warming. It is indisputable that the longevity of any animal’s life should not be determined by the preference of a human being; it is unjust for us as people of the earth to decide which animal is more deserving of our help. However, we must start somewhere.

The polar bear lives up in the Arctic region where global warming and climate change are melting the ice caps that the bears thrive on. They use the ice as a platform from hunting and rest. The random pocket holes in the ice, where the seals pop up at, is where the polar bear catches its prey. With this reduction of ice, “the abundance of seals, and increases the amount of energy and time needed for hunting, leaving less energy for reproduction” (Endangered Species and Habitats).

Are we ruining the globe for our descendants; or are we finding a way to power our cars, lights, and homes? This is the question of global warming. I say this: global warming isn’t all it’s made out to be. There have been little, if any effects. We aren’t necessarily

Although, the prime example of how mutually beneficial it would be for us (economically and non-economically) and the polar bears is how it impacts human health and air quality. Some GHG are already in the atmosphere; therefore, some climate change is inevitable. The government now must decide if we prepare for the impacts or allowing the impacts to happen and suffer the consequence of the economic hardship. Improving air quality will promote human health and our quality of life. A study researched two ways that would benefit the economy and human health: reducing co-emitted air pollutants and slowing climate

In order for us to help the wildlife during global warming we need to decrease the amount of pollution we put in the air. We can do this by reducing the amount of energy we use and how many times we use our vehicles in a day. We could also

Global warming could result in the death of millions of people around the world. Another way people could contribute to helping put an end to global warming is to stop or lessen the amount of carbon dioxide released into the air. Scientist believe carbon dioxide stays in the air for years. This isn’t only bad to breath, but is also very harmful to both humans and other mammals. Animals are dying from the careless mistakes of humans. For example, polar bears rely on sheets of ice to rest from swimming. Due to global warming there is very little sheets of ice strong enough for the polar bears to sit on. Polar bears will travel until they are to weak to continue and end up drowning. Whenever there may be somewhere for the polar bear to rest, he still may die from lack of food. Fish that the bears eat such as trout and salmon require cold water to survive. Global warming is causing higher temperatures and this means that the fish cannot survive. When the fish die, the polar bear die, and then who’s next? Humans don’t realize that we are not invincible. Yes, we are superior, but if the whole food chain dies off then being on top of nothing will make humans into nothing.

Should Renewable Energy Sources Replace Fossil Fuels? Polar bears are the most known animals for the impacts of climate change on species. Global warming has been most prominent in the Arctic, and this trend is expected to continue. Their dependence on sea ice makes them highly vulnerable to a changing climate. Polar bears greatly rely on the sea ice environment for traveling, hunting, mating, resting, and in some areas, maternal dens (WWF). Specifically, they depend heavily on sea ice-dependent prey such as seals. Additionally, their long generation time and low reproductive rate may limit their ability to adapt to changes in the environment. Every time people breathe or burn something, oxygen in the air is converted to carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is used by plants to breathe and is converted back to oxygen, creating a cycle. If there is an increase in oxygen burning, for example, burning a lot of coal or oil to generate electricity or run cars, and cut down trees, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air is increased. This makes the air thicker and warms up the earth. The amount of warming is only a few degrees but it is enough to disturb the fragile balance of nature, which in turn will melt the polar ice, raise sea levels, cause violent hurricanes and endanger species such as polar bears. The polar bears are just one example of endangered animals because of the high demand of human need for energy which is acquired by burning fossil fuels.