The Causes Of Climate Change

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.

“More than a million species face potential extinction as a result of disappearing habitats, changing ecosystems, and acidifying oceans” (Berger). Climate change affects all living things on the earth and is accelerating because of human activity. Climate change is happening right now, scientists are trying to figure out what is causing it, what the effects of climate change are, and they are researching how the atmosphere has changed.

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

Polar bears are one of the countless species who are endangered. They were one of the first animals affected by global warming and their population is heavily decreasing. Around 1980, the Arctic was as large as 8 million square kilometres. In 2011, studies show that the Arctic has reduced its size to 4.5 million square kilometers. In the future, will there be anything such as the Arctic? Scientist predict by 2040, only a fringe of ice will remain in Northeast Canada and Northern Greenland. This is known as the Last Ice Area. This matter is mostly taking part in Canada, since; Canada holds more than half the world’s polar bear population. Other affected countries include the U.S. (Alaska), Greenland,

Glacier retreat will greatly affect polar and aquatic ecosystems and animals. Most arctic life revolves around the sea and presence of sea ice. Without the presence of ice, most ecosystems will be recreated. Polar bears are one species in great danger. Polar bears use sea ice as a birthing and hunting ground, and also use it to travel from one place to another. As glaciers start to disappear, the mother polar bear has less access to food; therefore, the chance of survival for her and her young is very slim. The polar bears chance of reproduction becomes less as the glaciers retreat. As the top of the food chain, their decline will cause negative effects for each level below them (Review Diagram G). The only way for polar bears to survive, is by

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.

Polar bears diets mainly rely on seals so the current changes in ice will affect the life cycle of the seals as well as it will play a big role in the life cycle of an adult polar bear. A large decrease in adult polar bears has been noticed and is believed to have been noticed and is believed to have been caused by the ice changes over the last few years as the decline in the seal population results in the polar bears being hungry during the winter which means they are not storing enough fat to produce energy to keep them alive all winter resulting in the polar bears unable to survive the cold winter months without their natural food source (Prowse et al,

This week, a viral picture of a sickly polar bear is causing debate all over the world about climate change. Although the issue is not strongly affecting humans just yet, it is influencing wildlife all over the globe. Polar bears, in particular, have been the focus of concern for various organizations that are making it their mission to protect the endangered species. Now more than ever, it seems the polar bear really needs humans to reconsider the choices being made about the environment.

There are not many creatures in the world that have the ability to not only survive thirty-two degrees below zero temperatures, but live in this climate as well. Among penguins and seals, polar bears are apart of the group of creatures that live everyday life in these freezing conditions. However, polar bears were not always able to do this. According to the Public Broadcast Service (PBS) website, polar bears evolved from brown bears through microevolution. Microevolution, by definition, is “small-scale evolution that occurs from one generation to the next” (Larsen p. A15). Due to the discovery of fossils, it is believed that brown bears evolved into polar bears between 70,000 to 100,000 years ago. This evolution can be seen by the change of fur color from brown to white to blend in while hunting for food and by the growth of a thicker, warmer coat to protect against the cold temperatures (PBS). This all occurred because of an event called the “ice age”. However, in the year 2316, an event called “global warming” will cause a much different evolution. Global warming is a phrase used to describe the ongoing, subtle rise in temperature of the earth and it’s oceans. Because of the small efforts being made to slow down global warming, nearly all of the ice caps in the ocean will most likely be melted by the year 2316. With polar bears only being able to survive by living on polar

In 2008 the bears were listed by the U.S. Endangered Species Act due to global warming (1). This listing happened because of the ongoing loss of critical habitat for polar bears survival. The arctic sea ice sheets are the primary habitat for the bear. The bear lives, and hunts exclusively on these arctic ice sheets. Increasing global temperatures in the world’s oceans are shrinking the arctic ice for longer periods of time during the late summer months, leaving polar bears with limited hunting and breeding

In conclusion, it took many years for polar bears to adapt perfectly to their new arctic environment. However, they’re facing a new challenge and threat due to the melting of the arctic ice because of global warming. In response, the polar bears will eventually evolved to have thinner fur or the polar bears will be forced to adapt to the increasing temperatures of their habitat and may severely decrease the population. In the future, the cross breeding of polar bear and grizzle bears will help these species survive their changing environment.

The Arctic ice is slowly melting away and this is really hurting the polar bear population. This weather change is causing the polar bears to have a big diet change. They are now catching less seals but they are traveling a greater distance across the ice. This means they are not gaining a lot of energy even though they are using a lot by moving long distances. Researchers used collars with cameras and a GPS inside of it to find more detail on how polar bears are behaving and what they have to do to survive.

Polar bears are one of so many animals that are going extinct . The polar bear is a bear who is a carnivorous whose native range lives in the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. The polar bear is going extinct for many reasons but the main reasons is that there is ongoing and potential loss of their sea ice habitat because of climate change.According to WWF “Polar bears were listed as a threatened species in the US under the Endangered Species act in May 2008. The survival and the protection of the polar bear habitat are urgent issues.”

Since the ice is slowly breaking away, it is causing a negative effect for polar bears and their foraging ability by not allowing an area for hunting of ringed seals (Elvin, 2014). Rockwell and Gormezano (2009) talk about how the breaking apart of the ice disrupts the amount of time the polar bears have for hunting seals which in return is causing the polar bears to travel to land sooner. Rockwell and Gormezano (2009) state that as the polar bears are coming to shore sooner, they are interfering with the hatching season of snow geese. Due to the polar bears intruding on the nests, this gives the polar bears the opportunity to consume the offspring of the snow geese and obtain any energy still required (Rockwell and Gormezano, 2009). Even though the polar bears may not get the energy they need from seals, they are still able to get it by other means because of the climate changing.

Because the atmosphere is warming, the air and water temperatures are too. This causes the arctic ice to melt, and this is a problem because the ice is the polar bears habitat (U.S. Department of the Interior). Polar bears use the ice to hunt seals and other sources of food, and now that there is less ice, their food source is slowly diminishing. Because of this, many polar bears are slowly starving. Another impact of the arctic ice melting is that the polar bears are not able to move around as swiftly. They used to be able to move around land masses because ice connected them, but now they are not able to move as much. Because of this, the polar bear is an endangered species and has taken on the role of the global warming