Water takes up a larger percentage of the surface of our Earth than does land. The earth’s oceans are vital aspects to our environment and it is necessary that we take care of them. On another note, global warming is an issue that is having effects on almost all aspects of our environment. Global warming itself means a gradual increase in the temperature of our Earth’s atmosphere over large periods of time. There is evidence that global warming has occurred in the atmosphere, however, now we are beginning to see its effects in the world’s oceans, as well. Though some may not see the connection that it has with the oceans, it has had quite a profound effect on our Earth’s oceans. As I mentioned before, oceans are environments that must …show more content…
Now that we are aware that global warming is influencing our world’s oceans, we must look at the affects that it is having. I did not find any positive affects of global warming on the oceans. It is sad to say, but I was left with only the negative. One of the effects that warmer temperatures have on the oceans is that they disrupt the ocean circulation rate (Pearce, 1996). As I previously mentioned, oceans must maintain all of its characteristics properly. Warmer temperatures in the atmosphere affect circulation rates in the oceans. If circulation rates in the oceans are altered, then everything in the oceanic environment becomes changed. The oceanic currents become affected, as well.
Global warming is also affecting the animals that live in our marine environments. These marine mammals are accustomed to living in specific temperatures. They cannot survive in the water if the temperature of the water changes dramatically. Thus, certain animals die as a result of the increase in temperature of the oceans. Also, it is very difficult to receive data from something as large and profound as our oceans. The various techniques that scientists use to receive data are not exactly quiet experiments. The tools used to take ocean data are actually loud machines that are put into the ocean. One might think that these loud machines would have no affect on animals because it is very difficult to hear things under
As more of the sun’s energy is retained by increasing greenhouse gases, the earth’s oceans are heating up. This can be seen by an increase in average water temperature and warm water anomalies (water temperature over the average).
For many years now, scientists have believed that our climate is changing. This climate change has caused water currents up north, near Antarctica to shift leading to warm waters taking the place of the usual cold arctic waters. Warm water melts the glaciers and causes the top of the glaciers to float off into the sea, allowing the warm water to melt even more glaciers. The extra glacier melting into our sea has caused the sea levels to raise and the
Another factor of ascending sea levels is the increase in temperatures (3). Eissa and Zaki implies that “a considerable number of many species will be threatened with a continuous increase in sea levels to a certain point that the animal or species could become extinct” (The impact of global climatic…” 2). Sea levels are rising at very accelerated rates, and until the water keep rising, they will become very harmful to the human population and many marine organisms. However, increasing temperatures is one of the main factors of climate change. Johansen insists that “the warming of the world’s oceans has not only affected the animals who live above the surface, but also the ones who live below” (“Marine Life…” 1). Increasing temperatures are mostly caused by many human activities such as the release of fossil fuels emissions and greenhouse gases. The two main processes that cause increasing temperatures are Climate Change and the Greenhous effect. These can be very harmful to the marine population and permanently extinct them. According to recent studies, NOAA has discovered that seawater temperatures are increasing by about 0.1 Celsius, and many organisms confronted with this change could be in great danger (NOAA 2). In addition to increasing temperatures and sea levels rising, another factor would be ocean acidification. Global Issues portrays that” ocean acidification is caused by substantial amounts of carbon dioxide which is caused by greenhouse emissions” (Climate
In these next couple paragraphs I am going to tell you how Global Warming affects Sea Levels, Coral Reefs, and Tropical Rain Forest. The Sea levels have been rising majorly. The Coral Reefs have been decreasing. The Amazon Rain Forest have been having droughts.
The oceans have been recorded to be rising in surface temperature, which in turn is causing fish to migrate to colder oceans near the poles; this disruption fisheries and other animals who prey on fish. The rise in temperature also can control currents, which caused a 40% increase in tropical storms since the 1950’s. The rise in temperature in our atmosphere has also caused for the melting of the ice caps, which has raised the sea levels almost 6.7 inches in the last century, with some locations on the eastern parts of Canada reading increases as high as 8 inches. These readings are more than double what they were in the previous century. The acidity of oceans is also increasing due to the increase of CO2 in the air. This is doing many things to different ecosystems such as coral reefs. The Great Coral Reef in Australia has lost half of its’ coral over the last 27 years alone. The rise in temperature and carbon dioxide causes the coral to bleach, which makes it weak and allows it to be destroyed very easily by any storms, or other predators. The rise in carbon emissions not only affects land life, but is also destroying our oceans as
Global warming has effected the world. The earth has had a drastic and devastating aftermath since humans have decided to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This resulted in the ground (above or below water) temperature to rise; the very definition of global warming. This has warmed up the waters and the fish of the ocean are now living in an environment that is too hot for them to live in.
Another effect of global warming is evaporating seawater. The temperature rise is forecasted to rise approximately 2.5 to 10 degrees in the next century (Jackson, #5). Since this heat is also warming the surface water of the ocean to above average temperatures, the water is slowly evaporating. Though this may sound like a good thing because sea levels are rising way too high, this is the leading factor of extreme power of hurricanes. As seawater evaporates, the water vapors that are now trapped in the air promote the longevity and size of
Global warming has influenced the ocean more than anything else has in the world. The two largest changes happening in the ocean are the rising water levels and the rising temperature. Both of these factors have arrived because of an increase in greenhouse gases and an overall rise in temperature across the globe. The most common greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, comes mainly from the exhaust of cars and trucks. Our actions are affecting the oceans and seas more than ever before.
Some environmental services that the oceans provide to the planet is regulations of the Earth’s systems. By having the basins mix across the ocean, it reduces the differences between them and makes the Earth’s ocean a global system. For example, in the North Atlantic Ocean, the wind-driven surface currents go away from the equator to the poles allowing it to cool while it eventually sinks at the high latitudes into the ocean basins which then causes the mixture between them. Since ocean currents carry massive amounts of heat and transfer it all throughout the globe, it allows for the circulation to impact the full effects of climate change in our planet. Carbon and microalgae are also another factor since it exists in all parts of the ocean. For instance, carbon dioxide and organic matter dissolve in
Since humans have started industrial work, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has continued to rise. The ocean’s intake of carbon dioxide is steadily increasing. The ocean consumes about a third of the CO2 that is released every year (National Geographic, 2015-2017). This intake is making the ocean’s pH levels drop. The carbon dioxide being consumed is changing the composition of sea water. Man-made CO2 emissions not only have an impact on the Earth’s seas, but also contribute to global warming, which is also a trending problem that we are now facing today.
Melting polar ice is often talked about most when thinking about climate change, but it is hardly ever expanded upon as to why melting sea ice is detrimental to marine life. Sea turtles, for example, may experience a massive decline in population if sea level continues to rise. As sea level rises, beaches and coastlines may begin to shrink and eventually disappear. These are the land areas where sea turtles lay their eggs. If this land disappears over time, the sea turtle population will disappear as a result. Other animals that need land to survive, like seals, could also be impacted in the same way. Not only are oceans rising, but their level of acidity is rising, as well. Oceans absorb nearly one-third of the CO2 humans produce and have been emitted into the atmosphere. Acidic ocean water can affect corals (adding to their stress response of coral bleaching), as well as starfish, scallops, clams, and lobsters which also happen to be economically viable. Ocean acidity can have adverse effects throughout the food chain as organisms on all trophic levels can be affected. However, these rapidly changing ocean conditions can be slowed over time with the help of human
Another global issue that has been shown in over the past century is the increasing in the sea levels. This increasing results from the higher temperature under the ocean. Animals’ habits have been destroyed because of this issue. Large ice formations such as glaciers and polar ice caps are melting. As a result, when this large amount of melt drops in the ocean, it causes increasing in ocean level. So, the animals that live in the surface are losing their home, which means they are facing weather changes, attacks from the predatory animals, and difficulties in finding food, so they die. As well, the animals that live under the ocean that lost their home because of the increased water are facing the same issues. “Global sea levels may rise
Last but not least, global warming has caused the polar ice caps to melt. The melting of the polar ice caps will cause the sea levels to rise all over the world. If the sea levels rise just a metre
The effects of global warming touch every human, animal, plant, ocean, landmass, and atmosphere level on this planet. The numerous effects of global warming are mixes of "good" and "bad" results, depending on how your definition of "good" results and "bad" results are. A "good" effect, a person could say, would be for regions with normally cold temperatures to receive warmer temperatures for their normal. Yet, there are more "bad" effects that seem to out weight the "good" effects. Some of the effects would include increases of flooding, severe storm systems, and rising sea-levels. One major consequence would be an increase of temperature globally. This would
One of the most serious effects of global warming, as it continues to intensify, is the increase in the ocean levels. Thermal expansion of the ocean and glacial melting are likely to cause a .5 to 1.5 meter rise in the ocean level by the year 2100. As the ocean level rises and if no protection is provided, many freshwater supplies could be jeopardized. Tens and possibly hundreds of millions of