("About")
The Lange's Metalmark Butterfly, specifically located in Antioch Dunes, has been on the endangered species list since 1976 ("Top 10 U.S. Endangered Species Threatened by Human Population"). Without these butterflies, the diversity of wildlife species around the San Francisco Bay Area would cease to exist, and the refuge would become a cement plant (Smith). Currently, there are only about 150 Lange's Metalmark Butterflies living in the wild ("Lange's Metalmark Butterfly"). However, many organizations and individuals are beginning to invest effort in saving the Metalmark Butterflies from extinction ("Conservation and Preservation").
Background
For the past 40 years, the Lange’s Metalmark Butterfly (Apodemia mormo langei)
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In today’s society, the “Butterfly Effect” is a metaphor for describing the possibility of chaos from one miniscule factor, popularized by the thought that “a large storm in New England may be caused by a butterfly wing flap in China” ("Concepts: Butterfly Effect"). Mathematical models have claimed that the butterfly concept is false; however, this concept of chaos may refer to the possibility of the extinction of other butterfly species if one species becomes extinct ("Concepts: Butterfly Effect"). Many different species of butterflies die off due to various causes such as habitat loss, the use of herbicides, and climate change …show more content…
As a result of "human emissions of greenhouse gasses," numerous species of butterflies worldwide are facing the risk of extinction (World Wide Fund). Global warming is the gradual heating of the planet, which is triggered by human activities such as pollution from factories, results in climate change around the world (Rogers). Due to climate change, various species of butterflies need to adapt to these changes, but instead, they are dying out due to their sensitivity to fluctuating temperatures (Rogers). In the United Kingdom, scientists predict that “for every 1 °C increase in southwestern Europe’s temperature, some 14 different species of migratory butterflies and moths are forced to make the leap to England to cool off, which means making a long journey over open water” (Rogers). Climate change has required many species of butterflies to leave their migration paths and cross the treacherous oceans; this increases their risk of death
Climate change has affected us in many ways, but it was even more influential on organisms and their community. The Earth is gradually heating and we are left to deal with the consequences. Homes are being destroyed, organisms are dying, and resources are running low. Since 1880, Our Earth’s temperature had increased by about 0.8 degrees Celsius. Climate change is affecting the Earth and scientists say that one more degree will greatly affect people from all over the world. There are many consequences of climate change and each one has a great impact on all of us, but organisms’ homes are being destroyed and thousands of species are dying out. These organisms are imperative to our world and how it functions.
Global warming -- and climate change -- have long-term and short-term impacts on our environment. Caused by air pollutants such as carbon dioxide and methane, global warming is the gradual increase of air temperature across the globe. The rise in air temperatures can lead to higher extinction rates, increased risk of disease and political repercussions, such as wars over available resources. Understanding the possible short-term and long-term effects can help humans better prepare for the consequences of global warming.
Global warming to date has certainly affected species’ geographical distributional ranges and the timing of breeding, migration, flowering, and so on. The most well known study to date, by a team from the UK, estimated that 18 and 35% of plant and animal species will be committed to extinction by 2050 due to climate change. (Can animals and plants adapt to global warming?, 2017 )
A Cage of Butterflies allows the reader to contemplate the ‘what if’ theory based on the advancement of technology and how far certain individuals are willing to proceed to alter humanity.
This is the conservation of an endangered arthropod. The El Segundo blue butterfly was near extinction and several efforts in surrounding areas were taken to protect this animal. The butterfly thrives in a coastal dune environment and depends on sea buckwheat for nourishment (Harbrecht, 1991). In the mid 1970s, a colony of the insects was found on a two mile stretch of land owned by Chevron and the oil company agreed to protect the butterfly (Harbrecht, 1991). The population of the El Segundo blue butterfly is on the rise. Environments are greatly shaped by industrialization, politics, and the relationships between the biotic and abiotic components of an
September marks the start of the southbound butterfly migration season, and scientists are capitalizing on the timing to bring awareness to the species. There have been petitions in the past to include the monarch butterfly on the endangered species list, and though they aren’t currently on it (which is good), their status is carefully
The eastern flutters of monarch butterflies are thought to be in danger, thanks to natural disasters in Mexico and there not being enough milkweed in their summer nesting grounds(National Geographic). Global warming and loss of habitat also effect the migratory patterns and the rainfall(National Wildlife Federation). “In 1996, the Mexican government created the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve to protect monarch’s wintering habitat(US Fish and Wildlife
Shifts in temperature and precipitation will be a shock to fragile ecosystems which depend on specific climatic conditions. Many species will be unable to adapt as fast as their environment changes and face sharply reduced numbers or extinction. Scientists estimate that a warming of just 2 degree will put as many as 30% of the world's species at risk of extinction. Plants and animals aren’t the only ones feeling the pressure of changing ecosystems. Many regions will face severe water shortages in a warmer world, creating the potential for conflict. It is believed that the genocide in Sudan’s Darfur region is at least in part a response to water shortages resulting from global warming.
Another threat to species around the world is pollution in the atmosphere. Know as air pollution. Air pollution, global warming, is blamed for the greenhouse gasses created by humans that have been gathering up in the atmosphere. This is a problem as it is causing climate change which is the blame for rising sea levels, change in streamflow, and invasive species. The biggest problem is invasive species. How climate change supports the problem of invasive species is since the Earth's atmospheric temperature is getting warmer, it cause species to move closer to the pole to escape the heat (EPA). Scientists have been monitoring global warming as the oceans have been getting warmer since 1970 (AJ+). An example of invasive species due to climate change are fish, zooplankton, and seabirds in the northeast Atlantic have been moving closer to the poles to escape the heat. Also in the Mediterranean Sea, some species have died on mass while other warm water species
When it is cold outside in the United States of America, monarch butterflies migrate to warmer places such as Mexico. This contributes to the decline of monarchs because in Mexico they are having deforestation problems. For example, there have been late winter storms causing over 100 acres of trees to fall down in Central Mexico (Deere, 2017). This causes a problem because monarch butterflies will have no place to live during the winter months in the United States of America. Researchers say that during the storm over 6.2 million butterflies have died (Deere, 2017). That is a lot of butterflies. This is a major problem because monarch butterflies are a food source for many animals and if they go extinct the food cycle will get messed up. This is a hard problem to fix to try to stop the decline of monarchs because you would have to get the monarchs to migrate to another place with lots of trees and that will not be destroyed.
The long term goal is to remove it from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants. The reclassification criteria will be met when a minimum of 27 metapopulations are established within at least 13 recovery units across the butterflies’ range. The minimum requirement of 27 metapopulations can be comprised of 19 viable normal, and 8 viable large metapopulations. The large metapopulations support 6,000 individuals and the normal size metapopulations support 3,000 individuals. Total delisting of the species would be considered once a minimum of 29 metapopulations (13 viable and 16 large viable metapopulations) have been established within at least 13 recovery units and are being managed consistent with the recovery plan. Actions needed to fulfil this recovery plan are listed as
Habitat loss is one of the most evident effects of climate change on animals. Forests, as well as deserts support many forms of life. It is the home of insects and animals like bears, and birds. If forests will be cleared out for the development of land for families, business and farming purposes, animals will loose their homes and food. Because of deforestation, many of the trees and the other plants that provide food to the herbivorous animals will get extinct at a faster speed. Droughts caused by global warming could dry up 90 percent of central U.S. wetlands, eliminating essential breeding habitat for ducks, geese and other traveling species (National Wildlife Federation). Climate change is the main reason to wildlife's survival and putting natural resources in danger. The change in temperature caused by global warming has many effects on the habitats of animals. The melting ice will cause the loss of habitat for species such as the polar bears, penguins, and seals. The arctic ice that is melting makes it difficult for polar bears to hunt. Warmer water will also cause the population of fish such as trout
From a scientific point of view, the author describes and substantiates the existence of global warming and also observes the potential effects it could result in. These include of rising sea levels, shifted climate patterns, increased threats to infectious diseases, extreme global temperatures, and coastal erosion. But ultimately, the report informs readers that the degree to which global warming affects life on Earth primarily depends on our decisions.
Global warming is a serious issue in our world that affects billions of living organisms and has the potential to eradicate sustainable use of our planet’s ecosystems. It therefore poses a grave threat to not only animals, but also humans who rely on resources extracted from our ecosystems for existence. The Kyoto Protocol was the first global greenhouse gas reduction treaty signed by countries across the world. Since every country contributes to the rising number of greenhouse gases into the air, it was crucial to have as many countries as possible be involved in its output reduction. Furthermore, the effects of climate change can have significant negative outcomes on living things as a whole including biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation and sea level rising (Effects of Global Warming, Bradford). Since many of these negative environmental outcomes also effect humans across the world, it had become essential and in the best interest of every country to find a way to slow the amount of greenhouse gases being released.
Global warming is the constant increase of temperature in the earth’s atmosphere that is caused by the increase of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, greenhouse gases and many other pollutants. Chlorofluorocarbons are any type of compounds of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine which are harmful to the ozone layer. Global warming can affect many things, one example is the rising of temperature which can result in different types of disasters like storms, heat waves, floods, and droughts. Global warming also causes Higher death rates, Dirtier air, Higher wildlife extinction rates, the increase of Acidic Oceans, and Higher seas levels. In this essay, I will provide information that will show how harmful global warming can be to not only the earth but to humans and animals, and what we can do to prevent it from increasing.