Environmental+Effects+of+Climate+Change

Many studies have previously been performed that depict the effects of rising temperatures due to global warming on the environment. The Global temperature has been predicted to have risen by 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880 according to NASA Global Climate Change [5]. The main cause of the global warming is the increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The greenhouse gases cause a blanket to form over earth in the atmosphere and greatly contributes to the increased temperature. The changing climate has a great impact on the environment and has caused environmental changes. Many Environments have observable and predictable changes including: oceans, weather, seasons, and ecosystems. he carbon cycle, long-term effects, large-scale effects, and mitigation efforts contribute greatly to changes in the environment.
 * Introduction**

The ocean acts as sink for carbon dioxide and absorbs the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The increase in ocean temperatures causes the ocean to be a less effective sink, and reduces its ability to absorb carbon dioxide. The increased amounts of carbon dioxide also cause the acidification of the ocean because it is absorbed by the ocean and converted to carbonic acid [7]. Since carbonic acid has a low pH, the ocean’s overall pH is decreased to become more acidic. The effects of acidification of the ocean are still not fully known, but the change causes detrimental effects to a large number of species. The rise in carbon dioxide may also lead to a decrease in the oxygen content of the ocean which is predicted to be detrimental to many species as well. One of the most observable effects of the increased temperature in the ocean is the rising sea level and melting of sea ice [8]. The ocean levels can rise and bring about the appearance of climate refugees due to the disappearance of islands and homes under water. The colder environments composed of ice experience increased melting and major habitat changes that also contribute to the rising sea level.
 * Oceans**

Temperature greatly determines weather patterns and changes the probability of certain weather events to occur. Studies into precipitation have found that the increasing global temperatures have led to a great increase in the dichotomy of precipitation events [13]. The areas that naturally receive a large amount of precipitation, such as the subtropics, will have an even larger amount of rainfall while the dryer areas like subpolar latitudes will have even less precipitation [9]. This has been found to be correlated with to an increase in droughts and flooding. The temperature increase also leads to other extreme heat related weather events such as tropical cyclones and many hotter days compared to cold days.The regional effects vary significantly. With an increase in regional temperatures the leafing of trees and plants occur earlier [4]. This causes the change of seasons to occur more rapidly.
 * Weather Changes and Seasons**

The regional temperature changes cause a significant change in the movement of all biota in an ecosystem. The increased temperature also is predicted to lead to a large increase in environmental disturbances of ecosystems [5]. Some disturbances include:
 * Ecosystem compositions**

//Fires and Drought:// It is predicted that the increase in extreme heat related weather conditions will result in the destruction of the biota of an ecosystem through fires and hotter temperatures. //Coral bleaching:// The rising water temperatures of the ocean cause the coral to have higher levels of carbon dioxide and expel algae that provide nutrients necessary for the coral to survive. The coral in turn dies and turns white. //Land degradation//: The overall productive capacity of the environment significantly decreases and causes a decline in biodiversity, vegetative cover, nutrients availability, and biomass [2]. //Invasive Species:// The increased temperatures are predicted to cause an environment suitable for different species and allow cause the drastic change of species composition within an ecosystem. The species more adapted to increased temperatures will inhabit an area and can replace other species that are less suited for higher temperatures. //Extinctions:// The species less suited for higher temperatures could die out and cause a trophic cascade for its prey and predators in the food web.Plant species are the primary producers and are at a higher risk for extinction due to their high dependence on water in heated conditions [10].

The increasing and accumulating amounts of methane in the atmosphere have resulted in the possibility of the runaway greenhouse gas effect. The theory behind this effect of global warming is composed of the net positive feedback of the ability of atmospheric opacity and temperature to increase the strength of the greenhouse gas effect on the planet until the planet’s oceans evaporate away. This effect is plausible as determined by scientific research; however, the event would be considered extinction level. Another large scale event that could be produced from global warming is a post-glacial rebound. The ice and glaciers of the earth would melt and cause great decrease in weight on certain areas of the land that would shift in response. The shift could result in landslides, seismic activity, and Tsunamis [12]. If permafrost was affected by global warming the greenhouse gas emissions would increase exponentially resulting in extremely drastic global warming effects. Permafrost is rock and soil that is frozen below zero degrees Celsius and releases carbon dioxide when melted [11].
 * Long-term and large scale effects**

The biogeochemical cycles have been found to be greatly affected by global warming. The carbon cycle is greatly impacted. The carbon cycle is composed of four major carbon sinks: the atmosphere, the ocean, the sediments, and the terrestrial biosphere. Each sink is connected through pathways and global warming causes changes in the composition of the sinks through a feedback loop. Fossil fuels are produced and released into the atmosphere where they cycle through the carbon cycle. The warming causes the carbon to pool in the atmosphere sink and can cause changes to the environment. The sinks are also disrupted in many habitats through habitat fragmentation caused by man-made constructions in the environment [1]. Fragmentation also disrupts the passage ways between the carbon sinks and worsens global warming [3].
 * Carbon Cycle**

M itigations measures also have a great effect on the environment. Many mitigation measures have been designed to reduce the carbon in the atmospheric sink and allow the other sinks to absorb more of the carbon. New technologies using lower carbon emission technologies such as nuclear and renewable energy reduce carbon emissions. The technologies can be built and change the environment by replacing large carbon emitting sources such as factories into solar energy farms. Many other climate engineering technologies have been invented such as the electric car [6]. The carbon mitigation measures could cause environmental healing and revert the emission of carbon back to the pre-industrial revolution age levels. Most countries in the world are a part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and aim to stabilize the environment and change man-made disruptions in the environment to eco-friendly and environmentally safe configurations [14].
 * Mitigation Measures**

Global warming is highly researched topic. There is much evidence contributed from scholarly peer reviewed journals and accredited researchers that agree that observed warming has been due to an increase in human activities. The outcomes of the warming are both observable and predicted. Some of the more easily recognizable changes are within environments on a small scale. The probability for many of the large scale and long term climate changes are very low and not understood very well by scientists since all of the information is simply generated through prediction models.
 * Discussion**

There are many factors that apply to climate change that can affect the predicted models. Since the earth is in constant fluctuation of temperatures and various environmental changes the predicted models cannot serve as an absolute representation; however, they can warn for future catastrophes and influence the public to be more concerned of preserving the environment. The mitigation and adaptions to global warming are also results of predicted outcomes of global warming and are used to preserve the environment.

The global warming controversy is greatly outweighed by scientific research that is displayed by the environmental effects of global warming above. This means that although there might be a few benefits from global warming the harms on the environment are far greater than any benefit. There are many questions about the oceans, weather, seasons, ecosystems, long term effect, large-scale effects, and mitigation measures in response to the human made increases in greenhouse gases that cause global warming. The changes in the environment are both observable and predictable through scientific research; however, the effects on the environment are uncertain and raise many questions.

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