Impacts of Climate Change on Biodiversity in Northern Canada
Topic: impacts of climate change on biodiversity in Northern Canada
Climate change, as a change in weather like global warming, has attracted the attention of the public. The issue of climate change has been becoming a global focus of attention for people around the world. Most scientists think that climate change is primarily caused by human activities. Temperature and precipitation shifts directly affect biota, and scientists think that as the climate continues to change, the biodiversity in Northern Canada is particularly at risk. Because global warming can result in the decreasing of marine, freshwater and terrestrial communities, climate change has negative influences on biodiversity in Northern Canada. In order to conserve the biodiversity and improve the global warming, Canadian governments and schools have devoted to take actions on climate change.
Climate change refers to a change in the weather which can be an environmental problem, such as the sea level rising, more warming over land than oceans, and more hot days and nights. In the past century, climate change was consistent with greenhouse gases increase (Philippe & Kool, 2000, p.16). According to Lemieux and Scott (2005, p. 385), anthropogenic climate warming is threaten to global biodiversity; thus, climate change has many impacts.
Climate change has significant consequences for Northern Canadian ecosystems. The marine environment has been threatened by climate change. Glaciers, ice caps, and the sea ice cover area have been decreasing due to the global warming. Since 1920, primarily due to the climate change, glaciers and ice caps across the Arctic have shown shrunk lessens in volume and glacier fronts, leading to the rise of sea lever (Prowse et. al, 2009a, p.277). Moreover, the annual averaged area of sea ice in Northern Canada has decreased by 7.4% from 1978 to 2003 (Prowse et. al, 2009a, p.266). As a result, species that rely on the ice-edge environment like polar bears have a
Climate change, as a change in weather like global warming, has attracted the attention of the public. The issue of climate change has been becoming a global focus of attention for people around the world. Most scientists think that climate change is primarily caused by human activities. Temperature and precipitation shifts directly affect biota, and scientists think that as the climate continues to change, the biodiversity in Northern Canada is particularly at risk. Because global warming can result in the decreasing of marine, freshwater and terrestrial communities, climate change has negative influences on biodiversity in Northern Canada. In order to conserve the biodiversity and improve the global warming, Canadian governments and schools have devoted to take actions on climate change.
Climate change refers to a change in the weather which can be an environmental problem, such as the sea level rising, more warming over land than oceans, and more hot days and nights. In the past century, climate change was consistent with greenhouse gases increase (Philippe & Kool, 2000, p.16). According to Lemieux and Scott (2005, p. 385), anthropogenic climate warming is threaten to global biodiversity; thus, climate change has many impacts.
Climate change has significant consequences for Northern Canadian ecosystems. The marine environment has been threatened by climate change. Glaciers, ice caps, and the sea ice cover area have been decreasing due to the global warming. Since 1920, primarily due to the climate change, glaciers and ice caps across the Arctic have shown shrunk lessens in volume and glacier fronts, leading to the rise of sea lever (Prowse et. al, 2009a, p.277). Moreover, the annual averaged area of sea ice in Northern Canada has decreased by 7.4% from 1978 to 2003 (Prowse et. al, 2009a, p.266). As a result, species that rely on the ice-edge environment like polar bears have a
References: Lemieux, C.J. & Scott, D.J. 2005. Climate change, biodiversity conservation and protected area planning in Canada. The Canadian Geographer, 49, 384-399. Philippe, D. & Kool, R. 2000. Taking action on climate change: Inside and outside our schools. Green Teacher, 63, 16-18. Prowse, T.D., Furgal, C., Melling, H., & Smith, S.L. 2009a, Implications of climate change for Northern Canada: The physical environment. Ambio, 38, 266-271. Prowse, T.D., Furgal, C., Wrona, F.J. & Reist, J.D. 2009b. Implications of climate change for Northern Canada: Freshwater, Marine, and Terrestrial Ecosystems. Ambio, 38, 282-289. Reist, J.D., Wrona, F.J., Prowse, T.D., Power, M., Dempson, J.B., Beamish, D., ... Sawatzky, C.D. 2006a. General effects of climate change on Arctic fishes and fish populations. Ambio, 35, 370–380. Reist, J.D., Wrona, F.J., Prowse, T.D., Power, M., Dempson, J.B., King, J.R. & Beamish, R.J. 2006b. An overview of effects of climate change on selected arctic freshwater and andromous fishes. Ambio, 35, 381–387.