Global warming makes life difficult for land animals and plants. It has been known that they are migrating towards the poles of the earth in search of cooler climates at the rate of 6 kilometers a decade. However, science has underestimated the impact of global warming on marine life which it turns out is effected even more.
As a general rule, it seems sea life (fish and marine animals) will have to move a lot faster and farther to keep up with temperature shifts in the oceans. This is especially true for sea life living in the equatorial and subarctic seas. It also seems to effect the fish and animals that are living at or near the sea surface or those that exist on plants and plankton that require sunlight. Those that live deep in the ocean are effected less.
A recent study used 50 years' data of global temperature changes since the 1960s in order to analyze the shifting climates and seasonal patterns on land and in the oceans. This was done in order to understand how this will affect life in both areas over the next century. In reference to sea life it was found that sea creatures may have to travel several times faster and farther to find water temperature and living conditions that best suit them. Unlike land animals that can just move up higher on a mountain to reach cooler temperatures, sea life has to travel several hundred kilometers to achieve the same goal.
Another question and concern is that it is unclear what will replace these creatures who have left an area because of increasing warmth. Currently there are no communities of sea life from even warmer areas to replace those that have moved out to find cooler areas to live. At the same time those species that are already living in the polar regions will come under increased pressure from other species moving in.
Life on Earth is all connected. Nothing is an entity unto itself and for every action there will be reaction to it. Major climatic changes brought on by Global warming will eventually have major consequences for us all.
As a general rule, it seems sea life (fish and marine animals) will have to move a lot faster and farther to keep up with temperature shifts in the oceans. This is especially true for sea life living in the equatorial and subarctic seas. It also seems to effect the fish and animals that are living at or near the sea surface or those that exist on plants and plankton that require sunlight. Those that live deep in the ocean are effected less.
A recent study used 50 years' data of global temperature changes since the 1960s in order to analyze the shifting climates and seasonal patterns on land and in the oceans. This was done in order to understand how this will affect life in both areas over the next century. In reference to sea life it was found that sea creatures may have to travel several times faster and farther to find water temperature and living conditions that best suit them. Unlike land animals that can just move up higher on a mountain to reach cooler temperatures, sea life has to travel several hundred kilometers to achieve the same goal.
Another question and concern is that it is unclear what will replace these creatures who have left an area because of increasing warmth. Currently there are no communities of sea life from even warmer areas to replace those that have moved out to find cooler areas to live. At the same time those species that are already living in the polar regions will come under increased pressure from other species moving in.
Life on Earth is all connected. Nothing is an entity unto itself and for every action there will be reaction to it. Major climatic changes brought on by Global warming will eventually have major consequences for us all.
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