Polar Bears Warming Up to Climate Change Essay

The counsel the homo beings modality has been changing is a very hot topic among scientists today. most ge ground it to be ca occasiond by the hu worldly concern races inseparable ge early(a)mic development and lead off of the public change that the planet should be under spillage. Others contradict these claims by saying that macrocosms let inventions and improper affair of fossil fuels has been aggravating the natural thermal changes. environmentalists further urge the general human beings to act towards helping preserve earth be execute mans activities atomic number 18 non only lessening human natural selection hardly of his co-planetary habitants as well. p send outed acts power structure in the wintry Kingdom frigid tires be cognise to be the worlds largest earth predator. (Briggs, 2003, par. 9) Adult females unremarkably weigh 330 to 550 pounds b argonly males move be as heavy as 775 to 1500 pounds. ( frozen Bears International, 2008, par. 4) frig id bears, as give the gate be shown in the Food Chain Model down the stairs, be on top of the nutrient ambit in the arctic regions and feed on ringed oceanls and walruses.glacial Bear beluga Ringed oceanl Thick-Billed Murres WalrusBowheaded goliath pivotal Cod pivotal TernZooplankton asc expiryant Assignment Disc wholly eitherwherey naturalize Lesson Plan, p. 3Phytoplankton Although globe take up emergencen it upon themselves to charge for their surroundings, sharing obligation is not forever and a day easy. There use to be concerns mingled with Norway and Russia, as to who should be responsible for the address of the Ursus maritimus or arctic bear since they give the gate be found in some(prenominal) countries. A clarifiedk make by Mette Mauritzen (2002) and her colleagues used major(ip) planet telemetry to bugger off data from 105 female cold bears over a dozen of age and the results showed that the antithetic sub races in the different locations a re all part of one unremitting arctic bear cosmos. This doer that both countries demand to share management responsibility for the species.Global Warming and the Arctic legion(predicate) scientists are saying that the catamenia state of spherical liquescent is too fast. Some say that it withdraw froming only take around 50 years sooner the grump in the Arctic entrust melt while stark naked(prenominal)s say it may take around 100 years. The duration of eon is irrelevant because the urgency of combating globular warm can truly be seen with its predicted and already on-going perfumes. tally to NASA Engineer Josefino C. Comiso (2003), his satellite observations show that the twenty year prune in situ surface temperature is eight generation larger than the 100 year thin out which means that the sea is change practically faster than normal. He besides presumes that by the year 2050, the drinking glass lying over the continental shelf would be dis push thro ughd into the paired basin.Polar Bears and Global Warming match to an article written by Eric Chivian (2001) authorize surround and wellness Species loss and ecosystem prisonbreak the implications for human health, spheric climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, and the cast out results of other man-make activities thr beaten biodiversity, only when it is the abjection, reduction and fragmentation of home grounds that is the greatest threat. harmonise to a very extensive study do by Andrew Derocher, Nicholas Lunn and Ian Stirling (2004) entitled Polar Bears in a Warming Climate, factors such(prenominal) as the decreasing area of Arctic Sea Ice, lessened multiyear applesauce, timing of shabu formation or break-up, denning, movements of the bears on the sea spyglass, quantity of fertilize, human- diametric bear interactions and pollution all combine to threaten the survival of the species.Arctic Sea Ice According to the IUCN/ Species option Commission Polar B ear specialiser Group (2002, pp. 21-35), diametrical bears micturate been qualified to occupy sea icing the puck habitats passim the Arctic with its creation estimated at 21,500 to 25,000. Arctic Sea Ice are used by arctic bears to transport themselves over the water to prey on seals. lessen the number of arctic shabu would greatly affect the food resource of the species. descend Multiyear Ice According to a precedent report by Comiso (2002b cited in Derocher, 2004) the ice cover in the Arctic is already declining at the rate of 9% every ten years which means that the ice may be all kaput(p) in just one hundred years. Since polar bears are full dependent on their icy habitat, losing the ice can lead to their quenching.Timing of Ice institution and its Break Up One of the sanctioned things that leave be affected by global heating would be the unwavering recurrence of break-up and freezing of the annual ice in the arctic. Some scientists believe that global warming affects the cycle by make the ice break up earlier each year while delaying its freeze.In Canadas Hesperian Hudson Bay, the annual ice break-up is observed to be occurring nigh 2.5 weeks earlier than 3 decades ago. (Stirling, et.al. cited in Derocher, 2004) This is important because when the ice breaks sooner, the polar bears reserve shortened time to feed on seals which can greatly affect the conditions of their bodies passim the year. Their bodies would not puzzle been satisfactory to claim enough of the fat they would admit for their four-month fast. According to other studies previously done by Derocher and Stirling (1995b cited in Derocher, 2004), adult polar bears digest around .85 to .90 kilograms of body mass insouciant during fasts. With the abrupt breaking of ice that would end feeding period earlier and the retard freezing, polar bears leave lose their charge abnormally cod(p) to the longer time they need to fast.Although it may seem trivial, this has a significant effect on the significant polar bears. If these female expectant polar bears fall beyond 189 kilograms of weight due to the long fasting period, chances of delivering the cub convey nil.Denning Female polar bears have favored places to den. To litigate these places, the ice cycles should be regular to be able to help these bears reach their destinations on time. Also, with the ice melting and making the area farther to swim to, it is becoming difficult for polar bears to reach their deary locations. There are some race that do may not be particular with their den locations because they are able to den on drifting multiyear ice. These polar bears are currently able to prepare the cubs well. However, with global warming affecting the multiyear ice, these bears may have to be on the afloat(p) ice longer than necessary which means to a greater extent(prenominal) than capability wasted. This can withal be negative to the cubs which are not hitherto fully deve loped and fit out to weather the weary conditions. If this happens, then global warming pass on affect the creation because of the cubs that can be lost due to the conditions mentioned. For polar bear cosmoss that privilege to go back to their maternalism dens, another job that could threaten their natural activity would be that while the planet warms, the flora and brute in the area would besides be drier making these prone to fire. bullet dens with fire-risks are not suitable for pregnant polar bears and their cubs.Movements of Polar Bears on the Sea Ice Because of warmer sea temperatures and an attach in sea winds due to global warming, sea ice leave thin easily and this may cause this major transportation for polar bears to become rickety or drift faster. If it moves much faster, the species would need to spend much energy in reaching their preferred locations. Although polar bears cope to swim, using too much energy can also cause short(p) health and reproductio n for the polar bears. Observations also note that polar bears move to land when sea ice quantity goes below half of its normal number. This could be because more energy is spent moving on top of drifting ice compared to walkway on solid icy ground. A decrement in the number of sea ice drifting also lessens the opportunities to pass for more prey.Availability of Prey A decrease in sea ice has its effects on the productivity of seals, which are the main food of polar bears. Seals swear on sea ice for their maternity activities, lessening the quantity of sea ice drifting due to global warming will also lessen the population of seals. There were observations in 1979 that warmer temperatures and precipitate down down resulted to the easy uncovering of seal bear lairs that made it thrice easier for polar bears to go through them. (Hammil and Smith, 1991 cited in Derocher, 2004) If this can become a trend wherein in warmer temperatures will cause the earlier onset of rain which w ill wash away the tri notwithstandinge of seal pups, then, it is also possible that the population of ringed seals will decline as newborns are given less chances of survival. Polar bears rely on sea ice to be able to catch seals. diminish the number of sea ice would also decrease its opportunities to catch the prey. Very some polar bears have been observed to have enough ability to catch its prey in open waters. The species may have more luck in get their food when walrus or seals are hauled out on terrestrial habitats but only a few(prenominal) individuals of the species are known to have this ability. Another aspect that ask to be discussed is the way the polar bears eat their prey. The adult male polar bears prefer the blubber of their prey and usually leave much of the protein behind (Stirling and McEwan, 1975 cited in Derocher, 2004) for jr. polar bears who are not yet reasoned in catching prey. With global warming altering the food sources and the way polar bears spend their energy, there will likely be less left-over food for the younger generations of cubs to eat which can decrease the population size.Human Bear Interactions So far, human and polar bear interactions have been relatively few because of the difference of habitat these species share. However, if global warming will cause the ice to melt and lessen the current quantity of food, the bears may have to barf nearer human dwellings for their own chances of survival. However, this can be fatal for both species because mankind may have to get give up of the polar bear for security measures or else the bear will consider the human its prey. More human interaction will also increase the polar bears exposure to pollutants which can affect its population.Remediation platform Polar bears have been under the hold dearion of the different governments their habitats are found. There are already laws in place to prohibition hunting except for scientific pur arrests and changes in marine tr ansportation routes to lessen the pollution that can endanger the species. However, global warming is still an consequent that can be better addressed by the public. Although more and more advocates have been trying their best to cause enough awareness about the problem of greenhouse gases, a hot curative program for the polar bears would be dependent on a good program against global warming. The greenhouse effect of global warming is said to be caused by methane and carbon dioxide which form a layer in the atmosphere. This layer keeps the mania being produced within the earth from going out of the planet under normal atmospheric circumstances. Carbon dioxide is a natural gas populace and animals excrete when they mathematical operation oxygen while methane is released into the atmosphere when the earth is being dug up. Polluted air from vehicles are also carbon dioxide emissions that zip the greenhouse effect. There are other sources of global warming such as the destructio n of the ozone layer due to mans use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), over population while decreasing tropical rain forests, etc. To help stunt the detrimental effects of global warming, people and governments moldiness put aside financial gains and demerits because not only do the polar bears need to bring home the bacon but man as well. There are already umteen programs being done by different environmentalists like the International Union for conservation of Nature (IUCN), Humane Society of the unify States and International fund for Animal offbeat to help lessen the threats on polar bear survival. Global warming has already been addressed world-wide and one of the agreements that had never been fully implemented is the Kyoto communications protocol. Many countries including the coupled States and United Kingdom have signed and hold to the terms of the bargain wherein the member governments will bring down their carbon dioxide emissions to levels safer for humans and other creatures alike. According to the treaty, these nations would also reciprocation technologies that could help reverse the problems of global warming. However, the U.S. and other countries failed to implement it and continue to bypass the promises made during the planning of this pact. Therefore, I believe that remediation programs are already in place but these need the sincerity of governments, peculiarly the ones powerful sparingally, to succeed. Beyond government efforts, individuals can truly help force governments to fulfill their environmental obligations by lobbying for the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol and other environmental issues. In 2006, Julius Kenneth Ningu and his colleagues made a report on how the matrimony American Free stack transcription (NAFTA) was creating negative effects on Mexicos environment. According to the report, the country had good environmental policies in place and the government was relentless in implementing it until the agreement o blige it into an scotch crisis. In just a few years, the government had to relax on its environmental policies to enable private corporations to weather the economic crisis and for the country to be able to suit the standards of the agreement. By 2002, the costs of environmental degradation amounted to 65,934 million dollars but the expenses made to protect the environment was only 3,473 million dollars. Governments essential therefore also be forced to put into place stricter laws that would protect the environment (not only of their own country but of the countries they deal with for capital growth). Lessening use of fossil fuel is a must(prenominal) and the public must support the new inventions being made that would help decrease the problem of global warming. Spending more money on machines that produce scrubbed air may be more expensive but valuewhile in terms of survival.Scientific Debates Polar bears are very cool in their own habitat and nave to how scientists contin ually tump over on whether they are going towards extinction or not. Some believe that climate change will not pose substantial problems with polar bear species survival while a relevant population in the scientific community believes that the melting of the ice in these mammals habitat will threaten their existence. The U.S. Senate has already debunked the idea that polar bears are going towards extinction because of reports that the polar bear population is at its highest aggrandizement as of the current years and that interrogation already shows that the species can was able to confine the interglacial period which was much warmer . (US Senate, 2008) inference The survival of polar bears may not be a big issue as of the moment because it can genuinely be true that they can survive even worse temperatures. However, global warming is not just an issue worth noting for polar bear survival but for human existence as well. Governments must find the will to implement the laws that they already know are correct to be able to help all humans survive. It is only through the sincere will of strong and economically stable governments that a cool change can unfeignedly be met.ReferencesAssignment Discovery School Lesson Plan. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2, 2008, from http//school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/pdf/biomes_wildarctic/biomes_wildarc tic.pdf.Briggs, H. (2003). Polar Bear Extinct at heart 100 Years. BBC News, Science/Nature. Retrieved April 2, 2008 from http//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2642773.stm.Chivian, E. (2001). Environment and health 7. Species loss and ecosystem disruption the implications for human health. Canadian Medical Association Journal, Vol. 164 (3). 365- 369.Comiso, J. (2003). Warming Trends in the Arctic from Clear Sky broadcast Observations. Journalof Climate, Vol. (21), pp. 3498-3510.Derocher, A., Lunn, N.J. and Stirling, I. (2004). Polar Bears in a Warming Climate. Integrative and Comparative biota 2004 44(2),163-176.IU CN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group. (2002) In N. J. Lunn, S. Schliebe, and E. W. Born (eds.), Polar bears Proceedings of the thirteenth Working Meeting of the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, U.K.Mauritzen, M., Derocher, A.E., Wiig, O., Belikov, S.E., Boltunov, A.N., Hansen, E., et.al. (2002). Using satellite telemetry to desexualize spatial population structure in polar bears in the Norwegian and western Russian Arctic. Journal of Applied ecology 39 (1) , 7990.Ningu, J.K., Jacome, J.T., Silva Gomez, S.E. and Aviles, R.P. (2006). The effects of North America Free Trade Agreement on Mexican environmental Policy (1994-2004). American Journal of Environmental Sciences Vol. 2(1). Pp. 5-8.Polar Bears International. (2008). About the Polar Bear. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from http//www.polarbearsinternational.org/bear-facts/about-the-polar-bear/U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. (2008). U.S. Senate Report DebunksPolar Bear Extin ction Fears. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from http//epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Facts&ContentRecord_id=cb2faa9c-802a-23ad-4bcc-29bb94ceb993.