Earth Passed Through Various Processes

¶ … Earth passed through various processes of warming and cooling. Most parts of Canada and Europe was covered with glaciers during the Ice Age. The temperatures then was 5.4-9° Fahrenheit (3-5° Celsius) cooler in comparison to temperatures these days. The last Ice Age ended 20,000 years ago. Temperatures today are higher than they should be. "Earth's average temperature has risen by 1.08°F (0.6°C) in the past one hundred years." (Stuart Baker, page 4) Global warming is causing negative changes in weather configuration.

The Arctic Region gathers "the North Pole and the land and sea north of the Arctic Circle." (Idem, page 5) the word "arctic" comes from the Greeks. They named this region Arktikos; "the country of the Great Bear." (Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, page 4) the Arctic Ocean represents the smallest ocean on Earth, and most of it is covered with ice. The North Pole is, in fact, a fraction from the Arctic Ocean. The ice partly melts during the summer and returns to its normal state during the winter.

The greenhouse effect is the main cause because of which global warming exists. "Greenhouse gases trap the heat from the Sun in the Earth's atmosphere. This heat leads to an increase in the Earth's surface temperature." (Stuart Baker, page 6) Although parts of these gasses are natural, human activities sustain them in a negative way. Because of pollution greenhouse gases amounts have risen significantly.

In the Arctic global warming is more obvious because ice there is more vulnerable. Even if the temperature suffers a small change, ice is affected. In the Arctic temperature raises faster than in other places. Scientist claim that a 2°C rise would translate into a 5-6°C rise at the North Pole.

The melting of the ice negatively affects arctic animals and implicitly humans who are living there. "Ice edges are the principal habitat for marine organisms and the melting of the annual sea ice each year at the Arctic during spring leads to a productivity bloom. It has been noted that some Arctic species arrive during spring from great distances for the food sources that flourish along the edge of the melting ice." (Threat to Polar Animals Due to Global Warming)

Sea ice, which is melting because of the global warming, represents the nursery for krill. These crustaceans are the main food for penguins, whales and other Arctic animals. If sea ice disappears so does the krill and these will cause also the disappearance of the Arctic animals that were feeding with them. Research showed that the number of krill is lower with 80 per cent since 1970 (Adam).

"Polar bears live and hunt in snowbound lands and ice flows surrounding the North Pole. Their thick white fur and layers of fat protect them against the bitter Arctic cold. They are found on the arctic coasts and islands of the five countries around the North Pole -- the United States (Alaska), Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway and Russia. It is the only species that still lives throughout its original range, with an estimated 20,000 still in the wild." (Threat to Polar Animals Due to Global Warming) Sea ice is very important for the polar bears, and not only for them, but also for penguins and seals. These animals are spending a lot of their time on ice. They eat on ice and they give birth on ice. So if ice will disappear for a significant part of the year, these animals will be lost. The number of polar bears has already started to decrease and that is due to global warming. Scientists believe that although polar bears are great swimmers and they can swim for long distances, they drown because the number of ice sheets is becoming lower and lower.

Another arctic animal that is affected by the global warming is the walrus. Scientists discovered in summer of 2004, in the Canada Basin, a number of lonely walrus caves. They were swimming alone, far away from shore. Until then, scientists did not see walrus calves swim so far away from the shore in the summer. But because of the ice melting and the warmer temperature they need to look for food far away and let their pups alone. Walrus pups rely on their mothers until the age of two years. Sea ice is used by the walrus, especially by the walrus pups, as a resting place. Because they are left alone, they are vulnerable and an easy prey for predators. Bearded, ribbons, ringed and spotted seals are other arctic animals that are dependent of sea ice. Scientists believe that because of melting this entire branch of animals is going to suffer significant problems.

Animals from the Antarctic Peninsula are also affected by global warming. The rising of temperature determined a decrease in Adelie and Emperor penguins. These two species of penguins are the only ones dependent by ice. Adelies use sea ice for resting and feeding. Because of climate change, gentoo penguins started to migrate towards temperate climates. "The gentoo penguins thrive in open water and are using the same nesting sites that Adelies use, making things tougher for them." (Ibidem) Gentoo penguins are not the only animals that are migrating toward temperate climates. Red foxes from Canada are also migrating towards the Poles and are invading the Arctic fox's territories.