Their coats camouflage them during hunting it helps them blend in with the snow and ice. The bear characteristic makes them able to survive in such cold weather. Global warming has a tremendous effect on the wellbeing of polar bears and their habitat. Global warming has put on a lot of stress to many parts of the earth. It makes the sea rise, and when this happen
Oil spills in this area would be extremely damaging because toxins from the oil remain in cold water for a longer period of time. The oil would also concentrate in the locations that provide breathing holes and congregations spots for these mammals. The toxins from an oil spill would stay in these marine mammals and have harmful effects on the related food chain when they are preyed and scavenged upon. The noise and disruption that would result from drilling would disrupt the navigation patterns and social interactions of these mammals. Out of all the marine mammals that would be affected, the bowhead whale would feel the worst affects of drilling.
Rising temperatures are already affecting Alaska, where the spruce bark beetle is breeding faster in the warmer weather. These beetles now breed an extra generation each year, this brings more problems, from 1993 to 2003, they ruined (chewed up) 3.4 million acres of Alaskan forest. Melting glaciers and land-based ice sheets also add to rising sea levels. This threatens low-lying areas around the globe with beach erosion, coastal flooding, and also contaminates the fresh water supplies. At
To add to this these methods need vast amounts of energy for extraction, causing the high extraction cost and with this also pollute greatly as the oil is extracted and so raise CO2 and other GHG emissions before the fuel is even burnt. Some of the environmental cost in these areas would be evident. The Canadian Tar Sands, Arctic and the marine ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico are rich in biodiversity and pristine areas of wildlife and any spills of oil in these areas could be disastrous. The Arctic tundra is very sensitive to human interference and the Canadian Tar Sands is home to thousands of species of animals and is one of the largest bird migration centres in the world, millions of birds use this areas every year and groundwater depletion is another major problem as groundwater needs to be pumped out during mining operations otherwise flooding will occur. Reducing ground water levels will have consequences on the wider ecosystem and it will affect wetlands.
Most disturbing are the attacks on very young Lodgepole Pine as a lot of this volume has actually been reforested from previous cutting and contributes to the province’s sustained cut (AAC). The AAC is now threatened not only from losing mature volumes but also losing the successive regeneration that we have come to rely on for the future. On their own, the beetles can fly 1 or 2 kilometers (kms), but with the right wind currents can fly more than 100 kms, which explains their ability to cross the Rocky Mountains into Alberta. This is significant in terms of threat as it now becomes a National concern with the MPB has adapting to attacking the Jack pine forests that cover areas of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and
Environmental Hazards a. In the St. Lawrence River, lots of industry has resulted in high levels of toxic chemical such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and heavy metals. b. Because these toxins affect not only one specie but also all of species that are interconnected by food chain. c. These pollution decline beluga’s immune system, get disease easily that linked to low birth rates of belugas which have lived in the St. Lawrence River.
The air quality on the shoreline of Lake Huron is the worst in the south Ontario area. (Sivers, A, n.d) Sediment loading is known to high levels of deferred solids being washed into creeks and rivers and carried down into the lake. (Sivers, A, n.d) Sediment loading can also be caused by dredging which can cause a decrease in food source for the aquatic life. With having foreign vessels follow in and out of the lake from the Atlantic is also causing problems. With the vessels having foreign aquatic life attached to the bottom of the ship and also leaking fluids into the lake while passing through.
With the depletion of the forest that converts the carbon dioxide into oxygen it has monumental negative effects on the planet as a whole. “Eleven developing countries recently linked to 82 percent of the carbon dioxide buildup due to deforestation will likely come under the greatest pressure for change: Brazil, Indonesia, Colombia, Cote D’Ivoire, Thailand, Laos, Nigeria, Vietnam, Philippines, Myanmar (Formally Burma) and India”. (“cooper”) One of the major locations deforestation is in the south Asian country Thailand. “Located wholly within the tropics, Thailand encompasses diverse ecosystem, including the hilly forested areas of the northern frontier, the fertile rice fields of the central plains, the broad plateau of the northeast, and the rugged coast along the narrow peninsula.”(“Thailand”). Since the formation of the country Thailand
Natural emission sources of SO2 and NOx include volcanic eruptions and lightening, however unfortunately, there are numerous man-made activities that produce far greater quantities of these gases, such as, the combustion of fossil fuels, industrial manufacturing processes and automobile exhausts. It is estimated that in the atmosphere two thirds of SO2 and one fourth of NOx molecules come from electric power generators alone. Impacts of acid rain: • Soil: Acidification of soil results in K+, Mg+ and Ca+ leaching out of solution, causing nutrient deficiency and loss of soil fertility. • Vegetation: Acid rain causes anatomical alterations in the leaves of tropical trees leaving them venerable to disease. • Aquatic ecosystems: Acid rain makes water bodies, such as streams, rivers and lakes, acidic.
Unfortunately, humans are the most polluting species on the planet. Pollution occurs at different levels and it doesn't just impact our planet; it impacts all species, including mankind, who dwell on it. We pollute water with chemicals and waste products from factories.Water pollution has led to a decrease in the number of various aquatic animals. Several aquatic life forms are on the verge of extinction. Vehicles, trains and planes emit toxic gases, creating air pollution.