An Overview on the Ecological Effects Due to Global Warming

An increase in the average temperature of thein the extinction of many species and a reduction in
earth's atmosphere, especially a sustained increasethe diversity of ecosystems, above about a 4°C
sufficient to cause climatic change, this is due to airincrease in global mean temperature after fifty years
pollution. In 2007 the UN intergovernmental Panel onwill lead to the extinction of many freshwater
Climate Change forecasted that by 2100 globalspecies. Similarly for the marine ecosystems would
average surface temperatures would increase 3.2 -result in mass mortality of coral reefs globally and the
7.2 °F, depending on a range of scenarios forTerrestrial ecosystems with a warming of more
greenhouse gas emissions, and stated that it wascompared to now will likely that global terrestrial
now 90 percent certain that most of the warmingvegetation would become a net source of carbon
observed over century attributed by emissions ofand lead to major extinctions around the globe.
gases produced by human activities. The basicWater containing toxic substances and chemical
problem related to global temperature will cause seafertilizers kill aquatic organisms and the Eutrophication
levels to rise and will change the ecological balancealso causes the death of aquatic organisms. The
and pattern of precipitation, probably includinggases released from various industries will result in
expansion of subtropical deserts. Warming isthe acid rain which corrodes the plants and also
expected to be strongest in the Arctic and would beaffects the absorption system of plants leading to
associated with continuing transformation of glaciersthe death hence affecting the food web.
and sea ice into sea water, other likely effects3. Effect on the species leading to extinction
include changes in the frequency and intensity ofThe population of living organisms that cannot adapt
extreme weather events, species extinctions.to the environment decreases and finally becomes
Global warming is the rapid increase in the earthextinct due to spraying of chemicals made from
surface temperature due to the greenhouse gasespesticides this affects the secretion of hormones and
released by the human activity or the burning ofthe reproduction processes in the animals.
fossil fuels to increase the concentration of pollutantDeforestation and soil erosion carried out by humans
content and as a result of that the increase indestroys the habitats and affects the lives of many
temperature has increased nearly doubled in the lastwildlife species for example the Coral reefs are
50 years and still it is continued, warming modifiesbreeding grounds for many aquatic species the
rainfall patterns, amplifies coastal erosion, lengthensdestruction of corals reef due to oil spills or sewage
the growing season in some regions, melts ice capsdisposal from factories results in the extinction of
and glaciers, and alters the ranges of some infectiousmany aquatic species and disturbing the ecology of
diseases. The major greenhouse gases are wateraquatic system.
vapor, which causes about 34-50 percent of the4. Effect on the Polar ice caps melting
greenhouse effect; carbon dioxide which causes 5-20The effects on ecosystems, warming reduce the
percent; methane (CH4), which causes 1-5 percent;ocean's ability to absorb CO2 and the amount of
and ozone (O3), which causes 1-4 percent and someoxygen dissolved in the oceans may decline, with
others are oxides of nitrogen and Chlorofluorocarbon.adverse consequences for ocean life it will raise sea
Recently according to the NASA sources theirlevels this is due to the reduction in incoming solar
satellites has record a host of vital signs includingradiation, reflection of that energy back into space,
atmospheric aerosols, factories, fires, deserts, andfluctuations in atmospheric and oceanic carbon dioxide
erupting volcanoes, atmospheric gases (includingand methane levels, increased amounts of dust in the
greenhouse gases), energy radiated from Earth'satmosphere such as that resulting from volcanic
surface and the Sun, ocean surface temperatureactivity and heightened winds.. According to the
changes, global sea level, the extent of ice sheets,National Snow and Ice Data Center, if all glaciers
glaciers and sea ice, plant growth, rainfall, cloudmelted today the seas would rise about 230 feet
structure, and more causing the global warming.that means our existence will be nowhere. The
There are various effect on the ecology due to themelting ice caps will throw the global ecosystem out
global warming some of them are listed they are asof balance. Predicting the future of the ice caps is a
follows:difficult task. It is complicated by the interactions of
1. Effect on the Human beingthe various factors that control the ice. One example
The Air pollution caused by the human activity likeis the possibility that the warming climate will reduce
that from heavy industries causes various diseasesthe areal extent of ice in the polar regions.The ice
like bronchitis and asthma, the inflammation of thecaps are fresh water, and when they melt they will
respiratory tract and weakens the immune systemdesalinate the ocean. The temperature rises and
and the polluted air released by the heavy industriesmelting of polar icecaps in the arctic will endanger
is the main source of heavy metal pollution which canseveral species of animals.
causes organ damages and death. The heavy metalGlobal warming poses one of the most serious
cadmium and mercury causes damage to the kidney,threats to the global environment ever faced in
lungs and the heart whereas the radioactive wasteshuman history. The environmental community rightly
can cause cancer. According to therecognizes global warming as one of the gravest
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)threats to the planet. Global temperatures are already
has made the following conclusion related to globalhigher than they've ever been in at least the past
warming affecting the human kind; the health statusmillennium, and the increase is accelerating even
of millions of people would be affected through likefaster than scientists had predicted. The expected
increases in malnutrition; increased deaths, diseasesconsequences include coastal flooding, increases in
and injury due to extreme weather events; increasedextreme weather, spreading disease, and mass
burden of diarrhoeal diseases; increased frequency ofextinctions. An effective strategy or framework has
cardio-respiratory diseases due to high concentrationsto be developed to reduce the global warming at the
of ground-level ozone in urban areas related toearliest otherwise we already know the
climate change and altered spatial distribution of someconsequences because we have the responsibility to
infectious diseases like dengue and malaria.give back the same time what we had received to
2. Effect on the Ecology or Naturethe next generation. Let us keep our environment
The climate change due to the global warming resultsgreen and clean to suit our future and generation.