Flora & Fauna Changes

It is believed that many of the environmental changes that are happening globally are the result of dramatic changes in the Earth's climate. According to scientists, saving wildlife from the threat of global warming will require more than a reduction of global pollution.

Many believe that to help both flora (plant life) and fauna (animal life) cope with the stress caused by climate change, those in charge of managing natural resources must take considered action to reduce non-climatic stressors, many of which are the result of human influence. In the case of the polar bear, this means that managers of natural resources within the regions of their habitat must limit oil and gas development within their natural environment. Many of these habitat areas are threatened by the ever increasing oil and gas industries.

In some parts of Alaska protection of the polar bear has been reduced and oil and gas development has been allowed to continue in important polar bear habitat areas even though the polar bear is now listed as a threatened species.

It would be reasonable to assume that climatic zones worldwide may shift with climate change. A climatic zone is an area where certain types of weather conditions are expected at specific times of year. This could mean that some species, even farm based varieties, may no longer be able to survive in their current locations. The ability of flora, fauna and other natural ecosystems to exist would depend on their ability to adapt readily and survive any possible changes.

Perhaps some could survive, but certain species, tolerant of only a small range of varied temperature, may be unable to move their range at a fast enough pace and as a result could become extinct simply because they can no longer survive the changing conditions. This could be an eventuality for the polar bear and many scientists believe the loss of the polar bear habitat is a very real possibility.

It is widely believed that global warming has lead to an increase in the loss of polar bear habitat. Some see that the climate is changing and evidence of melting ice-sheets and snow, temperature increases of several oceans and rising sea levels support these ideas. Other changes, such as growing water acidity and the number of coral bleaching events, may also increase and could affect the oceans even more drastically.

There are many possibilities, including the belief that growing concentrations of greenhouse gases within the atmosphere will continue to drive the increase in the world's average temperature. This is called the enhanced greenhouse effect and it may also lead to dramatic changes to many of the Earths flora and fauna ecosystems.