The Effect of Global Warming on the Polar Regions.

1. The Effect of Global Warming on the Polar Regions. By: Melissa Gurney

2. What is Global Warming? • An increase of the earth’s surface temperature which will in theory create the greenhouse effect caused from pollution.

3. How does Global Warming affect the ecosystems of the Polar Regions? • Polar bears and Emperor penguins will be hit the hardest. Since polar bears prefer to hunt on the sheet ice of the ice caps they will be affected greatly since the ice keeps forming later and later in the season. • Birds will also be greatly affected by the changes as well as butterflies. In Britain it has been recorded that butterflies have been arriving six days earlier than two decades ago.

4. Effect on Ecosystems Continued • Some species of freshwater fish have been affected also. They need to the cold water fed by the glaciers to survive and reproduce, but without that glacier run off they will eventually cease to exist.

5. What Are Contributing Factors to Global Warming? • Global warming has a variety of causes. • One of the largest contributing factors are gas emissions from cars, and other things such as industrial factories. • The most common gas contributing to global warming is carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is made up of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms. This gas makes up about 50% of all greenhouse gases.

6. Is Global Warming A Real Concern? • Global Warming is a very real issue. Carbon emissions are being released into the atmosphere and are causing a green house effect. • This causes a chain reaction of events such as a rising temperature of the surface of the earth, the melting of the ice caps, and in turn raising sea levels and eroding the coasts of our continents. • Global warming is not a real concern. The earth’s temperature fluctuates all the time. Most of the rise in temperature is caused by changes in trade winds. Most studies done are biased because they do not take measurements from the center of the continent. They are taken from the edges. Yes. No.

8. How Can We Save the Polar Regions From Melting? • Conserving gas by driving hybrid cars, or carpooling. Thus, lowering carbon emissions. • Using less energy such as turning the lights off when you leave a room and unplugging electrical devices you are not using at the moment. • You can take showers instead of baths, and don’t leave the water running while you brush your teeth.