In the past few years, the average temperature increased to
a noticeable level. Summer season became hotter and hotter. Many plants that
used to grow in cold weather started to
retreat
to polar zones. Although the increase in the temperature may not appear much,
the effect on the ecosystem is dramatic (Root).
Increasing temperature results in a decrease in plant biodiversity
The short periods of ice during winter season near mountains
areas affect the biodiversity of the plants in colder zones. The thickness of
the glacier layers showed a decrease in the thickness during the past hundred
years and the extent of summer seasons near the Arctic zone. The increase in
the temperature forced the alpine floras to the top of the mountains. The cold
zone floras bloom extended due to extend of summer. Although the extent in the
blooming periods of the floras during the summer season; the continuous
increase in the temperatures in colder zones resulted in a crawl of warm zone
floras cover in the Arctic and a retreat of cold zones flora cover. The retreat
of colder flora against the warm flora cover threatens the biodiversity near
the mountain’s areas; where the cold climate is overcome by a longer summer
season
(Crawford).
Evidence of increasing temperature affects plant growth and yield
A team of researchers in the International Rice Research
Institute explored the effect of increasing temperature and global warming on
the yield of rice. The group examined the yield of the institute farm between
the years 1992 and 2003. They correlated the 10% decline of the rice grain
yield with the increase in the annual temperature minimum and maximum, 0.35
oC
and 1.3
oC respectively. The group concluded that the decline was in
close relation to the increase in the temperature during night time between the
investigated years
(Peng).
The increase in carbon dioxide ratios
The emission of carbon
dioxide gas into the atmosphere coming from burning fuel due to
industrialization increased the level of carbon dioxide gas level. The increase
in levels of greenhouse gas—carbon dioxide gas— showed a strong relation
to the increase of the temperature
(Bazzaz). Carbon dioxide gas
(CO
2) in the atmosphere acts as a trap for the sun rays, preventing
rays from reflecting into space. As the level of CO
2 increases, an
increase in the rate of aquatic phytoplankton and algae photosynthesis happens
leading to blooming effect. Many studies argued that although the increase of
photosynthesis rates should be accompanied by a high release of oxygen gas (O
2),
the decomposition of a large scale of phytoplankton results in the consumption
of O
2 in the lower part of the water body. Recently, many lakes in
Europe suffer the Eutrophication—well-nourished— that cause less biodiversity
in lakes and threaten the aquatic animal’s life
(Smith).
Many other factors are investigated to give a complete
picture of factors accompanying global warming. Researchers are working hard to
contain the problems associated with global warming.
The global warming started to increase to an alarming level
that cannot be ignored. People should stop acting as if the researchers’ results
are speculations and start treating global warming as a fact already happening.
References:
Bazzaz, F.A. "The response of natural ecosystems
to the rising global CO2 levels ." Annual review of ecology and
systematics 21.1 (1990): 167-196.
Crawford, R.M. "Cold climate plants in a warmer
world." Plant Ecology & Diversity 1.2 (2008): 285-297.
Peng, S., Huang, J., Sheehy, J.E., Laza, R.C.,
Visperas, R.M., Zhong, X., Centeno, G.S., Khush, G.S. and Cassman, K.G.
"Rice yields decline with higher night temperature from global
warming." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 101.27
(2004): 9971-9975.
Root, T. L., Price, J. T., Hall, K. R., Schneider, S.
H., Rosenzweig, C., & Pounds, J. A. "Fingerprints of global warming
on wild animals and plant." Nature 421.6918 (2003): 57-60.
Smith, V.H., Tilman, G.D. and Nekola, J.C.
"Eutrophication: impacts of excess nutrient inputs on freshwater, marine,
and terrestrial ecosystems." Environmental pollution 100.1-3
(1999): 179-196.
