Species HealthBy Ford Thompson & Jack Ogilvie

-Coral reefs-found among the shores of tropical islands and oceans (1)-Coral bleaching-induced by natural and human causes. (1) ex.: sea temperatures, solar irradiance, sedimentation, xenobiotics (foreign chemical

compounds), and freshwater dilution. (1)-Continuous changing sea temperatures-most prominent effectors of coral bleaching. (1)-Global warming causes sea temperature to rise causes the coral to get rid of their food

producing algae (bleaching). (1)- In 2005, the US lost half of its coral reefs in the Caribbean due to a massive bleaching

event. (1)

Coral Bleaching

-Most polar bears can be found in the Arctic region. (3)-Environment Cold, snowy, ice caps, and mountains with below freezing sea

temperatures. (3) -Due to global warming, the climate of the Arctic region has been rapidly increasing (3)-ice melts, and water warms (3)-Causes the rapid death of fish (Lowers food supply) (3)-Over the past decade the polar bear species has decreased to only 25,000 polar bears

around the world. (3)- Loss in sea ice has been reported to be linked to the endangerment of polar bears

because they rely on it during their hunting season (3)http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/environment/threats-to-animals-environment/polar-bears/

Polar Bear Starvation

-Global Warming changes an area's climate (2)-forces species to move to higher altitudes or latitudes, adapt, or become extinct. (2)

-Animals like pikas and shrews moved in the past, but humans prevent this now (2)

-According to University of Copenhagen scientist, David Nogues-Bravo, "Between 50,000 and 3,000 years before present, 65% of mammal species weighing over (97 pounds) went extinct" due to climate changes. (2)

Extinctions

-1/3 of all amphibians threatened by climate change (4)-43% have shown a decline in population size (4)-Since 1980, 165 extinct species of amphibians (4)-67% of the 110 species of Central and South American Harlequin frogs (4) -78%-83% of the amphibian extinctions have occurred since 1975 (3x rate of increase in temperature). (4)

Frogs

-British salmon numbers fell by 50 percent (1985-2004) (2)-British trout numbers fell by 67 percent (1985-2004) (2)-following hot, dry summers of 1990, 2000 and 2003. (2)-Need cold water to survive (2)

Trout and Salmon

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/

http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/fact_sheets/pdfs/Climate_Change_and_Wildlife_Health.pdf

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2011-08-18/national/35269426_1_camille-parmesan-species-higher-latitudes

Useful Links

Coral Reef Bleaching. Odyssey Expeditions, 1998. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. <http://www.marinebiology.org/coralbleaching.htm>. (1)

Desoine, Dana. "Effects of Climate Change on the Biosphere." Science Online. Facts on File, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. <http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin=OFPB0007&SingleRecord=True>. (2)

Polar Bears' Food Is Threatened Due to Climate Change. Huffington Post, 29 Nov. 2012. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/29/polar-bears-food-climate-change_n_2206789.html>. (3)

Rice, Stanley A. "Biodiversity of Amphibians." Encyclopedia of Biodiversity. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Science Online. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. <http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin=ENBIOD0005&SingleRecord=True>. (4)

Works Cited

http://oceanicdefense.blogspot.com/2009/07/coral-bleaching-likely-in-caribbean.htmlhttp://www.defenders.org/polar-bear/basic-facts

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=polar+bear+starvation&view=detail&id=C3150981458A98A815B05933DB2813A758805DC4&first=1&adlt=stricthttp://www.bing.com/images/search?q=polar+bear+starvation&view=detail&id=51EFF9EE06161BDD549392A784CD680E8F2786BA&first=1&adlt=stricthttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Ochotona_princeps.jpg/220px-Ochotona_princeps.jpghttp://animal.discovery.com/tv/a-list/creature-countdowns/hissy-fits/images/hissy-shrew.jpghttp://amphibianrescue.org/amphibianwordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Atelopus-varius.jpg

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/files/2009/02/Colombia-frog-picture-lede.jpghttp://www.newscientist.com/blogs/nstv/Limosa%20Harlequin%20Frog.JPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Salmo_trutta.jpg/220px-Salmo_trutta.jpg

http://www.newslincolncounty.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/coho_salmon.jpg

Works Cited (images)