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| Giant Sunfish or 'Mola' |
But the face of climate change is especially prominent along the coast. Marine ecosystems are changing and moving at rates that far outpace changes on land.
"...researchers have discovered that the warmer temperatures are causing marine species to change their breeding times and shift their homes. This could have broad implications not only for ocean ecosystems, but could also drastically impact fisheries and nations that rely on this industry.
researchers conducted a three-year research project that assembled a large database of 1,735 changes in marine life. They examined global peer-reviewed literature and, in the end, found that 81 percent of changes were in a direction that was consistent with climate change.
What did they find? It turns out that many species are shifting north. In fact, the leading edge or "front line" of phytoplankton, zooplankton and bony fish is moving toward the poles at an average rate of 45 miles per decade--far faster than the terrestrial average of four miles per decade. In addition, the scientists found that breeding has advanced by more than four days in the spring. That's nearly twice the figure for the same advancement on land.
"Most of the effects we saw were as expected from changes in climate," said Mike Burrows at SAMS in a news release. "So, most shifts in the distributions of, say, fishes and corals, were towards the poles, and most events in springtime, like spawning, were earlier."
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| Humpback Breaching at Barkley Sound |
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| Black Bear Snatching Young Humboldt from Tofino Beach |
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| Pelicans Visiting Race Rocks |
4 comments:
I have often thought, Mound, if people could have more direct experiences of nature, as you obviously do, that they would feel far more keenly how badly we mistreat the earth. Thanks for reminding us of the inter-connectedness of everything.
Good point, Lorne. As an urban youth, I had no appreciation for nature and wildlife. My first brief camping experience was in my 12th grade and it was sporadic, but slowly meaningful after that.
I remember in my 20s debating my environmentalist friends on how solving employment inequities and racism was paramount to focusing on the environment. I feel ashamed to have missed the boat so long ago.
That has changed and increased tenfold since seeing so much of the natural world since then and marveling at its beauty and strength. Plus learning of how detrimental our behaviour on the planet has been.
It's said that one coping strategy for climate change adaptation is to increase urban population concentrations. The idea, as I understand it, is to herd masses into high density centres where their consumption and emissions footprints can be minimized.
Unfortunately as we go down that path we will only worsen the isolation of the public from nature which can lead to "out of sight, out of mind" results.
As for species migrations, the Grey whales that used to forage in summer in the Bering Sea are now having to go much further, into the Beaufort, in pursuit of their prey. What is happening in the result is they're having to migrate much further and so losing body mass. I have seen photographs where the whale's spine protrudes as it would on an emaciated horse. We can only hope they manage to adapt in time.
Greed trumps common sense every time. There is no-one more greedy than, Harper and the Campbell/Clark BC Liberals. Premier Redford also belongs with the polluters.
The Dilbit is a lethal cocktail, that kills everything in it's path when it spills. When spilled in water, it sinks to the bottom.
I read the acid in the ocean is, found right up to the shores of BC. This eats the shells off the Crustaceans which will affect other species, of marine life as well.
It is as they say. Man is the most destructive animal on earth and, the most stupid ones at that.
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