New studies claim that harsher, unconducive climate conditions are causing a change in animal behavior, MSN News reports. Scientists studied five different animal species and aquatic life to learn how climate change affects them. As the effects of global warming reach a climax, what scientists have long feared is today’s revelation.
Polar bears are the apex predators of the northern icescapes, a terrain known for thriving icy seas. Lately, life has become a relentless race of survival for these animals because climate change makes the hunt for food more challenging. Certain events influenced by climate, such as the melting of ice on the ocean, continue to disrupt the food chain cycle.
The shift is becoming an eternal nightmare for marine life such as zooplankton, that rely on algae for survival. These aquatic life forms face incredible ordeals to feed and live in harmony with the underwater Greenland of icy seas. Today, Greenland ice is melting rapidly, which affects algae production and how these life forms feed.
Researchers at the Scottish Association for Marine Science further stipulate that the fishes, shrimps, and seals are also suffering. Global warming is making survival an arduous journey for all these creatures. Fishes and shrimps, which seals rely on for food are dwindling in numbers, because of the scarcity of zooplankton.
Similarly, puffins, another seafood lover, are seeing less of their favorite foods herring and white hake. The unfavorable living conditions have prompted these fishes to migrate north as ocean temperatures rise. The study specifically targeted Atlantic puffins found on the rocky Gulf of Maine sanctuary, home to the largest colony. Conservationists say puffins are slowly declining in numbers at a rate of 2.5 percent annually within the last two decades. Butterfish has become their alternative food choice, but their young cannot digest this species well.
Rising ocean temperatures have leatherback turtles braving violent currents to nest and feed; journeys that are twice as long today. In the sizzling ocean waters, researchers at Hubert Curien Institute in France found that; these reptiles are experiencing impossible challenges to find food.
Monarch butterflies are having their life span cut short because of torrid temperatures. Earth Institute, an extension of Columbia University, says it is a consequence of a disruption in their migration pattern. These insects are missing out on the blooming season when nectar-producing plants flourish because of their delayed journey to the south. Researchers calculated that these insects are waiting up to six months later to migrate south.
Pikas of North America have fled to nearby forests, abandoning high-alpine boulders they once called home. These mountain lovers are literally without a home when their habitats become inhospitable. A recent study published by the Journal of Mammalogy states that pikas cannot tolerate drier, less snowy, hotter terrains. With the worsening state of global warming, scientists fear these animals are less likely to find solace any time soon.
