The glaciers located in the North and South Pole (Arctic and Antarctic) are not only the habitat of thousands of polar species, but also perform very important roles on our planet. Currently as a consequence of global overheating, these glaciers are suffering a clear setback, with their obvious consequences for the life and balance of the earth. In this ecology article, we review the Consequences of thawing in the poles And what is the current situation of the poles, to help raise awareness of the global problem that this situation involves.
The importance of the poles on the planet Earth
Despite its remoteness, the truth is that polar caps are a very important component for life and climate on our planet, the earth.
One of its most important functions is that glacier casques of the poles contribute large amounts of water and regulate ocean circulation, thanks to the temperature and salinity differencesthus distributing a large amount of heat throughout the planet and, therefore, the climate in all regions of the planet. In addition, these currents also control the carbon cycle, providing nutrients and the optimal conditions for the development of numerous oceanic fauna and phytoplankton. Deep oceanic sediments offer a testimony of oceanic circulation in the past.
Another of its functions is that of absorb large amounts of CO2 That human beings themselves emit in our daily activities, thus cushioning climate change and their terrible consequences, which is still progressing more quickly than expected naturally.
Current Poles Situation
The current situation of Takel in the Arctic or North Pole It is somewhat more serious than in Antarctica. This is because of its geographical situation, it is more surrounded by continents and, therefore, more influenced by changes in air temperature, while Antarctica being surrounded by ocean, is more influenced by the effects of wind and temperatures in the ocean and nearby seas and not so much due to the air temperature.
It is calculated that In the Arctic, sea ice has been reduced up to 40% In the period between 1979 and 2014. In addition, the ponds that are formed in summer and spring and that absorb the color are increasingly present, increasing the thaw in the Arctic.
In Antarcticaor in the geographical area of the South Pole, it has been observed that its largest glacial, the Totten Glacial (130 km long and 30 km wide) has been melting in recent years due to the increase in the temperature of the seas and oceans. Another of the great glaciers of this pole, the Smith, has been destroyed at a rate of 2 km a year to lose about 35 km of surface. It is estimated that in the coming years, it will be Antarctica and Greenland for the most promoting the Increase in sea level.
Consequences of the thaw of the poles
We can list the Main consequences of thawing in the poles in the following:
On the one hand, the release of large carbon reserves such as methane (Greenhouse gas more powerful than CO2) stored in permafrost, or soil layer that is naturally frozen, is influencing climate change. It has been seen that ozone concentrations in Antarctica influence the winds and storms of the southern ocean. In addition, these storms constitute the main source of heat and humidity in the polar regions.
As for fauna and flora, the heating level also vegetation has changedalso affecting grazing animals and those who hunt to subsist. Studies have also found that in the southern ocean there is greater wealth and complexity of life forms because species migrate to the poles in response to heating and show interesting evolutionary trends, such as octopos that come from ancestral species. So you can surely Fauna has changed of these areas.
Another process that is being given as a consequence of heating is Migration of infectious diseases from tropical areas to polar regions. As an example, during the summer of 2014, a hundred infections due to gender bacteria were observed Vibrio (A species is causing cholera) near the coasts of Sweden and Finland. Some pathogens are also typical of the past, emerging as a result of the thaw and melting of permafrost.
He Ecological impact of the thaw The Earth’s ecosystem influences, from the plankton microscopic, which must be adapted to the increase in temperature and greater acidity of the oceans and the seas, to the migration of whales and other species.
A paradox is that climate change favors the thaw of the poles and this in turn features climate change.
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