GLOBAL WARMING!


A very big subject not getting enough attention.

(originally written in 2004)
I put together a few thoughts on how some species like chipmunks might be "good" indicators for the effects of global warming a littler earlier in this blog. I want to broaden the discussion now. A good place to start is a new study that has just coming out looking at the impacts of global warming to California. Here's a link to a news article about the report. The report is still in draft form and being circulated for public comment and input.

The report itself is large, over 21 Megs, like the subject itself. You can download it here. A few initial points taken from the report follow.

We can expect substantial affects to California in about 20 years, the report indicates, warning that the state is more vulnerable because of its coastline, its climate and its dependence on Sierra Nevada snowpack for water and hydroelectricity. Among other things, think about a shorter ski season in the Sierra, and poorer habitat for endangered salmon in lower streams. It may mean more wildfires and more floods. Extreme heat waves, easier spread of diseases and increased air pollution all could imperil health.

As with the ebb and flow of the Ice Age, warmer temperatures mean grass and oak woodlands and chaparral will grow higher into the mountains over the next 100 years, while conifer forests can grow above the current tree line. 100 years is a blink in geologic time, and the relatively quick change will disrupt ecosystems that need millennia to adapt. Invasive species that already threaten native plants and animals may be quick to fill that void.

Plants and animals already stressed by human activities, will be further stressed by climate change and variability. Wildlife will have to adapt to changing habitats. Some species will move, others may alter their behavior. Some may not be able to adapt. The number of threatened and endangered species in the state, already the largest in the contiguous 48 states, could rise significantly due to these combined stresses.

I'm just beginning to go through the details of this new report as well as look more closely at other sources of information on this subject. I think we all should do the same.

Posted: Sat - March 1, 2008 at 10:46 PM          

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