This is a NASA satellite image showing Lake Tanganyika, East Africa

Facts about Lake Tanganyika…

• Also known as “The Fossil Water Lake” because most of the lake's water is 'dead' or fossil water that may be an estimated 20 million years old.

• It is the second largest of African lakes (containing 18% of planet’s liquid fresh water)

• Famous for its extraordinary north (Burundi) to south (Zambia) extension of 670 km, and width of 50 km.

• It’s mean depth is 570 m. & maximum depth of 1,470 m.

• Bordering countries include Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Facts continued…

• The fisheries of Lake Tanganyika currently yield approximately 200,000 tons of fish per year (equivalent value of tens of millions of US dollars).

• The lake contains 350 species of fish with new species being discovered regularly.

• Even though only a few species of fish are eaten by people, it’s the most important source of animal protein for human consumption in this region of Central Africa.

• Currently there are around 45,000 people directly involved in the fisheries operating from almost 800 sites, there around 1 million people dependent on the fishers.

• Region depends heavily on fisheries for their economy.

• Researchers have found several lines of evidence showing that the increasing air and water temperatures are shrinking fish and algae productions.

• Air temperatures over the lake have increased by about 1.5 degree Celsius, while wind speeds have diminished.

• Without any circulation of water there can be no re-supply of nutrients from the deep water to the surface waters of the lake where the algae grows.

• Algae forms the base of Lake Tanganyika’s food chain, which ultimately feeds the commercially important fish.

• Algae abundance has declined ~20 percent.

Effects Continued…

In addition to warming in lake water temperatures and decreased windiness researchers have analyzed organic matter from well-dated lake sediment cores and found clues that life in the ecosystem has been on a decline.

Climate change is harming the lakes ecosystem, overall reducing the fish populations by 1/3 over the past several years. The scientists found out that the harvest of sardines, the lake's main commercial fish, has declined by as much as 50% since the 1970s.

Mulicorer used in study

Decline in fish populations is causing several problems… *Leads to serious consequences for the regions food

supply*Serious problems of malnutrition in the area

threatening the diets of several poor nations.*Severe implications for the economy of the region’s

people who depend heavily on the lake as a natural resource.

Global Warmings Effects on Biological Clocks

• The timing of seasonal events in the life cycles of both plants and animals is shifting dramatically

• 2004 report from the Pew Center for Global Climate Change summarized over 3 dozen reports linking global warming to ecological changes in the U.S. alone

• The shifts are consistent across species, ecosystems, and geographic regions throughout the U. S.

Why should we worry?• Any given species will respond to

changing climate in its own unique way

• When this happens important links between interdependent species can be broken

• The Wildlife Society published a recent report warning of the potential upheaval of natural communities and the possible disappearance of wildlife habitats

Great Tits

• In the Netherlands springtime temperatures have increased 3.6 degrees F over the past 20 years

• The tits are still laying eggs at the same time, but winter moths whose caterpillars are the primary food source for the fledglings are reaching their peak abundance 2 weeks earlier than they did 20 years ago

The Problem

• The caterpillars themselves have also been starving lately by hatching before leaf buds on the surrounding oaks open. These leaves are there primary food source.

• These are 2 examples of interdependent links being broken, both resulting in a species being separated from its primary food source

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

• In Florida, the number of Loggerhead Sea Turtle nests counted on 13 miles of beach declined from a record high of 17,629 to a record low of 7,599 over the past 7 years

Loggerhead Continued

• 44 percent of the 7,599 nests were wiped out by hurricanes before the eggs could hatch

• Stronger hurricanes, higher sea levels and an increase in wildlife disease are all consequences of global warming

More Animals that are being Threatened

• Black Guillemots in Alaska are losing their primary prey (Arctic Cod) as sea ice recedes

• Sockeye Salmon have lost tens of thousands from their populations in British Columbia due to higher water temperatures and drought

• Intertidal organisms in California have been moving northward as sea and air temperatures rise

More Consequences• The Mexican Jays in Arizona advanced their

breeding season 10 days over 27 years in which the temperature rose 4.5 degrees F

• American Robins in Colorado are breeding 2 weeks earlier than they did 30 years ago

• Other threatened species include: American Pikes, Polar Bears, Red-Winged Blackbirds, American Lobsters, Prothonotary Warblers, and American Alligators

First Species Extinction Due to Global Warming

• The Golden Toads which are known only to inhabit Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest have disappeared.

• Amphibians are especially succeptible to climate changes

Conclusion

• After observing growing trends, it is logical to say that the world and our environment is changing too fast today for evolution to keep up and the effects have disastrous potential.

Climate Change Impacts in the Eastern Carribean

• Carribean Countries are extremely vulnerable to climate change.

Causes of Vulnerability

• Physically small in size

• Prone to natural disasters

• Limited natural resources

• High population growth rates

• Surrounded by water

• Poorly developed infrastructure

• Economies sensitive to external shocks

Climate Change Variations

• Sea level rise of 2 mm/year

• Temperature & percipitation

-change in weather patterns

(Precipitation)

-causes extreme events

-hurricanes

Natural Disasters

• (floods, drought, landslides, hurricanes)s

- Hurricane Ivan

(2004)

-Hurricane Jeannie

(2004)

Hurricanes

• Hurricane Ivan (2004)-loss of life-90% destruction of buildings-loss of tourism plant-devastation of nutmeg industry

• Hurricane Jeannie (2004)-1700 dead in Haiti-destruction of property-livelihoods

Resources at Risk

• Coastal infrastructure

• Human settlements

-Up to 90% settlement

• Utilities

• Roads

Resources at Risk• Coastal Ecosystems

-mangroves-sea grass bed-coral reefs

• Socioeconomic areas-tourism

-major employer-50% GDP Bahamas-47% GDP Barbados

-agriculture-changing weather affects crop cycles-Salt water intrusion is affecting rice industry

-health-heat stress & disease

-water

Consequences of Sea Level Rising

• Beach erosion

• Destruction of freshwater habitats

• Increase of storms

• Degradation of mangroves, sea grass bed, coral reef

Tree Swallows

• Climate change is affecting the breeding pattern of these birds

• As springs are becoming warmer, tree swallows are breeding on average about 9 days earlier now than they did 30 years ago.

• Studies in Britain show that in some cases these birds are nesting as much as 18 days earlier than 30 to 40 years ago.

Tree Swallows Cont’d

• Birds use temperature as a sign to start nesting partly because it’s a good predictor of the timing of food supplies for their young.

• If the emergence of insects doesn’t respond to the same temperature cues as birds do, nesting may become mis-timed in relation to their food supply.

• As a result, they will breed less successfully until they can make the appropriate evolutionary adjustment to their timing of breeding.

Polar Bears

• As temperatures rise, ice in arctic regions is freezing later and melting sooner than it once did.

• As as result, polar bears spend less time accumulating fat reserves each winter and more time living off those reserves each summer.

• Polar bears in the Western Hudson Bay have lost 10% of their body weight and given birth to 10% fewer cubs.

Arctic Fox

• Arctic Foxes are specially adapted to thrive in cold winters and thick snows of the far north.

• Where conditions are less extreme, the Arctic Fox is generally out-competed by its cousin, the more adaptable Red Fox.

• As temperatures are increasing, the snow-line continues to recede further and further north.

• As a result, the range of the Arctic Fox shrinks, giving way to the northward advance of the Red Fox.

Edith’s Checkerspot Butterfly

• Driven away from its home in search of cooler temperatures

• Well known for its extreme sensitivity to climate changes.

• Western regions of U.S. is where the butterfly has flourished

• Currently this butterfly has failed to survive at the southern extremes of its range due to rising temperatures.

Edith’s Checkerspot Butterfly

• Studies show that 63% of butterflies have shifted their ranges 35 to 240km northward in the past 100 years.

• Populations of butterfly in Mexico are 4x more

• Extinctions are also 2.5 times more likely at lower elevations in comparison with populations living above 8000 ft.

Gray Wolves

• Behavioral response to increased snowfall in the Isle Royale National Park has a cascade effect on the rest of the ecosystem.

• The climate change effect called the North American Oscillation has caused greater snow levels to fall in the Isle Royale area.

• As a result, gray wolves are hunting in larger packs, killing triple the number of moose that they would usually kill in smaller packs.

• Consequently, the reduction in moose population led to uninhibited growth of understory balsam fir trees since the moose were present to control its rate.

Eskimos Cope With Global Warming

Arctic

• Climate scientist since the mid-1970’s have predicted that warming would come 1st in the Arctic.

• Global warming is occurring in the Arctic twice the rate of the world avg.

• Parts of the Arctic have warmed by 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Sea ice covers 15% less of the Arctic Ocean as it did 20 yrs. Ago

• Arctic ice has lost an area the size of Texas & Arizona combined

Inupiaq culture

• Their Eskimo village is located on a barrier island

• 600 residents• Have lost 100ft-300ft

of coastline since 1997

Problems

• As Alaska’s permafrost thaws the sea is thinning-this leaves the Eskimo’s vulnerable to violent storms

• Their island is eroding – its now only a quarter mi. wide

• The loss of summer sea ice could be as soon as 2070-Ekimo’s rely on the summer harvest at the edge of the ice

• Temps. Are likely to increase 4-7 degrees, which will cause the white reflective ice to be replaced by heat-absorbing darker land and ocean surfaces

Changes for Eskimo’s

• Ice- fishing season has moved from Oct. to Dec. because the ocean is freezing later

• Berry picking begins in July Instead of August

• Thin ice makes it harder to hunt oogruk-the bearded seal that is a staple of their diet and culture

• Now have longer distances and riskier journeys to get food

Changes continued…

• Gray whale has become skinny & smells rancid-cant eat this

• Eskimo’s are well prepared to craft igloos out of alternative materials-soil, branches & whale blubber

• “As the Artic changes, the Ancient Inupiaq culture will be forced to change as well, perhaps becoming as unrecognizable as the new landscape.”