Migration of Whales
Article: http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/whale
Source: World Wildlife Fund
Date Published: September 18, 2014
Summary
A great threat to whales is climate change. Due to the warming of oceans and loss of sea ice in the Arctic and Antarctic, whales, such as the humpbacks, have began to migrate north. The affect of the warmth causes the plants and animals whales feed on to move or for there to be fewer plants and animals available. As the change in climate alters the seawater, winds and ocean currents, it causes whales to move to another region for food. Some whales have to migrate further than others, allowing less time to find food. The effect of these factors has lowered the reproductive rates of whales.
Relevance
This relates to the study of ecology. The climate changes are not just to the ecosystems of whales but to the entire biosphere itself. Humans recently are blaming themselves for causing climate change, and have provided evidence that this belief is true. Climate change occurs because greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, become trapped in the atmosphere causing the temperature to rise. Therefore, this heats the oceans and melts ice, and the whales migrate.
When is it predicted that this change in migration may occur in the future?
ReplyDeleteSome of this change has already started to occur and still is today.
DeleteIf the whales move north, how would they have the same types of food? How would they know what to eat to have a diet that is needed for them?
ReplyDeleteWhales have a very wide range for their diet. They are carnivorous and eat many different organisms within the ocean. Once the whales have migrated north, they will still have food available because there will still be organisms it can consume. http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/nmml/education/cetaceans/humpback.php
Deletewhat are some ways as humans that we can reduce or eliminate the problem?
ReplyDeletewhat are some ways that us as humans can reduce or eliminate this problem?
ReplyDelete