CLIMATE CHANGE 1

ERIKA DURAN BAHENA

By definition a climate change is when there is a change in

earths weather routine due to human activity (such as producing to
much carbon dioxide to the atmosphere) and/or based on nature.
However, everything goes hand in hand; if one thing is badly affected
by another, it will effect the life that lives there, the environment, and
everything around it.
A good example will be global warming. Global warming is the
heating of the earth caused by an excessive amount of carbon dioxide
being released into the air. Nevertheless, that is a universal topic,
everyone knows about the over heating of the earth surface and ice in
Antarctica, but what about the ocean? Do people know that the ocean
is also heating up causing huge affects on the animals that live there?
For every ten joules of energy that is being released into the
earth the ocean absorbs about nine joules. The ocean is acting like a
sponge; it is absorbing the energy that is being released. Decreasing
the amount of heat energy that is being released into the surface.
Unfortunately, with this act, the ocean is increasing its pH levels
making it harder for the ocean animals to live in. Will they adapt to this
change? It is possible, but if the pH and heating of the ocean keeps
speeding up, not only will the animals not have enough time to adapt
but it may even cause many species to migrate to new ocean
territories.

Since 90% of global warming is being absorbed into the heating

the ocean. People may feel less affected with this fact because they
feel like it is not affecting them because they are not living in the
ocean. Unfortunately, if all the animals in the ocean die, it will throw of
the ecosystem, and then it will cause many bigger problems. Luckily,
we still have time, it takes a lot more energy to warm up the ocean
then it does to the land or atmosphere. It takes about a decade for the
ocean to warm up to 0.025 degrees Celsius. Most of the oceans
heating is located about seven-hundred meters into the ocean. This is
definitely the case for the Southern and Antarctica oceans.
Now that we mention Antarctica, it is more than obvious that the
ice is melting, most of it does have to do with it being on the surface of
the water so it brings to the conclusion that the reason that it is
melting is because the sun is shining right on it. Many people do not
think that it has to do with the water heating as well. Once the ice is
gone, where will the animals in Antarctica go? This does not only affect
the animals that live in the ocean but every other living organism that
lives all around the ocean, including us.
The ocean water also has its effects on us, warmer water also
means that the sea level will rise, this means the ocean will expand
and rise along the coasts. This will bring major problems to the cities
living along the coast of the ocean creating floods and terrorizing

CLIMATE CHANGE 3
ERIKA DURAN BAHENA
homes and infrastructure. As you can see, everything goes hand in
hand, one thing affects the other, lets act for a better change.

Work cite:
Mulvaney, Kieran. "7. The Ocean is Warming." DNews. N.p., 22 Apr.
2013. Web. 06 Apr. 2015.
Upton, John. Ocean warming: Probing a Blue Abyss Climate Central.
30 Dec. 2014. Web. 06 Apr. 2015.