Home » Environment » Global Warming in Ocean – Causes and Effects

Global Warming in Ocean – Causes and Effects

by Sekar Puspa

Have you ever wonder why the temperature of our earth becomes hotter recently? Also, you may have seen the news on your television that we must be aware of global warming. Moreover, people say that the flood occurs in their country is caused by global warming. Yet, what is actually global warming?

Global warming is known as the increase of Earth’s average surface temperature due to the heat which is being trapped and would not escape the earth. This situation is linked with the effect of greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide emissions come from burning fossil fuels and deforestation.

In fact, the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate. This occurs caused by the carbon dioxide and other air pollutants collect in the atmosphere and absorb the sunlight which has bounced off the earth’s surface. These gasses trapped the heat and cause the earth to get hotter.

As the consequence, what are the cause of global warming? Then, read the following statement to know more.

Further reading:

Causes

One of the causes of Global Warming in Ocean is the presence of greenhouse gasses. What are greenhouse gasses? Well, oxygen and nitrogen which are the main constituents of the atmosphere are included as the greenhouse gasses. Besides, there are kinds of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. Here they are.

  • Water vapor : Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas which can be increased as the earth’s atmosphere warms.
  • Carbon dioxide (CO2) : In fact, human activities have increased the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. Indeed, this one resulting in global warming.
  • Methane : Methane is a hydrocarbon gas produced by natural sources and human activities including the decomposition of wastes in landfills and agricultural practices.
  • Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) :  The one that contributes to the destruction of the ozone layer. This could result in global warming.
  • Nitrous Oxide : One of greenhouse gasses is the nitrous oxide which is produced by soil cultivation practices.

However, one that takes part in causing the Global Warming in Ocean is the increases in atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) which also cause the increase in temperature. Moreover, CO2 can remain in the atmosphere for hundred of years. Indeed, the more levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, then the higher temperatures it will be.
On the other hand, what makes the increased carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere?

As a result, it is stated that human beings have the main role in it. People have the big responsibility in causing the increase of temperature due to their bad activities. In fact, nearly 22 billion tons of carbon dioxide go into the atmosphere per year caused by human beings.

Besides, this increased level is associated with many factors. For instance, fossil fuel contributes a lot to make the higher temperature at the earth. Further, we all have known that fossil fuel is really valuable to be used in a daily life. We can use it to support the transportation system, heating, and even for the manufacture of cement.
Not only caused by the fossil fuel, but deforestation plays a big role in this case.

Deforestation which is the conversion of forested area to non-forest land for use can lead to imbalances the habitat and biodiversity. Also, with deforestation, there will be no trees which can help to absorb the carbon dioxide in the air. Further, a significant increase of deforestation has been rapidly growing in some tropical countries.

Read also:

Effects

Due to the presence of increasing level of earth’s temperature, then there are several big impacts which can affect human’s life. To know more, check the following statement below.

1. Changes in Climate

The Higher temperature is caused by the presence of higher level of carbon dioxide in the air. The warming atmosphere can hold more moisture and lead to the increasing level of water vapor by 7% for every degree centigrade of warming. This gives the big impact in climate changing. For instance, the earth has shown the changes in rainfall patterns which lead to droughts, fires, and flooding in some areas.

Besides, global warming does not only give the impact to the rainfall patterns. In fact, there is some evidence that has shown regions are likely to get drier area than before. This also could lead to longer dry spells.

So far, global warming has shown the big effect to both of them. Besides, too much or too little water will be a problem. People who live in different places will suffer from different events, too. That is why we need to find a way to lower the effect of global warming from now on.

2. Rising Seas Level

The earth has warned us to protect him. Due to the climate change which is linked to global warming, then it can cause the rising seas level. As a matter of fact, rising seas level is caused by factors that are associated with global warming: the increase in the volume water in the world’s oceans, then resulting in rising global seas level, the thermal expansion which will lead to the melting ice sheets and glaciers on land which makes the expansion of the water. As the consequence, higher sea temperature will affect to the melting massive ice shelves that extend out from Antarctica.

This condition is believed to continue for centuries and very likely at a faster rate and in bigger amounts. As a result, the question comes up about if the sea levels rise, where will all the people go? Indeed, if the sea levels rise, the presence of low-lying cities is in danger for sure.

Consequently, sea levels rise can affect to the human populations in coastal and natural environments like marine ecosystems including the destructive erosion, wetland flooding, and loss habitat for fish, birds, and plants.

See also:

3. Leads to Extreme Events

As the earth suffer from climate change and rising sea levels, both of these can lead to “wilder weather”. There will be the increasing the presence of extreme events including floods and hurricanes. The hurricanes are more likely comes because they get their energy from warm ocean water.

Also, the change of rainfall pattern has a role in making the heavier rain and the stronger hurricane. Not only for that, global warming can affect to another extreme events like the harm corps which will give the bad impact to human’s living.

4. Spreads of Disease

The melting of ice caps, the flood, and the climate changes can give the bad impact to human’s living. For instance, the presence of the flood could unravel the new deadly diseases including the chronic diarrhea. As a result of climate change, there could be the new finding about danger viruses and bacteria which is brought by the bad weather.

At this point, cholera is one of deadly outbreaks which the presence is increased by the climate change. This disease spread through contaminated water due to the poor sanitation in developing countries. Further, cholera kills more than a hundred thousand people globally per year.

Besides, extreme weather patterns could bring more habitat of the mosquitoes that can carry the illnesses such as Malaria to Zika. Also, there will be likely the presence of allergies, asthma, and infectious outbreaks due to the higher level of air pollutions. Hence, we should find the prevention for this case in order getting a better life.

Read also:

5. Animal Populations are in Danger

As have described, climate changes caused by global warming can lead to the widespread vanishing of animal populations. For instance, this case is associated with the following widespread habitat loss near the poles. This also resulting in endangered polar bears which caused by the shortening of their feeding season.

Not only for that, some animals are being forced to change their behaviors. As a result, the birds are migrating earlier as the spring arrives sooner than before.

6. Bleaching of Coral Reefs

Due to the warming seas, it affects to the damaging coral reefs as well as the increased level of carbonic acid formation. As a matter of fact, the increased level of water temperatures brought stress on corals as they are sensitive to the changing water temperature. Consequently, if the water temperature is being higher than usual, the zooxanthellae will be lose and the corals turn to white color.

Also, the increased level of carbonic acid formation or known as the acidification could bring the negative impacts to organisms around coral reefs. Indeed, snails and claims will hardly absorb the calcium carbonate to build their shells due to the presence of ocean acidification.

See also: Acidification of The Ocean

7. Loss of Plankton

The rising of water temperature of world’s ocean could stop the oxygen production by phytoplankton. This would likely affect to the mass mortality of ocean’s organisms and also humans as well. Indeed, there is a link between plankton production and the fish populations in the ocean.

The warming oceans will cause phytoplankton biomass to decrease as it will also build the blocks of marine life. This depletion of plankton amount in the ocean could affect to the reducing fish biomass globally. The enormous amount of loss of plankton could also affect the ecosystem of sea lions, sea otters, sea urchins, and other fish populations.

Read also: Marine Energy

How to Deal with Global Warming

As you can read above, we are facing the negative effects of global warming. This warming temperature occurs globally and gives the bad impacts to human’s living. Hence, we have to do something to deal with global warming. Here are a few solutions we can have to lower the progress of global warming.

  • Reducing the Carbon Emissions

As a matter of fact, we use fossil fuels to power the electricity. However, the burning process of fossil fuels could support the global warming effects. Indeed, the fossil fuels could increase the amount of carbon in the living biosphere. This case brings serious and negative effects to human’s living. As a result, we have to change the use of fossil fuels with the alternative one.

In fact, we are looking for the energy which is enormous and effective to be used. One of the solutions is to use the coal. Still, burning coal is need to be more tested by government and industry. On the another hand, we can use the wind power resulting in the high-efficiency natural gas generation.

By reducing the carbon emissions, it is valuable to prevent the larger amount of global warming effects. Also, you can reduce the emissions by taking public transportation rather than by car. Consequently, it is believed that the alternative, clean, and the renewable energy could help to deal with global warming. As this goal is mainly focused to reduce CO2 as well as replacing the electricity production by using plants and ocean energy use, then it promises great things in the future.

  • Greening Transportation

One of the solutions we can have to deal with global warming is by providing the greening transportation. This sector is believed to bring the efficiency of using transportation which is low –carbon fuels and help to lower the carbon emissions as well as reducing air pollution at the same time.

  • Buying Less Stuffs

To help reducing global warming effects, you can buy less stuff as well as reduce, reuse, and recycle. This strategy will help to lower the emissions and to lower the level of global warming effects. Moreover, you can keep your money to buy something which is more beneficial.

  • Managing Forests

The next solution we can do is to manage the forests. As have explained before, one of global warming case is the deforestation. This represents a large amount in trapping the heat in the atmosphere. As the solution, we can manage the growth of forest lands and agriculture as well.

  • Exploring Nuclear

One of the energy use, nuclear power provides a solution to reduce the global warming. However, this application in human living is based on many factors. Indeed, there are many things which are important to be deeply researched before using nuclear as an energy substitute. For instance, we should observe first the security, the safety, the possible threat, and the cost for using the nuclear power as a way out.

  • Spreading the Word and Action

If everyone is working together to find and act the solutions, then we have succeeded to have the next step in preventing the climate change and also the global warming. As a result, we can tell people to work together in order combating the global warming. Still, it is not only the word who speaks but the action must be done in a right and proper way.

The consumption and the use of both fossil fuels and transportation in last few decades have to lead to the degradation of the environment. These contribute to the presence of global warming, climate change, depletion of the ozone layer, the increased level of air pollution, and even the extinction of wildlife species. Moreover, we can face the bad impact of global warming in the food chain.

To conclude, Global Warming in Ocean is a serious problem to all countries. Also, human’s living has proven for their contribution in increasing the effect of global warming. Considering this is a big problem for all people in the earth and as we live on the same planet, then it is our responsibility to take care of the earth. This work could be easy to handle if we are working together to achieve the same purpose. To make the earth safe and healthy to be the place which we are living in.

Thus, with the solution we have provided above, we can contribute more to prevent the increased level of greenhouse gas. With this, we can reduce the global warming effects to prevent the impact of it and will resulting in healthier and happy life as well. Hence, let’s save our earth from the global warming for better life and environment.

See also:

You may also like