Climate Change Effects on Vegetation Distribution - Case Study Example

Climate Change Effects on Vegetation Distribution Climate change is a massive, as well as lasting alteration in the weather patterns statistical distribution over durations that range from a decade to even millions of years. This could be a change in weather conditions that could be considered as average. It could also be a change in the weather distribution around conditions found to be averaging to some specific value. The change in the climate could be caused by factors including the processes that are oceanic, solar radiation variation incident to the earth, volcanic eruptions, human-induced alterations on nature, as well as plate tectonics. The main effect, in this case, is climate change and global warming. This paper explores global warming with the focus on explaining some of the causes of global warming alongside the recent changes in climate recorded on the surface of the earth. The term climate change can sometimes be used to refer to the climatic changes that are brought about due to human activities, rather than those climatic changes that are brought about as part of the natural processes of the earth. These terms have become quite relevance as far as the environmental policy, and the global warming anthropogenic are concerned. Global warming, in this case, represents the increases in temperature and climate change and deals with global warming, and other aspects including the levels of greenhouse effect. Arguably, the rate in which energy is received from the sun and the loosing rate to the space determine a great deal both the climate of the earth and the equilibrium temperature (Bachelet & Lenihan, 2001). As research would have it, the energy is transferred all over the globe by use of ocean current, winds, and other different mechanisms which may affect the climate of other regions. It is worth noting that there are a number of factors that may lead to climate change. Key among them includes solar radiation, variation, and orbit of the earth, continental drift and the green house gas changes concentration. Different climatic alterations in climatic feedbacks can either diminish or amplify the forces that initially. Other parts of the system of climate such as ice caps, ocean. Within the climate variation context, human factors that are deemed to be affecting the climate are the anthropogenic factors. According to the scientific consensus concerning climate change, climate is always changing and the changes are largely due to human activities. Clearly, humans play an important role in so far as climatic alterations are concerned. Industrial revolution that took place in the 19th century brought about a large scale use of the fossil fuels for purposes of industrial activities. Evidently, these many industries created many jobs causing people to migrate from their rural areas to cities and the trend has been sustained till present. Following this much of the land under vegetation have been clearly to pave way for houses. Natural resources, on the other hand, have been explored for purposes of constructing transport and industries. Consumerism has gone up by bound and leaps, thereby, creating mountains of waste. Moreover, the shooting up of the population has brought about incredible effects on the climate. All these factors have immensely contributed to the increase in the atmospheric greenhouse gases. Fossil fuels including coal, natural gas, and oil are the main sources of the energy for running vehicles, generation of electricity for industrial purposes, households and many more. Clearly, the sector of energy contributes on average three quarter of the carbon dioxide emissions, large quantities of the nitrous oxide gas, and about a fifth of the methane emissions. Additionally, the energy sector, produce both carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides gases, though not part of the greenhouse gases, have a significant influence upon the chemical cycles within the atmosphere producing or destroying greenhouse gases (Bachelet &Lenihan, 2001). The most concern of these human factors is the increase in the levels of carbon dioxide following the emission of the combustion of the fossil fuels, which are followed by aerosols and the cement manufacture. Other prominent factors that involve land use include animal agriculture, depletion of the ozone and the deforestation, all of which play a significant role both separately, as well as in conjunction with factors that affect climate. These are the variables for measuring the climate and the microclimate. The natural factors, on the other hand, play a significant role in the alteration of climate. The prominent of these natural factors include the volcanoes, the tilt of the earth, the continental drift, the oceanic currents, the meteorites and the comets. The recent change in climate is the natural occurring phenomenon referred to as the El Nino-southern Oscillation. This is the interaction between the atmosphere and the ocean on the tropical Pacific Ocean. This has had a significant consequence on whether globally. The El Nino-southern Oscillation cycle is often characterized by both coherent and strong variations in the atmospheric circulation, rainfall, sea surface temperature, air pressures across the equatorial pacific. It has been noted that the ENSO cycles have an effect on the occurrence of the time scale in a period of few years. Such alterations in the tropical rainfall affect greatly the patterns of weather globally. The problem of global warming is daunting and dispiriting. Whether at individual or at personal level, there is something we can do in helping slow down or reverse the climate change. There are various ways through which these can be achieved. These are the most feasible methods of combating greenhouse gases emissions to somewhat safer levels. There is also personal lifestyle alteration that individuals can make in helping reduce on carbon impact. It is worth noting that not all might be right for all, however, implementing such strategies would make a different. One of the challenges is that of stopping burning of natural gas, oil, and coal. This is one of the most daunting challenges since most of the developing countries literally wear, play or even sleep on products produced from the fossilized sunshine. Arguably, the citizens of the developed nations want comfort, which are depended on the energy stored within such fossil fuels. Oil is has for years been known to be the world’s lubricant for the many economy. However, underneath the ubiquitous items are the corns and the plastics. Most astonishing is the fact that the products are fundamental for consumers and goods. Coal, on the other hand, is the substrate, and supply about half of the electricity used globally, a value that is most likely to grow. Basing on the report of the international energy, there are no solid solutions that can help cut down on dependence on such fossil fuels. For instance, the carbon neutral biofuels can lead to increase in the food prices, as well as bring about forest distraction As much as nuclear power does not produce greenhouse gases, it produces radioactive waste. . So trying to adapt alternatives possible—plant-derived plastics, wind power, the biodiesel, investing in the change through divesting from the stocks of oil stocks or otherwise investing in companies that practice carbon capture and storage, can be one such solution. This means what can be thought as formidable solution would be infrastructural upgrading. As research would have it, globally, buildings contribute to about one third of the total greenhouse emissions, however, it should be noted that investing in thicker insulations, the cost-effective, and temperature-regulating steps can help save money at the long run. As it has been observed, electricity grids are often at overload or capacity, however, the demand for power has continued rising. Bad roads can help in lowering the fuel economy for even the efficient vehicle. This implies that investing in the new infrastructure or upgrading the highways and the transmission lines in existence and would help in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions. This would help in driving the economic growth for the developing countries. It is true that it takes lots of cement, which is the key source of the greenhouse gas emissions, to help construct new roads and buildings. In 2005, the U.S. alone contributed about 50.9 million metric tons of CO2 to the atmosphere from the production of cement, which needs heating limestone, alongside other ingredients to about 1,450 oC. Copper mining and other related elements require electrical wiring, as well as transmission. This has been known to bring about globe-warming pollution. Energy-efficient buildings, as well as the improved cement-making process would help in reducing the greenhouse gas emission. References Bachelet, N &Lenihan, R. (2001). Climate Change Effects on Vegetation Distribution and Carbon Budget in the United States.New York. Oxford University Press. Read More