Evidence for Environmental Changes in the Tropical since the Last Interglacial - Coursework Example

? Evidence for Environmental Changes in the Tropical since the Last Interglacial Introduction This paper issues several aspects of the environmental changes in the tropics. It may be the climatic change or vegetable change or the physical changes of the area. Evidence of such changes being occurring in many forms, it is discussed and brought out how they have been depicted with several aspects. Environmental change is one of the important aspects of geographical study which entails so many components and several factors to deal with. With such information in mind, it is then relevant to discuss such issues in this paper. This being the key points of this paper, the research question is: what is the evidence for environmental change in the tropical since the last interglacial? The tropical region history The tropic is a region on the earth surrounding the equator. The region is commonly found at the northern hemisphere at latitude 23.4378? N on the tropic of cancer and it is also found at the southern hemisphere at latitude 23.4378? S on the tropic of Capricorn. The tropical region is a place where the sub solar point is reached by the sun. A sub solar point is a region where the sun is directly overhead the equator which happens once in a year. There is a direct distinction between the tropics and other climatic and biomatic regions of the earth, with the latitudes that appear in the middle and the Polar Regions on a different side of the equatorial zone Climate distribution of the tropical The tropic has its own climate distribution that may be different to other geographical areas. The tropics sometimes can be used generally to refer to a tropical climate which means that the area has warm to hot and moist all year round, additionally there is the sense of lush vegetation. Most of the tropical regions experience dry and wet seasons where the wet season or rainy season or the green season has an occurrence in that it covers only one to several months that is if the average annual rainfall drops in the region. It is believed that the areas having wet seasons are exposed to dissemination across the tropics and the subtropics. A wet season month is one month that that experiences an average precipitation of about 60 millimetres as per the classification of Koppen in the tropical regions. However the tropical rainforests on a technical bench do not experience wet or dry seasons on grounds that their rainfall is distributed equally throughout the year. It is noted that some areas which experience prolonged rainfall are subjected to breaks in rainfall during mid-season that is if the intertropical convergence zone or monsoon trough gain a movement towards the pole ward of their original location during the middle of the warm season. Facts depict that if the warm season or the summer season experience wet season then precipitation will occur mainly in the late afternoons or in the early evening hours. The wet season is a season where there is an improvement in the quality of air; also there is an improvement in water quality while the vegetation grows significantly thus causing late yield of crop in the season. Floods cause a huge effect both on the environment and the habitants of the area. It is depicted that there are overflows in the river banks and the animals move to a higher ground while there is loss of soil nutrients and increase in soil erosion. During these harsh conditions, the animals design a survival strategy for them to survive along the harsh conditions of wet seasons. It is unfortunate that there are identified food shortages in to the wet season that is brought by the previous dry seasons since the crops are yet to mature. It is not obvious that regions found in the tropics have a tropical climate. Such regions include the snow-capped peaks which include the Mauna Kea not forgetting the Mount Kilimanjaro and additionally the Andes. Other regions also include the northern parts of Chile and Argentina. Tropical ecosystem Apart from the tropical climate, the tropical has its own ecosystem. The plants and the animals in the tropical are the species referred to as native in the tropics. The ecosystem found in the tropics may include the rainforests, the deciduous forests which are dry, the desert and other several habitat types. Present also are different significant areas which are bio diverse and additionally the endemism which are found especially in the rainforests and the deciduous forests that are regarded to be dry. There are several examples of biodiversity and other endemism ecosystems. These may include the Brazilian and Venezuelan rainforest, the Madagascar deciduous forest which is dry, the Costa Rican and the Nicaraguan rainforests, the Waterberg Biosphere found in the South African economy, the El Yunque national forest that is found in Puerto Rico and finally the eastern Madagascar rainforests. The soils of the tropical consist of nutrients that have low levels in content thus making it possible to be vulnerable for slash and burn as a technique in deforestation which is sometimes regarded as one of the methods used in shifting cultivation agricultural systems. Generally in biogeography, it is posted that the tropics are majorly subdivided in to several groups which include the Paleotropics and the Neotropics. The Paleotropics is made up of Africa, Australia and Asia while the Neotropics is made up of the Caribbean, South America and Central America (Metcalfe 2012). When these groups are put together, they are commonly referred to as the Pantropic. Mostly the Neotropical region is always confused with the eco zone of the same name this is because there is no ambiguity in the old world since the Paleotropics has a correspondent value to the Indomalayan, some parts of the Australian, the Afrotropical and finally the oceanic Eco zones(Metcalfe 2012). Proofs for environmental change in the tropical Behaviour of the tropical ocean There are several proofs that show that there are environmental changes in the tropical. The first proof is the behaviour of the tropical oceans in the current time. The tropical oceans are the key player in the global climate in the current world. This is because to distribute global heat with high gradients need strong pole ward transport of heat that goes out of the tropical which occurs in both atmospheric and other oceanic processes. Several processes resulting from the oceanic activities make the tropics to be regarded as most effective in the heat transportation. For example the upwelling of the subsurface waters which are cold in to the layer which is on the surface thus enables the absorption of atmospheric heat input. This whole process is then put under consideration that as the main balance which occurs against the deep water formation near the poles. For the past few years there has been identified increase in interest in the oceans found in the tropical also including their role in the global climate throughout the geologic past. Due to this there are several oceanic expeditions that are regarded as scientific that have been employed to give a wide study over deep sea sediments, in that thoughts have been raised registering that there are availability of changes in the fossil and sediment content. It is said that sedimentation rate pose a determination of the resolution of the sediment record meaning that the deep sea that originated from the central equatorial basins were importantly used to pose a reconstruction of the paleo-oceanographic condition on wider timescales and several records from areas of high-sedimentation rates were also used for a higher resolution and shorter time spans. The tropical oceans have their own roles in the global climate. It all begins with the present-day scenarios in terms of balance in energy and additionally the consequent conditions in the oceanic areas and not forgetting the modern climatology characteristics such as the El Nino, the forcing aspects that lead to the observed variance between the basins of the ocean, the systems of the monsoon and the role of the importance of the oceans of the tropic in the global oceanic circulation. These oceanic processes and activities identified are the causes of the environmental change in the tropical areas. Oceanic processes The oceanic processes such as the oceanic circulation occur just because of several changes in the environmental factors such as the physical appearance of the region. Other processes such as the upwelling of water may occur just because of the change in precipitation rate. This means that if precipitation rate increases then the upwelling rate will then rise with no obstruction. While increase in precipitation rate, may arise as a result of increase in the trees in the rain forests or other factors from the environmental. The tropical ocean occurs as an evidence for the environmental change or otherwise can also act as the factor to that causes the environmental change in the tropical. Certain aspects such as sea tides and waves occurring in the oceans found in the tropical areas may be occurring as a result of a definite change in the environment. This occurs just because of the increase in the volumes of water in the oceans thus occurring as the key aspect to the environmental change in the tropical (Metcalfe 2012). Other oceanic activities such as low discharge of water may arise due to low levels of water in the sources. Or secondly might be due to the decrease of precipitation rate in the region. These activities only occur if the environment has been altered in one way or the other thus making changes in the working of the aspects and components in the area. If the physical environment is altered, it will interfere with the normal working of the area thus an abnormal working schedule is recorded which include heavy downfall or low downfall which leads to sea tides, waves and or leading to oceans drying out. With these and other factors, the oceanic processes are the key proofs for the environmental change in the tropical since the last interglacial. Change of the tropical ecosystem Apart from the oceanic processes of the tropical oceans, another evidence for environmental change in the tropical since the last interglacial is the change of the ecosystem found in the tropical. Since the last interglacial, the ecosystem of the tropical has really changed. This recorded by several migrations of animals that used to reside in the forests found in the tropical. Before the interglacial there was an occurrence of a beautiful and a massive ecosystem but since then animals have migrated vegetation have withered and or dried up due to unfavourable conditions. Mostly the ecosystem diminished due to the alteration of the climatic status of the region. Before interglacial the climatic status of the tropical region was said to be wet seasons which favoured the ecosystem. But unfortunately the climatic status after the interglacial has not been stable posing a range from dry to wet seasons. This has made the ecosystem to diminish since other habitats could not be favoured by the environment. Certain animals were forced to move away since they were warm blooded or cold blooded so the change in the climatic change in the seasons would not make them enjoy the habitat(Metcalfe 2012). There are groups of vegetation that presided in the tropical before the interglacial which are not evident after the interglacial. Some of the vegetation dried off due to dry seasons while other groups of vegetation were not favoured by the high levels of rainfall that changed from favourable to unfavourable. This poses a unified evidence for the change in environmental status in the tropical. Change in the climate system If the climatic seasons changed from wet seasons to undefined seasons ranging from dry to wet seasons then it gives a clear meaning that the environment has been altered in one way or the other but to give satisfaction of such environmental change we can say that change in the ecosystem is the key proof of the change in the environment in the tropical (Metcalfe 2012). The modern climatology of the tropical is also an important evidence that proofs for the change in the environmental status in the tropical. As said earlier the season that was evident before the interglacial was said to be wet. But he modern climatology organisation states that the tropical climate has changed from being a wet season to an unidentified season which ranges from wet seasons to dry seasons. This is evident by the occurrence of the gain of high solar energy levels in the low latitudes. This occurrence has resulted or led to several effects in the tropical regions. These effects include the upper layer of the oceans in the tropical region being heated and due to some evaporation that result the salinity of the oceans has really increased. This in turn has caused what we call the stratification of the system that represent the oceans fond in the tropical with its mean state and additionally the variability which has been addressed in several international projects. Due to this modern climatology several aspects have occurred just because it is not a favourable condition for such aspects to be still holding on. On the previous paragraph it is said that the ecosystem has really diminished since the interglacial just because of harsh conditions. These harsh conditions arise from the modern climatology that is identified in the current time. But on the other hand, the ecosystem has received new species of animals, birds and other several other habitants. This is evident since the new climatology only favours a certain portion of animals. This has made several animals to migrate to these tropics since the modern climate favours them and their lifestyles. If these animals have migrated to the tropics then other species are forced to move away since they are preyed against them. As a result of these factors, it is evident and healthy to say that the modern climatology is one of the key evidences for the change in the environmental status of the tropical. Increased precipitation in the tropical is also one of the evidences available for the change in the status of the environment in the tropical. Before the interglacial it is believed that the rate of precipitation was to be about 60 millimetres as per the classification by Koppen. But however after the interglacial the rate of precipitation has also increased to about 70 millimetres. This may be as a result of increased solar energy that heats the water in the oceans found in the tropical. This increases the water vapour that evaporates to the sky to form the clouds which then come later as rain. Increased solar energy that heats directly to the oceans in the tropical is as a result of the reduction of the trees found in the tropical rain forest found in the tropical. If trees are reduced then the oceans are left uncovered then the rate of oceans being heated increases with no doubt. Thus in turn increases water vapour that evaporates to the sky. Due to this, the clouds formed increase than the normal times which in turn increases precipitation to about 70 millimetres (Metcalfe 2012). The effect of increased precipitation has so many impacts on the environment and the ecosystem. For example there are several groups of vegetation that do not nourish or grow or develop under high precipitation. Instead of developing they have been destroyed and thus leading to decrease of certain species of vegetation. Either way heavy rainfall has led to heavy floods in the region which has led to several environmental degradations. For example heavy floods have led to soil erosion making the soils to lack certain nutrients that support either vegetable life or other species of animals that reside in soils. Secondly heavy rainfall makes the oceans to overflow and lead to sea tides and waves which cause harmful damages on the environment in the tropical region. This then means that increased rainfall that is occurring in the tropical region is one of the important evidences that are used to show that there is environmental change in the tropical region (Metcalfe, 2012). Formation of physical features There are certain formations that are identified in the tropical regions that are formed due to water effects. These effects may include water movements, such as the waves from the oceans at the banks or other factors such as earth movements, weather changes, or several changes in the environment. Such formations include sand dunes, snow-capped mountains and other several formations. These features are formed due to several factors be it wind factors or water factors. This include the movement of water in a certain way or the movement of wind in a certain way that moves certain aspects such as sand thus forming these features. It is noted that these water movements or wind movement occur only if the environment has been altered in a certain manner. This then leads to the formation of the features that are named above and other features which are unnamed. This then confirms that formation of geographical features is one of the evidences that show that the environment in the tropical region has really changed since the last interglacial which is regarded to be approximately one hundred and thirty years old. This then poses a confirmation that features formed as a result of water and wind movements are affirmative evidence that is used to proof for the changes identified in the environments in the tropical region (Metcalfe 2012). On the effect of soil erosion in the tropical region leading the soil to have no nutrients that support vegetable life, the trees that used to be in massive manner before the interglacial period has reduced. This is because the soil nutrients are unavailable for the trees in the rain forest to survive. Additionally the floods have washed away the immature trees that are yet to develop which has led to decrease in the trees in the rain forest. Also the rapid wind movements have washed and additionally broken the vegetation that existed before the interglacial period thus leading to the decrease in vegetation in the tropical region. If the vegetation is reduced then soil erosion increases since there are no obstructions that will reduce soil erosion in the tropical region. All these activities have been identified in the tropical region thus posing an understanding that yes there has been an environmental change in the region (Metcalfe 2012). Conclusion So far with the current state of the climate of the tropical region, it is said that the tropical regional has undergone several environmental changes. This is evident due to several proofs that have been discussed in the paper. Some of the evidences discussed as the main evidences of environmental change in the tropical region are the current climatology, increase in precipitation, the oceanic activities such as sea tides and waves, change in the ecosystem and finally the formations of certain features. These all proofs give a maximum satisfaction that the tropical region has undergone several changes. Bibliography Metcalfe S., Nash D. ed., 2012. Quaternary Environmental Change in the tropics. Wiley-Blackwell. Read More