Global warming causing the extinction of animals isn’t a new phenomenon. According to a study published in the journal Evolution, Earth began warming 21,000 years ago; and the warmer areas became, the higher the extinction rate was. For example, Africa had a relatively small climate change and fewer species became extinct. North America had a substantial climate change and more species – giant beaver, dire wolf, ground sloth – became extinct. Although humans hunting for game would have affected the extinction of large animals, global warming affected both large and small animals – and will until human doubt becomes extinct.

Global warming is threatening lizards with extinction. Scientists studying lizards in Mexico warn that 20% of lizard species could be extinct by 2080. Lizards are ectotherms – they depend on the environment to control their body temperature. Because they don’t sweat or pant, they seek shade to cool down. Because of needing more shade due to the rising temperatures, lizards have less time to look for food and mate; and because the temperatures are rising quickly, lizards don’t have time to evolve. Considering lizards eat insects and birds eat lizards, the food chain is being affected. Unfortunately, humans have a slow (chain) reaction time.

One solution that is being considered to fight global warming is cloud whitening. When water vapor encounters sea salt crystals in cloud-forming areas, the water vapor condenses around the crystals, forming Tadacip tiny droplets. These droplets make clouds whiter and the whiteness diffuses sunlight. Researchers want to build on this natural cloud-forming process. They want to put boats in the ocean to spray clouds with seawater mist, thus making the clouds whiter and able to reflect the sun’s rays, sending them back into space. It is not a solution for global warming, but in this case “cloudy thinking” could help.

Global warming isn’t destroying the world’s mangroves. Ironically, mangroves – forests straddling both land and sea – generate $2,000-$9,000 per hectare annually from fishing – much more than is generated by the aquaculture, agriculture and tourism that are destroying them. In fact, mangrove forests are being destroyed 4 times faster than land-based forests. One-fifth have been destroyed since 1980. Mangroves cover about 150,000 square kilometers in 123 countries. In addition to providing valuable fishing, mangroves are a replenishing source of timber and charcoal. Mangroves also help fight global warming and provide ecosystems resilient to increasing temperatures. It’s the “man” in mangrove that’s destroying them.

Author Bio: Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Category: Environment
Keywords: extinction, lizard, cloud, mangrove