Climate+Change

= = flat = = .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... = = =1. Why is it important to use native species for reforestation?=

It is important to use native plant species for reforestation to preserve biodiversity. Native species are the species original to an area, they arrived by natural means and were not introduced by any means. Because native animals are naturally balanced with flora, it will help to preserve Biodiversity. Since the species are adapted to that habitat, they will be able to reproduce and feed from it. For example, if an area is reforested with a tree that is not capable of hosting the flower, or a plant that sprouts something different, the bee will not pollenate, and the plant will eventually die out, or the fruit it produces will stop growing and the animals feeding from them can die, and so on. In Monteverde, we were working in live fences, where we planted 2 kilometers of trees. Importantly, they used native species, because they were appropriate for the animals there, and they were adapted to the dry climate there.

[|Reforestation in La Sabana]

=2. What is the purpose of establishing biological corridors?= The idea of biological corridors is for animals that live in different patches of land to be able to move or migrate through them to reach different places. All biological corridors need to be designed for the local species, because they are not the same. By establishing biological corridors, the species will continue to thrive, because if it is trapped in the same parcel of land it will eventually reach inbreeding, and the food chain will be altered. Also, if an animal needs to migrate through the parcels looking for food, like the Bellbird, it will be much easier and safer if it goes through biological corridors.

In Monteverde, we learned about biological corridors and their importance for flora and fauna. We were also taught the different functions of different areas of biological corridors, as well as there are certain designs of corridors for each specific animal. The attachment above is the presentation used as a base, it was interesting and held important information.

[|Five Important Things About Corridors]

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Try looking for some corridors here in Google Earth®

=3. How can endangered species benefit from biological corridors? =

A biological corridor is a strip of land that connects two or more habitats, from rivers or lakes to forests and national refuges. corridors can be large or small, and can take any form. Just like any other species, endangered species can benefit from biological corridors. They can help the specie in any way. If it has little mates, it can use the corridor to move and look for more. If the food is scarce, it can do the same. Biological Corridors spread the possibilities animals have of finding all they need. because they have a larger area connected, there are less opportunities of extinction.



Biological corridors can take any form, from flyways, with tall trees, designed only gor birds, to some plants and shrubs on the floor, created specifically for animals that lack of wings. the benefit of designing biological corridors for a specific animal, besides the fact that it will help it specifically, is that all unnecessary add-ons, like shrubs for flyways, will be removed, and something else can be used instead. roads can be built, for humans to keep the transportation going between cities.

[|NWF- Flyways and Corridors]

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=** 4. What are the most critical factors causing ecosystem changes? **= = =

Ecosystem Changes have happend every year, and they can be categorized into two sections; Natural and caused by humans. whichever of these two, if it changes the ecosystem, it is called a driver. Direct drivers alter ecosystems directly, and indirect drivers usually trigger direct drivers. Climate change affects ecosystems, and if the climate is part of earth's natural cycle, then it is a natural driver. Some of the most critical drivers are caused by humans, including pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change.

Pollution
Pollution affects ecosystems through different ways. there can be water pollution, air pollution, and many other [|types of pollution]. Water pollution affects all living things, and all fauna living on or near bodies of water. Air pollution is probably the most important, taking into account that all living things breathe from the atmosphere, one way or another. media type="youtube" key="QqNUTlY5foQ" height="377" width="503"

Habitat Destructon
[|Habitat destruction], that could also be referred to specifically as [|deforestation], is probably the most threatening driver. By destroying habitats, not only are they reducing the amount of green areas and killing trees, but the animals are left without a home. Where species live, they find food, shelter, they know the forest just like a person knows their house. By taking an animals habitat they take everything they have, they have no place to go, and since the habitat was designed by nature to be specifically for that species, it will be hard for the animal to find another home. All the animals in a destroyed habitat are either dead or dispersed, making it even harder for an endangered animal or any species in general to find a mate. Habitat destruction can lead to species extinction. media type="youtube" key="8-IZobtSdaY" height="377" width="503"

Climate Change
rss url="http://feeds.newscientist.com/climate-change" link="true" number="6" date="true" Climate change can occur either naturally or by humans. The earth has cycles, in which the climate changes, and this is normal, but the humas and our pollution has caused these cycles to alter, go out of their natural order and this has affected different parts of the world. NASA has recorded how water levels affected a reservoir, and the results can be found in [|NASA Climate]. Climate change has affected almost every habitat. All ocean habitats have been suffering from sea water rising. This is caused by the melting polar caps, and it can affect different sea animals, both in the tropics and in the poles. The temperature is rising, a cause of [|Global Warming]. Because of this, ecosystems are being changed, water temperature is increasing, and corals and other sea animals are very sensitive to heat. Crops are withering, affecting everything around them. Also, tornadoes have changed in power and strength, caused likely by the changes in winds caused ny the heat. == A map of Florida, showing how much it would be affected if water rised only two meters.

=** 5. How are biodiversity and climate change related? **= Throughout the history of the earth, climate change has affected biodiversity, it has solidified earth, turning it into a habitable planet. Following this change, the planet has shifted climate naturally, like the ice age, and according to some people global warming too. Right now, we are going through a heat augmentation, commonly known as global warming. Just like the ice age, global warming is affecting biodiversity, there is less.

In Monteverde, we studied the effects of climate change in animals and biodiversity. Some of the animals mostly affected by climate change are the ones that live near the ocean, or in them. Polar bears, for example, are losing ice in the arctic, therefor a home. Because of the loss of habitat, they have less area for reproducing and raising their offspring. Polar bears rely on ice for everything; their prey rests on it, and if there is no ice there is no prey. this will require much more energy and time to look for food, and less energy for looking for a mate. Polar bears aren't the only animals affected by climate change. Sea turtles are affected by rising tide and directly by temperature. If the ice continues to melt and raise the water level, the beaches where females lay eggs will disappear, and no new babies will be born. High temperatures also affect the sex on the turtles. If the temperatures are too high, only females will hatch, and if it rises to 34 degrees C, they will not hatch at all. This affects the biodiversity, because only females will be born, and eventually there will be no male turtles, making reproduction impossible.

[|Climate Change: The Effect on Ocean Animals]

=6. What factors influence the operation of biological corridors?=



Biological corridors are fragile, pieces of nature, most created by mankind. They were not built naturally, so probably the surroundings aren't adequate either. For a biological corridor to work effectively, it must be in harmony with the surroundings, but help the animals and be well designed. This corridor, for example, is in harmony with the fields around it, they are not affected in any way, and the corridor is easy to use, meaning the animal can cross safelyand not lose his destination. Another important factor that influences the operation of a biological corridor is climate. Climate change can affect everything. If the corridor is designed for animals in cool weather, and it starts to get warm, the flora in the corridor will start to die or stop blooming, therefor eventually stop reproducing. As for the animals, they will probably stop using the corridor if it is too warm, and they are not adapted to it. The capacity of the biological corridor is also essential. If it is designed for little amounts of animals, but many species migrate at the same time, the biological corridor will be over flooded with animals, which it wasn't designed to hold.

If the corridor is too close to any urban society, it will probably get affected by the activities that take place, including the disposal of wastes. For a corridor to function correctly it must be adapted to the conditions in a place, and take into account any alteration that may be made.

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=Bibliography=

"5 Things You Need to Know About Wildlife Corridors." //TreeHugger //. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 June 2012. .

"Ecosystem Change." //4. What Are the Most Critical Factors Causing Ecosystem Changes? // N.p., n.d. Web. 08 June 2012. .

"Endangered Species and Habitats." //Climate Change: The Effects on Ocean Animals //. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 June 2012. .

"Wildlife Conservation." //National Wildlife Federation //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 June 2012. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;"><http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Conservation/Understanding-Wildlife-Conservation/Flyways-and-Wildlife-Corridors.aspx>.