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POLAR ICE DECLINE

PROBLEM STATEMENT
!
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The endangerment of polar bears is a
worldwide concern. As apex predators, large
carnivores are indicators of ecosystem health.
Loss of polar ice due to greenhouse emissions
threatens the 20 to 25,000 surviving polar
bears worldwide. The risk of polar bear
extinction is a sign of poor health in the
Arctic marine ecosystem.
Temperature in the Arctic has increased at
twice the rate as the rest of the globe, and the
region is expected to increase an additional 8C
(14F) in the 21st century.
Climate Change Impact on Sea Ice Decline. Wunderground.com, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.
"Arctic Sea Ice Decline." Climate Change Impact on Sea Ice Decline. Wunderground.com, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
Gabriel Giacoppo
Period 3
Science 7
April 4, 2014
http://www.conductor.com/les/PolarBearAdj!small.jpg
SCIENCE
!
Polar bears are apex predators that rely on Arctic sea ice.
!
Arctic Sea ice is melting fast due to global warming.
!
Green House Effect: Climate change is caused mainly by burning coal, gas and oil,
causing heat and Co2 to trap and condense in the earths atmosphere.
!
Arctic was in a 2,000 year cooling trend before the 20th century and its influx
of greenhouse gases.
!
Snow and ice create protective cooling layer over the Arctic. As this layer
erodes, the earth absorbs more sunlight, increasing temperatures.
!
The largest piece of ice that had been around for 3,000 years cracked open in
2000, and is now slowly melting.
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"Polar-bear-ice-floe-130401.jpg - Google Search." Polar-bear-ice-floe-130401.jpg - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
http://www.wunderground.com/climate/SeaIce.asp
How BIG is polar ice decline?
!
POLAR ICE DECLINE
1. 20% of ice has decreased from the Arctic sea at a rate of 9% per decade since 1970.
2. Arctic temperature has increased double the rate of the rest of the globe.
3. Scientists estimate that 20-25,000 bears currently live in the Arctic hemisphere and that 1/3
of the population will be gone by 2050.
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http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http"3A"2F"2Fi.dailymail.co.uk"2Fi"2Fpix"2F2012"2F09"2F
Summer polar ice caps have decreased more than 20"
http://www.skepticalscience.com/pics/polarbear20052009pie.gif
Polar bear decline almost doubled between 2005 and 2009
!
GREENHOUSES EMISSIONS
1 Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne listed increased emissions as major threat to Arctic Sea Ice decline
and polar bear loss.
2 The largest cause of greenhouse emissions are from human activities, i.e. burning fossil fuels, needed for
transportation, electricity, and heat.
!
ClIMATE CHANGE
1 Arctic temperatures are increasing rapidly, causing Arctic ice to thin, crack and melt.
2 Global Warming in all regions of the world is accelerating due to raising temperatures in the Arctic.
3 Temperature increase in Arctic is a foreshadowing of what will happen elsewhere.
CAUSES
of Polar Ice Decline
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http://www.climate!kic.org/wp!content/uploads/2013/10/Carbocount!CITY!image.jpg
Greenhouse gases spread throughout the atmosphere.
http://americansecurityproject.org/wp!content/uploads/2011/12/change1.jpg
Weather changes from Global Warming
can worsen the environment
EFFECTS
! LOSS OF FOOD
1 Native People losing food supply. Loss of sea ice is impacting migration patterns for polar
bears, seals, walrus, and whales, making if difficult for native people to hunt food.
2 Warmer Arctic is threatening food supplies and crops worldwide.
!
LOSS OF SHELTER/ERODING SEA LEVELS
3 Coral reefs, which provide homes for most marine animals, are dying from overly warm
waters.
4 Native People losing villages due to flooding. Melting glaciers causing flooding of low
lying lands, such as Maldives Islands
5 Reduced sea levels of major cities, i.e. Shanghai and Lagos and in the U.S. Atlantic and
Gulf coasts
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"Polar Bear Propaganda and Hidden Agendas." SHTF Plan When It Hits The Fan Dont Say We Didnt Warn You RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 29
Mar. 2014.
Greenhouse emissions erode this species food, shelter, and habitat
http://nsidc.org/cryosphere/seaice/environment/indigenous_impacts.html
Inuit hunter is losing food supply due to polar ice decline
Is polar ice decline
improving?
!
Due to increased emissions, the Arctic and Earth as a whole is warming,
and causing most useful ice to melt.
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"Doug Craig's Redding SearchLight Blog." Climate Truth. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.
Polar bears struggle to find safe havens among the dwindling Arctic ice.
SOLUTIONS
!
REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS
! Researchers emphasize there is still time to save polar bears, yet it will take up to 30 to 40 years for
significant improvement.
! Enacting laws to limit coal burning and gas emissions.
! Save Energy; Local and individual action, carpooling, build energy efficient vehicles, appliances,
electronics etc. Use solar and wind energy instead of coal and gas.
! Donations to wildlife organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund can help raise money for polar
bear ice habitat restoration. i.e. Coca Cola Co. matches WWF Donations.
! Adopt a Polar Bear, WWF www.worldwildlife .org/gift-center
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http://worldwildlife.org/enewsletter/images/120118banner.jpg
http://i0.wp.com/cleantechnica.com/les/2011/12/Greenhouse!Gas!Emission!Reduction!for!Dummies.jpg
Why should we care about
Polar Ice Decline?
!
Because the loss of apex predators is a symptom of a much deeper problem (unhealthy
environment).
!
If we do not contribute and help, the species could become extinct by 2050 (36 years).
!
Warmer Arctic will affect world weather patterns (heat, storms, etc.) and negatively impact the
worlds food supply. Warming problem in Arctic is a precursor to what will happen
everywhere.
Polar bear family thrives in healthy arctic habitat
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
! Mrs Cerni, Mrs. Oefinger, Erin and Paul and Michaela Giacoppo
!
Bibliography:
"Arctic Sea Ice Decline." Climate Change Impact on Sea Ice Decline. Wunderground.com, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
"Climate Change 101." Climate Change. Defenders of Wildlife, 2013. Web. 04 Feb. 2014.
"Climate Change Statistics." Statistics Explained RSS. Eurostat, n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2014.
Derocher, Andrew E. "Polar Bear." World Book Student. World Book, 2014. Web. 14 Feb. 2014.
"Endangered Species." Grolier Online, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2014.
"Global Warming Puts the Arctic on Thin Ice." Arctic Sea Ice. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2014.
"Polar Bears and Climate Change." Polar Bears and Climate Change. Center for Biological Diversity, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2014.
Polar Bears and Climate Change, WWE. 2006 Learn360. 28 February 2014.
"Polar-bear-ice-floe-130401.jpg - Google Search." Polar-bear-ice-floe-130401.jpg - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
"Polar Bears Listed as Threatened." National Geographic Kids. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.
"Polar Bear Propaganda and Hidden Agendas." SHTF Plan When It Hits The Fan Dont Say We Didnt Warn You RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.
"Polar Bear Status: In Decline." Polar Bears International. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2014.
"Qyil Living Health and Lifestyle Blog." Qyil Living Health and Lifestyle Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2014.
"Service Interruption." Indigenous People: Impacts. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2014.
"Sources." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
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