Changing+Migration+Patterns

This page will compile evidence that portrays how global climate change is throwing off the essential migratory patterns of dozens of species.

We all know that during the winter, many birds migrate from North to South, escaping the biting cold of winter to enjoy the tropical climates of the southern hemisphere. The birds intriniscally know that when the temperature reaches a certain point, it is time for them to make that life preserving long-haul down to where the weather is warm and prime for breeding. However, as climate shifts, so do the migratory patterns of animals. Birds may leave later on in the year because it is staying warmer in their native northern habitat. This disruption in their cycle could completely skew their breeding habits, endangering their ability to procreate and eventually causing the extinction of entire breeds of migratory creatures. I have just began to scratch the surface of this topic; I will investigate with more depth over the next two weeks.

-Birds must migrate longer distances now as result of climate change. According to gaurdian.com, the breeding grounds of many species of birds are shifting by hundreds of miles, while their wintering sites remain the same. Projected environmental shifts predict that this extended migration will only continue to get longer and longer for birds; a process that could devastate entire species. The bodies of migratory birds have adapted to specific demands that have been created by the strains of migration patterns that they have followed for thousands of years. As the climate changes at an unnaturally high pace, these animals will eventually lack the strength to carry out the long journeys that they must face. There is some hope in the fact that some species of birds have begun to adapt their migration pattern; but unless action is taken to retard the Earth's climate change, there could be very sad results for many species of migratory birds.

-The migration patterns of many forms of marine life is shifting due to climate change. The well-being of the fragile chain of oceanic biodiversity is at risk as elements of the essential circle of life are being thrown out of whack by shifts in temperature and salinity of the ocean's waters. According to seaweb.org, countless forms of ocean life, ranging from salmon to plankton, rely on the oceanic currents to take them on their migratory paths. Climate change is threatening the normal flow of these currents, and the warming of ocean temperatures could severely alter essential flows in the Earth's waters. Timing, location, and speed of currents can all be affected by the climate change we are experiencing. As a result, storms could increase both in power and frequency, with horrible consequences for the majority of species in the ocean.