Climate change has always been seen as a negative aspect of life. This is true and there is a lot of science behind it that proves it. However, what if I told you that there is some positive outcome too, would you believe me? This positive outcome is called the Adelie penguins. This is one of the few penguin species that has the ability to survive in the harsh conditions of Antarctica and being able to breed for all these generations.
An article about Adelie penguins talks about a study that was conducted on the long-term effects of climate change on these penguins. It describes the struggles that these penguins were facing at the last ice age, where they were close to extinction due to the glaciers and ice sheets surrounding them and making it difficult for them to catch prey. A recent study shows a research that was conducted on the population of these penguins. They compare different populations and penguin species to their different habitat locations. They compare which penguins walk during the winter and which penguins stay in their niches over the winter and how it affects their populations.
So the question remains, are the Adelie penguins benefiting from climate change? Climate change has indeed brought benefits to populations over the years, however, there are now more complications than advantages. The increase in temperature after the last ice age did melt some of the glaciers and ice sheets providing the Adelie penguins the ability to hunt for fish and being able to provide food for their off springs. Though with time, the distance between the ice sheets has been increasing making it harder for the penguins to get from one ice sheet to another. There are also problems involving the fisheries, as we humans want to get as much fish for ourselves, making the penguins swim longer distances and find less food. I would say that the climate change did benefit the Adelie penguins from recovering after the ice age, but, now they are struggling again and one of the causes still seems to be global warming.
Posted by Olga Egkorova
It is interesting that Adelie penguins benefit from Global Warming because of the was the ice has melted, leaving them more mobile. I would be interested to see if other species are benefiting from it as well. I know that many species have been adapting, such as the red squirrels who changed their birthing cycle.
ReplyDelete-Rachel Klett
I know that in the Arctic there aren't really any species benefiting from global warming. Even the Adelie penguins mostly suffer now from the long distance swims. Polar bears are going extinct and I'm sure other species are too or are in big danger. I do think however, that there are species somewhere benefiting from the climate change and I would be interested to know in what way.
Delete-Olga Egkorova
I never thought that there could be a positive effect of global warming. It is interesting to think that Adelie penguins, out of all animals, benefit from the warming of temperatures. You would never think that an animal that lives and thrives in cold temperatures could benefit from global warming. Do you think there are other cases of animals benefiting from the warming of earth? Do you think that as the plant gets warmer species will adapt to these temperatures or just completely go extinct?
ReplyDeletePosted by: Katarzyna Mosio
I think that some species will find a way to adapt to the new changes but, they will be different to the old ones. I also think that many will indeed go extinct but, many new other species will be formed.
Delete-Olga Egkorova
I always believed that penguins love the harsh and freezing cold. So i was surprised about and it's interesting how these species needs a warmer climate more than other penguins. The ice sheet split can also seperate some groups of penguins and make the mating options less, which can be the result of bottleneck and affect the survival And evolution of these penguins. Hopefully if the weather keeps warming up, the penguins will be able to adapt to the environment in a way to prevent their extinct.
ReplyDeletePosted by Jad Imad
This was a very interesting topic to read about! I had no idea there were species of animals that were actually benefiting from global warming. I wonder, however, once we begin to experience more catastrophic effects from global warming, will these animals still benefit? Also, what makes this specific species of penguins benefit from these environmental effects, while other species might not, besides different habitat locations?
ReplyDeletePosted by: Hayley Fecko
I think that these penguins have used up their beneficiaries from climate change. In my opinion they have overcome all the changes they could to adapt to these drastic changes but there is so much you can adapt to. Global warming will definitely not be a benefit for these penguins in the near future.
Delete-Olga Egkorova
That was really interesting to read, because I've always thought that penguins only live in the cold. It's new to me that they can live in very warm climate like that considering how warm the earth is becoming. There's a negative and positive to everything and I'm sure that there's more negative to climate change than positive, but anything positive is something at least!
ReplyDelete-Han Nguyen