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Post by KittyLane on Mar 28, 2007 21:09:11 GMT -5
We have all heard about the risks global warming poses to polar bears, but what about the wildlife right here in Tennessee, like the Cumberland pigtoe, eastern puma, and Nashville crayfish? These species are critically endangered, and without immediate action on global warming face permanent extinction.
Burning fossil fuels to power our homes is warming our planet, changing weather patterns, and causing ocean levels to rise.
EPA models show that sea level rise could lead to flooding in low-lying property along US coasts. And agriculture across the country will be threatened.
Ecosystems in the Continental US are diverse, ranging from grasslands and deserts to mountain shrublands, forest, and alpine tundra. Changes in temperature and precipitation caused by climate change could affect the health of these ecosystems and threaten wildlife. Aquatic species in that are sensitive to water temperature like trout and the endangered Colorado squawfish will have difficulty adapting. In the arctic, thawing of permafrost could reduce caribou habitat, cause landslides and erosion, clog salmon spawning rivers, and trigger the loss of millions of acres of boreal forests.
Direct affects of global warming right here in my back yard. It's very disturbing.
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