New research findings Greenland has lost nearly 30,000 square kilometers of ice over the past 30 years Polar bears found at risk of food shortages
Greenland, despite the word “green” in its name, is actually a land of cold ice. You can hardly find any living things or plants in this country.
However, global warming and the global climate change crisis have caused huge amounts of ice here to melt. Moreover, the warmer weather creates more green spaces. Until there is a trend that Greenland is about to become green (green), indeed living up to its name.
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A new study released on February 13, which looked at the surface of Greenland via satellite over more than 30 years between the 1980s and 2010s, found that Greenland lost 28,707 square kilometers of ice. or larger than the entire province of Chiang Mai
Areas that were once covered in ice and snow have been transformed into dry rocky areas and wetlands. or the source of the bush The amount of vegetation has doubled, making the area with growing plants increase to 87,400 square kilometers, or more than 4 times the area of the entire province of Chiang Mai.
That increased green area If comparing the proportions It was found that it had increased more than 2 times compared to the period when the study began.
The changes that are taking place are not only a sign of the global warming problem. Melting ice also contributes to warming the planet.
Warmer air temperatures cause ice loss. As a result, the temperature of the earth will rise. That causes the melting of permafrost, the layer of ice below the earth’s surface. By melting, it releases carbon dioxide and methane which causes global warming. Contribute to further global warming.
Thawing of permafrost also contributes to land instability. This can affect infrastructure and buildings.
Jonathan Carriwick, a conservationist and one of the researchers, said: “At the same time water released from melting ice carries sediment and eventually forms wetlands and floodplains.”
In addition, snow and ice usually reflect the sun’s energy back into space. This is to prevent excessive heat in some parts of the world. But when the ice disappears Those areas will absorb more solar energy. As a result, the surface temperature of the soil will increase. This can cause additional melting and other negative effects.
Melting ice also increases the amount of water in the lake. Where water absorbs more heat than snow. This will cause the surface temperature of the soil to increase.
Greenland has been warming at twice the global average since the 1970s and may experience even higher temperatures in the future.
Dr Michael Grimes, one of the researchers, said: “Vegetation is expanding alongside shrinking glaciers and ice sheets. It significantly changes the flow of sediment and nutrients to coastal waters.”
He added: “These changes are extremely important. This is particularly true of indigenous populations, whose traditional subsistence hunting practices depend on the stability of these delicate ecosystems. Furthermore, the loss of ice mass in Greenland is a major contributor to global sea level rise. This is a trend that poses significant challenges now and in the future.”
As well as the Greenland polar bears in Canada’s Hudson Bay today. at risk of starvation Due to the climate crisis, the period without sea ice in the Arctic is extending.
Polar bears use the ice that stretches across the ocean surface in the Arctic during the colder months. To help them access their main food source, seals, which are high in fat and energy.
During the warmer months When the sea ice recedes They tend to conserve energy and may go into hibernation. But human-induced climate change is extending ice-free periods in parts of the Arctic. This is warming two to four times faster than the rest of the world and is forcing polar bears to spend more and more time on land.
New research on 20 polar bears in Hudson Bay indicated that Although there is no sea ice But they are still trying to find food.
Anthony Pagano, a wildlife biologist who conducted research with the United States Geological Survey The lead researcher said: “Polar bears are creative, smart, searching the landscape for ways to survive. and look for food sources to compensate for their energy needs.”
The research team used GPS collars with video cameras to track polar bears for three consecutive weeks, three years in western Hudson Bay. This is where the ice-free period increased by an average of 3 weeks compared to 1979, which means that in the last decade polar bears remain on ice-free land for around 130 days, or more than one third of the year.
The researchers found that two of the 20 bears had reduced their total energy expenditure to hibernation-like levels, but the other 18 were still active in their search for food.
Studies show that these eager bears may be under pressure to continue searching for food. All eat a variety of foods, including grass, berries, gulls, rodents, and seal carcasses.
Of these, 3 went out for a long swim. One traveled a total of 175 kilometers while the other bears spent time playing together or munching on caribou. The researchers said it was similar to the way dogs chew on bones.
But in the end researchers found that bears’ efforts to find food on land do not provide as many calories as seals during the ice season.
The research team said that nineteen of the 20 polar bears lost weight during the period. That means the longer a polar bear spends on land, the higher the risk of starvation.
Compiled from CNN / The Guardian
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