Among these changes are increased global temperatures, shifting weather and precipitation patterns leading to increased frequency in both drought and floods, a rise in sea level of 36 inches by 2100, and more frequent severe storms and heat waves. Under many global warming scenarios, scientists anticipate that higher latitudes will experience more dramatic warming and a greater shift in the timing of spring and summer's onset than in lower latitudes. Such a shift could severely damage the migratory and hibernation patterns of many animals. Current models of global climate change suggest that most terrestrial ecosystems in North America, for example, are likely to experience a warming induced shift in climatic zones of 90 to 340 miles northward or 500 to 1,800 feet higher in elevation over the next century. Global climate change will lead to serious alterations of the landscape, sea-levels and temperatures over then next century.
Some striking shifts associated with current warming trends are already under way.
While uncertainties remain about whether current trends are the early stages of expected global warming, they are probably indicative of impacts that are on the horizon if global warming is not abated. Simply put, we must ameliorate this problem and reverse the trends caused by human impact. Rising sea levels are also expected to damage coastal ecosystems through increased flooding, saltwater intrusion into freshwater and brackish water ecosystems and erosion. Consider Florida's Everglades, a region comprised of vast freshwater peat-lands, saw grass, mangroves and other coastal wetland species. With global warming, rising sea levels are projected to increase the salinity of coastal wetlands and promote the spread of salt tolerant species into these wetlands.