What will the impact be if endangered glaci
Glaciers act as reservoirs of water that persist through summer. Continual melt from
glaciers contributes water to the ecosystem throughout dry months, creating perennial
stream habitat and a water source for plants and animals. The cold runoff from
glaciers also affects downstream water temperatures. Many aquatic species in
mountainous environments require cold water temperatures to survive. Some aquatic
insects--fundamental components of the food web--are especially sensitive to stream
temperature and cannot survive without the cooling effects of glacial meltwater. Such
changes in stream habitat may also adversely impact native trout and other keystone
salmon species.
What will the impact be if endangered
glaciers disappear?
Our coastlines would be very different. If all the ice covering Antarctica , Greenland and in
mountain glaciers around the world were to melt, sea level would rise about 70 meters (230 feet).
The ocean would cover all the coastal cities and land area would shrink significantly, but a few
cities may be able to survive.
When the glaciers disappear, those species will go extinct. This great melting will affect ecosystems and
the creatures within them, like the salmon that spawn in meltwater streams. This is on top of the
effects on the water that billions of people drink, the crops they grow and the energy they need.
Glacier-fed ecosystems are delicately balanced, populated by species that have adapted to the unique
conditions of the streams. As glaciers shrink and meltwater eventually declines, changes in water
temperature, nutrient content and other characteristics will disrupt those natural communities.