[INFORMATIVE] The lesser-known effects of climate change

The lesser-known effects of climate change

By: Aerin C.

When the word climate change comes up, we immediately think of the heatwaves, sea levels rising, organisms going extinct and so on, the list is endless. Yet, there are less obvious effects of climate change, which are proving to be as detrimental as heat waves affecting lives of both animals and humans around the world.

Across the world due to the rising temperatures, many fishes, crocodiles, turtles and more, experience higher temperatures during the mating season. These organisms rely on temperature as a determination of the sex of the offspring. This phenomenon was discovered in 1966 in Senegal by working on rainbow agamas, a species of sub-Saharan lizard. The scientist, Madeline Charnier, established that male embryos of the lizard develop at 29°C, while females develop when the temperature is between 26 to 27°C.

In modern-day times, scientists in Australia use modern technology and Messenger RNA from the bearded dragon lizard embryos while incubating their eggs at cooler and warmer temperatures. The bearded dragon chromosomes are ZZ or ZW, males carry the ZZ chromosomes while females are ZW. Temperature is able to overrule genetic determination of the sex of the offspring in a phenomenon called ‘ZZ Reverse’.

Bearded dragons may have this temperature dependent sex determination as a way to survive in different environments. The dry conditions that the bearded dragons live in, can vary significantly between each season. Males may be born at the end of the breeding season when temperatures fall, a time when it is more advantageous to be a male since they can develop and mate within that shorter time frame. While females born during that time would have to wait until the next season to successfully mate. A worrying pattern is that more male eggs will have the chromosomes changed causing an imbalance in the number of females and males in the species. It is posing a threat to many endangered species as males could become uncommon, this may push the entire species into extinction.

Next, around the world turbulence aboard aircrafts has become more severe, leading to bumpier trips. The movement of air has become less predictable, leading to turbulence becoming the most common cause of airline accidents, according to the US National Transportation Safety Board. According to the University of Reading in the UK, turbulence in the North Atlantic has increased by 55% since 1979. The cause of this is the warmer weather due to climate change. The issue lies in turbulence emerging out of the blue, there are no visual clues like clouds to suggest that turbulence is coming, surprising aircrafts and their personnel.

Planes also travel at high altitudes to burn less fuel since the air is thinner but there are powerful jet streams that exist in those regions. These jet streams are created when warm air rises and cold air pushes in to replace it. The warm and cold air currents have been helping and hindering flight since forever but warmer air increases the difference between wind speeds in the jet stream, increasing turbulence. From a global perspective, the more heat absorbed around the world, the more energy there is in the atmosphere, thus there is more convection meaning more turbulence.

A saddening example of climate change creeping into all aspects of our lives was the unfortunate accident on the Singapore Airlines flight from London. One passenger passed away and dozens were injured after encountering violent turbulence, some describe the experience like an egg being shaken in a metal box. In case of any violent turbulence, airlines now recommend to keep seatbelts securely fastened at all times.

Lastly, volcanic activity is rarely correlated with climate change. However, research from a few years prior suggests that glacier melting could alter pressure on Earth’s surface. This change in the movement of molten rock under the surface leads to more volcanic eruptions. Geologists reconstructed eruptions in Iceland 5,500 to 4,500 years ago when there was a cooling period. They analysed the ash falling in Europe that was collected in bogs and swamps and concluded that over time there was also a rise in glacial coverage. The scientists also noticed that eruptions during the ice covered periods seem to be smaller. As the climate progresses towards warmer temperatures, volcanic eruptions may become more frequent.

The way climate change sneaks into every aspect of our lives is scary - yet there is room for optimism. Alongside a worsening climate crisis, there is a growing technological support system as well. Scientific progress can help us predict, prevent and protect ourselves during disasters, nonetheless, we should be mindful and proactive when travelling around the world.


Works Cited
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