
What is Climate Change & how does it effect WV?
According to the dictionary, climate change is a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular, a change apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels. West Virginia is being impacted by this global climate change. Within the last century, West Virginia's average temperature has increased around 1-degree Fahrenheit, as well as the increase of heavy rainstorms.
Is It Getting Hot in Here, or Is It Just Me?
The ocean has had a pretty rough life recently, and it seems that its life just gets worse with climate change. When we create greenhouse gases, they get trapped within the atmosphere. The greenhouse gases trap heat, which means that the whole world is becoming hotter. The ocean absorbs most of the excess heat meaning that its water becomes hotter. When the ocean becomes too hot, most of the marine life can't adapt and live.

Oh Look, I'm Getting Taller!
Another thing that makes the ocean's life a little harder is that it's constantly getting taller. Because of the warming of both the ocean and the earth, there is this thing called sea level rise that is occurring. Sea level rise is the level of the ocean is rising. This happens from the water getting warmer, which makes it expand, and ice over land to melt, which adds more water into the ocean.


In the High or Low Tides of Life, I'll be here.
With the ocean level rising, its tides have now become different. There are these tides that happen once or twice a year called King Tides. A King Tide is the highest predicted high tide of the year for a specific location. These are what helps us understand how much the ocean level has risen. Which in turn, they show us how much climate change is affecting the ocean.

Am I Seeing Red?
Speaking of tides, have you ever seen the ocean turn red? It almost looks like the ocean is bleeding. Thankfully the ocean isn't bleeding, but it is experiencing red tides. The red tides are harmful algal blooms that take up all the nutrients in the area. They are naturally occurring events, but with the warming of the ocean, they are becoming much harder for us to control.


Look at How Big I Can Wave
Now we've seen that the ocean can turn red, but did you know that the ocean can also make itself taller? It can make itself as tall as 100 feet sometimes. These are called tsunamis. Tsunamis are known as natural disasters because of the damage they cause. With climate change increasing the oceans sea level, these disasters are becoming more disastrous. So coastal communities are in more danger than they were in previous years.

Did you say Hurricane? I Know Him.
Tsunamis aren't the only natural disaster that starts within the ocean. Just like tsunamis, hurricanes cause a lot of damage to coastal communities. Sometimes, they can harm landlocked communities too. Another thing they have in common with the tsunami is that they are affected by climate change. With the rising temperature around the globe, there is a greater frequency in hurricanes, and they are becoming more destructive. There are stronger storm surges and much more rain.

Speaking of the Weather, Have You Seen El Nino?
If you can't tell by now, the weather affects the life of the ocean and the things that happen within it. Another one of these weather aspects that affect the ocean is called an El Nino, also known as upwelling. Upwelling is the rising of seawater. With warming temperatures, the land around the ocean becomes warmer faster, this creates winds that could cause upwelling to happen. If upwelling occurs, then water from the bottom of the ocean is brought to the top. This water could be full of more nutrients, a lower pH, or less oxygen.


Look at How Good I can Move!
Just like the wind moves the ocean water for upwelling, there are ocean currents that move all over the globe. You may be thinking about how can the ocean currents be affected by climate change. Well, the melting of the ice is putting freshwater into the ocean. This is changing the salinity of the ocean. Considering that salinity is one of the biggest contributors to ocean currents. Water salinity changes the density of the water which allows less dense water to rise and denser water to sink. Climate change is making these currents weaker.

Mr. Jellyfish, I Thought You Lived Over There?
When you think of the life of the ocean, you probably think of the things that live within it. When thinking of the fish and plants that live in the ocean, you think of the specific areas in which they live. Sometimes these certain species can become invasive. Some of these species include the white-spotted jellyfish or the lionfish Climate change can make invasive species more likely to happen as well as making it more difficult for the native species to recover.


Don't Take All My Fishy Friends!
Speaking of fish, we must be careful with overfishing. If we take away all the life in the ocean, then the ocean wouldn't really have a life. Climate change and overfishing go hand in hand at slowly chipping away at the ocean's marine life. Without change, there will not be much life left in the ocean.



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What is Climate Change & how does it effect WV?
According to the dictionary, climate change is a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular, a change apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels. West Virginia is being impacted by this global climate change. Within the last century, West Virginia's average temperature has increased around 1-degree Fahrenheit, as well as the increase of heavy rainstorms.
Is It Getting Hot in Here, or Is It Just Me?
The ocean has had a pretty rough life recently, and it seems that its life just gets worse with climate change. When we create greenhouse gases, they get trapped within the atmosphere. The greenhouse gases trap heat, which means that the whole world is becoming hotter. The ocean absorbs most of the excess heat meaning that its water becomes hotter. When the ocean becomes too hot, most of the marine life can't adapt and live.

Oh Look, I'm Getting Taller!
Another thing that makes the ocean's life a little harder is that it's constantly getting taller. Because of the warming of both the ocean and the earth, there is this thing called sea level rise that is occurring. Sea level rise is the level of the ocean is rising. This happens from the water getting warmer, which makes it expand, and ice over land to melt, which adds more water into the ocean.


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