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How Would Climate Change Effect the Guam Kingfisher?
Background
If you have read the section titled “The Guam Kingfisher,” then you would already be aware of the fact that there are no Kingfishers in the wild. If you didn’t read that, well then I just told you. There are long-term plans to reintroduce the Kingfisher to Guam, once the breeding programs increase the species’ numbers. This would be a grand feat, however, there are some issues the birds could face when they return home.
Climate Change, Water, and Guam
As was mentioned in the section “Climate Change,” as well as in episodes of Nature’s Podcast, climate change is a very real issue, and it affects the Earth in many ways. The main impact on the Kingfisher would be related to water, specifically the rising sea levels. The ocean is slowly eating away at Guam’s beaches, and because it is an island overtime it is likely that in the very distant future there will not be an island left for the birds to go to. With a loss of habitat, it would be difficult for the Guam Kingfisher to thrive, let alone survive in their old home.
Other Issues
Problems related to climate change are only a portion of the hardships these small birds may have to face. For example, deforestation. As the demand for natural goods increases, more forests will be cleared for commercial use. If the kingfishers are ever successfully reintroduced to Guam, deforestation may have taken a substantial area of their habitat.
The Effects of Climate Change on Ecosystems
Climate change isn’t only affecting Guam or humans, but also ecosystems around the world. With the slight increases in temperature over the last 150 years, many organisms are suffering. For example, animals that live by coasts are going to have issues in the following years because of the rising sea level. The increase in ocean temperatures is changing the migration patterns of marine life such as whales, sharks and seals. The lack of seals in the artic is not good for polar bears. They are starving because they can’t find their main food source. Things like this are occurring all over the world as a result of the increase in global average temperatures, just as similar issues could affect the Guam Kingfisher’s native island of Guam.