Intensified climate change in the Florida Keys affects the region around it. For example, important habitats seen all over Florida like salt marshes, mangroves, and seagrasses are critical, without them our ecosystems would not be able to store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for extended amounts of time. Thankfully a sanctuary in the Florida Keys is making efforts to aid these blue carbon habitats.
impacted regions
Similarly to the Florida Keys, the Gulf of Mexico is experiencing a similar form of climate change. Their waters are warming at an exponential rate causing sea levels to rise, coastal flooding, stronger hurricanes and storm surges, coral bleaching, and disrupted marine life populations.
gulf of mexico
Climate change is currently escalating throughout the globe. Its effects can be seen throughout polar ice caps melting to dreadful summers in the intense heat. There have been shifts in our climates like increased intensity in hurricanes, wildfires, heatwaves, rainfall, flooding, etc. Our ecosystems are being torn apart by changes in the distributions of plants, animals, and our food chains. It is also impacting humans directly with increased health risks, damage to our homes, insecurities with nutrients, and much more.
global effects
To combat climate change in the Florida Keys, residents have been coming together to promote renewable energy sources through solar-powered facilities and funding for coral nurseries in the ocean. As well as have proposed a climate change plan to budget for possible rises in sea levels or storm surges. These efforts will hopefully lower the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, slow rising ocean temperatures, and help us preserve our oceans.
Taking Initiative
The Florida Keys will experience the harsh reality of climate change within the next century. Climate change has had lasting effects on sea levels, temperatures, currents, and storms. To be a bit more specific, coral reefs have had a large decline due to coral bleaching and damage from hurricanes rummaging through Florida’s coast. Drastic temperature changes have also impacted the area. Human activity has significantly increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causing the ocean to absorb this CO2 and ultimately ocean acidification. This hinders the possibility for many animals to grow or produce hard shells, disrupts the marine food web, and leaves many animals without a habitat or food, shoreline protection, and biodiversity.
The impact of Climate change on the Florida keys
Climate Change in the Florida Keys