Habitat Destruction in Glacier National Park
Impact of devastating forest fire in the park.
"Habitat, place where an organism or a community of organisms lives, including all living and nonliving factors or conditions of the surrounding environment." (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
Habitat destruction is the devastation of the home of organisms, abiotic, and biotic factors. Global warming is causing habitat destruction in Glacier National Park. The glaciers, which are melting at alarming rates, are the basis for the habitats of the organism that live at the park. Glacier run off creates the lakes and streams in Glacier National Park. Because the water comes from ice and snow, these lakes and streams are very cold. Organisms have adapted to this cold water and this is their habitat. Without glaciers, water temperatures will rise even more than they have already. Organisms in this park, like the Western Glacier Stonefly, cannot survive in warmer lake temperatures. Many of the small organisms that need the water temperature to remain cold, like insects and fish, are the base of food chains. Global warming also causes habitat destruction in the form of forest fires. Many of the organisms in Glacier rely on these forests for food and protection.
Habitat destruction is the devastation of the home of organisms, abiotic, and biotic factors. Global warming is causing habitat destruction in Glacier National Park. The glaciers, which are melting at alarming rates, are the basis for the habitats of the organism that live at the park. Glacier run off creates the lakes and streams in Glacier National Park. Because the water comes from ice and snow, these lakes and streams are very cold. Organisms have adapted to this cold water and this is their habitat. Without glaciers, water temperatures will rise even more than they have already. Organisms in this park, like the Western Glacier Stonefly, cannot survive in warmer lake temperatures. Many of the small organisms that need the water temperature to remain cold, like insects and fish, are the base of food chains. Global warming also causes habitat destruction in the form of forest fires. Many of the organisms in Glacier rely on these forests for food and protection.
Grace Madigan and Angelina Olson, 2013