Some call it a hoax, others call it fate. Global warming and climate change are taking a toll on environmentally sensitive species all around the world. Behind the overall message expressed throughout Oreskes and Conway’s The Collapse of Western Civilization, it is apparent that unsustainable living is linked to a short-lived future for mankind.
Humans have continued a growing existence on this planet through utilization of and innovation upon Earth’s natural environment. The real life evidence, though not to the extent described in science-fiction novels, of global warming should be enough to curb the “earth will last us forever” or "it's too late for change" attitudes. Because, in fact, the Earth will not last us forever, but we must strive to fix the problem.
Indicator Species reflect the health and condition of an environment through its behaviors. Among these is the sea turtle. IUCN Red List currently categorizes four of the seven marine species of turtles as either endangered or critically endangered. This categorization is not only a reflection of the dwindling status of sea turtles, but also as a wake-up call for our own well-being as inhabitants of Earth.
Global climate change and its effects on depth of oceans and weather conditions’ impacts on shorelines lead to less coral means less fish which means less prey for carnivorous turtles as well as less algal growth for herbivorous turtles. This shortage of nutrients within the ecosystem works its way up to specialists, which produce offspring at a slower rate with a smaller survival rate which is how the severe impact grows so monumentally.
Coastal habitats make up a large portion of the world’s biodiversity, and are growing as an ecological sign reflecting the small scale, immediate effects of global change. Global warming may not seem directly related to the endangerment of sea turtles, but through increased climate change on the scale predicted to occur within the next century, sea turtles, and marine life as a whole, are expected to lose most, if not all of their habitat.
As a human race, it is our Earthly responsibility to respond to catastrophic changes within our environment. Indicator species, like these four species of sea turtles, are telling us that we need to act now. Limiting land and water pollution, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and using sea-turtle proof fishing methods can go a long way in protecting these fragile marine reptile populations. Nothing on Earth is permanent, but with a sustainable mindset, we can hope to preserve some sort of a future for these sea turtle populations. And it is up to us to ensure a future for the next generation of humans.
