Final Argumentative Essay: Global Societal Problem, Argument and Solution

Water is a unique element that is significantly important to life. It is found in rivers, glaciers, streams, ponds, lakes, and oceans among others. Reduced run-off in our water sources around the globe has led to water scarcity challenges that are worsening due to population increases with more demand for water. Rivers running into oceans are losing water for different reasons including climate change that significantly alters rainfall patterns and increase evaporation. The decreased water flow into oceans makes them saltier and significantly affects water levels in the oceans that could result to ocean desertification. Since water is vital for life, endangering water supplies affects ocean circulation that in turn affects climate regulation. Water habitats are disappearing due to global warming and overdevelopment that significantly decrease water levels in our oceans that could contribute to ocean desertification. Ocean desertification is a significant environmental challenge to living creatures that has a number of consequences which are likely to worsen over years.

Annotated Bibliography

Valles-Regino, R., Tate, R., Kelaher, B., Savins, D., Dowell, A., & Benkendorff. (2015). Ocean

Warming and CO2-Induced Acidification Impact the Lipid Content of a Marine Predatory Gastropod. Marine Drugs, 13(10): 6019–6037.

This article illustrates the effects of climate change on enviornmental challenges that is likely to worsen over years. Temperatures around water bodies are likely to increase while surface ocean pH is likely to decrease over years. Ocean acidification and desertifictaion could lead to chronic stress of living creatures resulting to decreased growth and reproduction of marine creatures and reduced survivorship of these creatures. Some marine creatures like fish are healthful food for human consumption that offer nutritional and health benefits. Environmental conditions such as changes in water levels and changes in temperatures signficantly affect life of marine creatures. Ocean acidification signficantly affects fatty acid concentration and composition in marine creatures changing their nutritional quality. This article provides rich information on the effects of climate change on water bodies such as oceans that includes ocean acidification that signficantly influences structure and composition of marine creatures. It will provide meaningful information that will be used to support my claims on ocean desertificiation.

Lee, S-Y., Ryan, M., Hamlet, A., Palen, W., & Lawler, J. (2015). Projecting the Hydrologic

Impacts of Climate Change on Montane Wetlands. PLOS ONE, doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0136385.

This article describes the importance of wetlands to the ecosystem as they provide food and habitat to living creatures of aquatic and terrestrial species. Wetlands that influence biogeochemical cycles and hydrologic processes are vulnerable ecosystems to climatic changes. Direct destruction, changes is land use and water withdrawals are some factors that have significantly affected wetlands in the past. Acceleration in climate changes and human development will significantly affect wetland areas. Hydrologic changes could substantially affect wetland species and their biological networks. Understanding climate impacts is critical to evaluating vulnerability of living creatures and changes in wetland dynamics that influence water bodies including oceans. The challenges to wetlands and water bodies is real, therefore, needs to be addressed accordingly. This article will help in creating an understanding of the importance of wetland areas in climate change that in turn affects oceans. Climate changes are contributors to ocean acidification and desertification that will worsen over decades.

Srinivasan, V., Lambin, E. F., Gorelick, S. M., Thompson, B. H. (2012). The nature and causes

of the global water crisis: Syndromes from a meta-analysis of coupled human-water studies. AGU Journal, 48(10): DOI: 10.1029/2011WR011087.

This article identifies water scarcity and security as major global environmental problems in the current world. Accessibility to freshwater will remain constant despite expectations of increase in global population. Water shortages could limit agricultural production, human wellbeing, and industrial production in the future. Common global drivers of changes that include population growth and climate change significantly influence existence of water bodies. It is predicted that some regions around the globe will face water crisis that pose several problems. Overutilization of water resources could lead to significant affect climate change. Human actions may not control water in the natural ecosystem due to limits of the natural environment. Water resource sustainability remains a challenge in the current world. This article will provide information on water scarcity and security that are some factors contributing to ocean desertification. It enhances my understanding on how difficult it is to sustain water resources including rivers that flow into lakes and oceans.

MacDonald, G. M. (2010). Water, climate change, and sustainability in the southwest. PNAS,

107 (50): 21256-21262.

This article explores on water and climate change as well as sustainability of water in some region. It identifies high temperatures, woodland and forest mortality as some factors contributing to climate changes and water issues. Climate changes have contributed to more severe and prolonged droughts in some regions in the 21st century. Water demand will intensify over years due to food security and increased population. Environmental concerns will limit transference of rivers to increase water supply for agriculture and other functions. Technical innovations and policy measures that increase water supply and decrease its demands are needed for sustainability. Some rivers that drained into oceans no longer do so that could impact water levels in oceans contributing to ocean desertification. The Colorado River a critical supply of water no longer drains into the ocean but is widely used for other purposes including irrigation. This article provides rich information climate change and water sustainability that significantly impact water bodies.