The Effects Of Melting Ice Glaciers

What are Glaciers
Glaciers are formed by fallen snow that gets compressed into solid ice over a period of time. New layers of snow fall over the formed ice, compacting the layers of ice below. This is a constant process, making the glacier thicker and bigger over a period of time.

Glaciers are also known as 'rivers of ice' because they are not stationary but moving constantly like the water of a river; only much slower, from a few millimeters a day to a few meters a day.

How are Glaciers Formed
Glaciers are formed by snow. This snow keeps on freezing and thawing (depending on the climate and temperature) and finally gets converted into ice. This ice gets compacted and firmer when a new layer of snow falls over it and compresses it under pressure. As more snow gets converted into ice, the weight and size of the glacier keeps increasing. An increased weight helps the layers of ice to start moving slowly (thus the nickname 'rivers of ice'). The upper layers of the glacier are usually not compressed to the levels of the lower layers and are more brittle, forming deep cracks (crevasses) as they move.

Is Ice Glaciers Melting Normal
It is normal for ice glaciers to melt. Ice glaciers either break off into smaller icebergs and melt directly into the sea, or melt on land and form rivers that will empty into the sea.

Sea water is evaporating constantly and is replaced by melting glacier water. A problem here occurs when the snow replenishing it is less than the melted water. This is exactly what is happening with most of the glaciers around the world today, gradually reducing the size of the glacier, at the same increasing the sea water level.

Effects of Melting Ice Glaciers
Glacier ice is melting much faster today than was expected. This has got serious effects on the earth, mostly negative.

Global Warming
Temperatures across the globe have gone upward, helping the cause of ice glaciers melting faster than required. In certain places across the world small ice glaciers have totally vanished, exposing the earth below. Ice glaciers are able to deflect almost 80% heat of the sun, absorbing approximately 20% heat. This figure gets reversed when sunlight falls on earth, 80% is absorbed and only 20% is deflected back. This in turn helps in increasing global temperatures. This leads to an increase in the temperature of sea water. Icebergs melt faster. Added to this is the expansion of sea water, leading to a rise in sea water levels.

Fresh Water Shortage
When seen from outer space, the earth looks self-sufficient in its need for water; in reality it is just the reverse. Almost all this water seen from space is salt water; unfit for human use. Just over 2% of this water is freshwater that is fit for human use; and over 70% of this 2% make-up the earths glaciers. Many on earth depend on the melting water from glaciers for their fresh water supply through lakes and rivers. The melted water gets renewed as ice on the glacier through a process known as precipitation. In many parts of the world this is the 'only' source of fresh water supply throughout the year. An ever-increasing human population and a rapidly decreasing glacier mass will lead to severe fresh water shortage in the near future (some places like those surrounding the Himalayas are already facing a crisis of fresh water shortage, especially in the dry months).

Reduced Agricultural Output
Agriculture that depends solely on rain will be mostly unaffected by the effects of ice glaciers melting. Such areas are very few worldwide and do not contribute to the major chunk of farmland. Areas affected will be those that depend on water emanating from ice glaciers. During the dry seasons there will be a shortage of fresh water from ice glaciers, making the land dry and unsuitable for agriculture. Total agricultural output will reduce, leading to a shortage of foodgrains.

Shortage of Electricity (Hydroelectric)
There are many places across the planet that depend solely on the constant flow of water from melting glaciers for the production of electricity. Once this flow of water is reduced or stops, the production of electricity will stop too. Absolutely no nation can do without electricity, and will force such places to adopt different sources to produce electricity, most of them that will pollute the earth, and possibly even help increase global warming.

Excessive Flooding
How can the same situation of rapidly melting ice glaciers have two opposite effects; draught and flooding. This is a possibility. In places where there are ice glaciers on higher altitudes and they are all melting rapidly, it will lead to a sudden increase in water input to rivers, causing floods all along the river. This excess water could also lead to the formation of new lakes which will keep on increasing in size. This is a serious cause of worry, since the water contained in these lakes could be tremendous, and the bursting of such lakes could cause a major catastrophe all around, destroying everything in its path.

Rise in Sea-level
Water from melting ice glaciers on higher altitudes will form rivers and be emptied into the sea. A lot of water that melts on sea-level glaciers gets emptied directly into the sea. The sea level is rising constantly at a rate of approximately 1mm to 2mm per year. Melting glaciers have a part to do with this rise. The more faster glaciers across the globe melt, the more will be the increase in sea level. The effects of this will be of unimaginable magnitude. Coastal regions across the globe will have to relocate due to flooding, soil erosion, and contamination of underground fresh water with salt water. The effects of a rising sea level will be felt first in most coastal areas of America (north, central, and south) and most of Asia.

Animal, Bird, and Fish Habitat Loss
There are many animals, birds, and fish that depend solely on glaciers for survival. Certain animals need the temperatures of glaciers for survival. Some bird species depend on fish that are found in fresh melting waters of a glacier. With an increase in sea water temperature, and rising sea levels, sea-plants that these fish thrive on will be lost, reducing the number of fish, which in-turn will make survival of many bird species difficult.

Coral Reefs will Vanish
Corals require sunlight for photosynthesis to survive and thrive. As the sea level rises, enough sunlight will not reach these corals, deteriorating their quality and even possibly killing them in time. Fish that depend on these corals for food will not survive. This will have an effect on the people who fish for survival in these areas.

Earth Will Get Recontaminated
Many today would never have heard of DDT and many such pesticides that were banned worldwide years ago. Most of the pesticides got airborne and were finally deposited in cool areas containing glaciers. Upto a few years ago, these harmful chemicals remained trapped in the layers of glaciers. Rapid melting of these glaciers is now releasing these chemicals back into the environment, in many lakes and rivers formed by these melting glaciers.

Melting Ice Glaciers Affects the Whole World
The effects of melting ice glaciers is not confined only to one part of the planet; it is currently affecting the entire planet. Every continent on earth is feeling the effects of rapidly melting ice glaciers. Global warming is worsening the situation. We can not stop the glaciers from melting faster than they should, but let us all do whatever we can (however small) to help reduce global warming. It will help make earth a less hazardous place to live in.