SEA LEVEL RISE: ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS

As the sea levels continue to rise across the globe, even small increases are having devastating effects on coastal habitats, which are more prone to dealing with erosion, wetland flooding, soil contamination, and losses of habitat for birds, in addition to fish.

For instance, along the coasts in the United States, rising sea levels have begun to affect fish and wildlife habitats, including the shorebird and sea turtle nesting habitat, which are both highly endangered species.

If sea levels rise as rapidly as they are in the contemporary nation, there will be major losses of wildlife and biodiversity seen, due to issues such as rising tides. In the oceans, subtropical and tropical corals in shallow waters have already been victims of major bleaching events, which were caused by the increase in sea surface temperatures.