A Changing Water Cycle

Water is constantly moving from the clouds to the land to the ocean and then back to the clouds, and this is known as the water cycle. The water cycle is a crucial part in maintaining environments keeping them fertile and habitable. Due to global warming this important cycle is being affected and causing drastic changes in our environment. The rising temperatures make the water cycle much more drastic which leads to wet areas getting wetter and dry areas getting drier. These discoveries have been made recently as scientists were able to examine changing patterns of salt in the ocean. Because the water cycle is the movement of freshwater, they were able to notice the changing intensity of the water cycle by the salt concentration in various areas. These droughts and floods can be detrimental to environments and change them completely. But the effect of the changing water cycle is not only confined to the environment, along with many other climate change related problems. The changing water cycle will alter the distribution and availability of freshwater resources, reducing reliable access to water for many people and their crops. It can also affect winter snowpack and mountain glaciers that provide water for human use are declining as a result of global warming. The water cycle represents yet another aspect of our environment that is being affected by humans and yet another reason that we need to counteract climate change.  

If you want to read more about this study and the changing water cycle you can use this link.