What might happen to coastal cities in India if glaciers and polar ice keep melting faster? Class 9
What might happen to coastal cities in India if glaciers and polar ice keep melting faster? Class 9
Question 1.
What might happen to coastal cities in India if glaciers and polar ice keep melting faster? Class 9
Answer:
Faster melting of glaciers and polar ice adds more water to rivers and oceans, raising sea levels over the long run. This threatens low-lying coastal cities like Mumbai and Chennai with flooding. Beyond direct inundation, habitat loss in coastal ecosystems (like mangroves) would follow, disrupting the biosphere and the livelihoods of millions who depend on coastal fisheries and agriculture.
Question 2.
How would increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere affect the ocean plankton? Class 9
Answer:
Increasing atmospheric CO2 causes the oceans to absorb more of it, making seawater more acidic. This ocean acidification threatens tiny plankton (including phytoplankton), which depend on carbonate ions to survive and photosynthesize. Since phytoplankton form the base of the marine food chain and produce a significant portion of Earth’s oxygen, their decline would cascade through the entire marine ecosystem. Additionally, warmer ocean temperatures (from global warming) reduce the ocean’s ability to absorb CO2, compounding the problem further.