Global Warming and Agriculture

I think that global warming is going to affect the agriculture of the world in many ways. The types of food we eat, the location of crops, and our fuel sources will all become affected by the unavoidable affects of global warming. The affects of global warming is unavoidable because consequences have already become apparent. Further research is not needed, any lay-person can tell, just by peering at disappearing snow line, that global warming is a actuality. This very real phenomenon is going to affect every member of the earth in many ways, agriculture being a substantial partition.

As the temperatures of the earth continue to rise, rainfall, and the location of the rainfall will be affected. This means that crops that need allot of water to grow may die. If crops that we depend on die, we will need to look to crops that are adapted for arid environments. Land that is arid now may become so desolate, that the success of crops adapted to thrive there may become jeopardized. All agricultural plants may have to move either south or north in order to stay in their same biome in the coming times.

Our fuel sources will probably be the first thing to change. Authorities are finally recognizing global warming and its future affects. Fossil fuels have been identified as the main culprit, and their continued use is unlikely. A fuel that is renewable is in the future, and agriculture is going to play a big part. Corn may be grown in larger quantities to be used as ethanol, or soybeans and the like may be grown to be used as biodiesel. Either way, if the world decides to use agriculture as a source of fuel, the implications must be observed. When growing a crop as a fuel source, one must recognize that it will take allot of nutrients, water, fuel to run the tractors, and other resources. Additionally, it must also be realized that even if crops are turned to as a 'green fuel' that the combustion of that fuel is still a combustion reaction - releasing heat and carbon dioxide as its products. The usage of crops as a fuel source will also raise the cost of food.

Global warming will no doubt place strains on our ever day life, especially as Americans. The already outrageous gas prices will be coupled with negative changes in our environment. Changes in temperature will no doubtly be accompanied by the extinction of some species of both plants and animals. It will be a challenge to feed the growing population in times where the environment is changing. But this challenge can be faced by the bright minds of the world. Our society, technology, and agriculture now must be directed in a new direction, a 'green' direction.