El Niño with its large ecological consequences; The case of fires in Borneo

Docs en anglais | 29 pages | 21-09-2007 | Format : | Note : Non noté

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Résumé

El Niño is a climatic phenomenon that comes about during the period of Christmas time in the east part of the Pacific Ocean near the west coast of South America, and that involves both elements from the Tropical Ocean and the Global Atmosphere. From a climatic point of view, El Niño is an extensive warming of the upper ocean in the tropical Eastern Pacific lasting more than 5 months.

This phenomenon has strong ecological consequences all over the world such as the increase of tornadoes in North America, the decrease of the streamflow of a river in China, or even the reduction of Galapagos penguin populations.

Nevertheless, the biggest ecological consequences are those occurring in South America and in Indonesia. In Peru El Niño causes very heavy rainfalls that lead to dangerous floods. As a contrary, there is, in the same, time droughts that lead to dramatic fires on the other side of the Ocean and more particularly in Borneo area. These fires have very big impacts on the general forest ecosystem and are the causes of strong haze and smoke pollution.

More specifically, the wild fire that occurred in 1997-1998 caused big ecological disturbances in Borneo's forests. It affected different trophic levels and more particularly the interaction vegetation / animal. The first example showed that, as the trees species providing fruits for sun bears had decreased a lot, the sun bear population were then affected too. Next, a riverine bird saw his population decreased and widespread differently because of a disturbance in his habitat following the wild fire. Finally, the change in the vegetation after
the fire had consequences on the assemblage of a butterfly.

All these fires causing ecological disturbances are not only provoked by drought resulting of El Niño. Indeed, the humankind, through a bad land use management and perhaps a increase of the global warming, has strong responsibilities for these fires.

Content:

Acronyms and abbreviations
Abstract
Introduction

1) EXPLANATIONS OF EL NINO AND ITS NUMEROUS CONSEQUENCES

- A climatic phenomenon
- With serious ecological consequences all over the world
- Focusing on the large fires in Borneo

2) ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE FIRES IN BORNEO AT DIFFERENT SCALES

- General impacts on the rain forests ecosystem
- Carbon and hare pollution: a big issue for the environment
- Examples of specific ecological disturbances at different trophic levels, following the 1997-1998 wild fire

3) THE HUMANKIND RESPONSIBILITY FOR FIRES

- El Niño, only playing a role
- The direct human responsibilities: complex interlinked causes
- The indirect human responsibilities: the global warning

Conclusion
References
Table of content

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