Environmental Psychology Analysis Paper

Environmental Psychology Analysis Paper

By

Jeffrey K. Kelley

University of Phoenix

Psy/460

Instructor: Rockel Etienne

Environmental Psychology Article Analysis

As a direct result of Global Warming around the world, it is believed that our oceans are warming up and that in the near future this warming phase will have a negative impact on the coral reef species of fish. According to (Barnett et al, 2005) there is overwhelming evidence that has been accumulated showing that the earth is undergoing a warming phase due to anthropogenic (Degradation of environment that is caused by humans) factors and much of this excess heat is stored within our oceans. Over time it is believed by many experts that this warming will cause serious damage to the marine ecosystems. The coral reef regions of the oceans provide many forms of protein and nutrients to many of the poorest people around the world and are also a major source of livelihood to these people. The reasons that this warming of the oceans will negatively impact the coral reef regions is because 1. As the oceans warm up there is an increase in basal metabolic rates which causes the fish to have a higher intake of food to maintain their present status. 2. Ocean warming can effect local and regional current patterns that will alter the food supply and which will interfere with the dispersal patterns of nesting and the dispersal of larvae. It is therefore of great importance for Environmental psychologists to study the impact that this warming will have on the environment and on the human population in these tropical environments around the world.

The Theoretical Basis of the Article

The study of the oceans warming has been quite difficult until recently, but now due to new technology we are able to study the El Nin˜o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle and are they capable of studying this warming more in depth. The ENSO cycle occurs between every three to seven years and it provides researchers with the...