Death Valley Climate Change Essay

Can the hottest place on earth get any hotter? 225km long and 8 to 24km wide and about 1,425 square km of the valley’s floor lie below sea level (Death Valley). Death Valley, a valley in southeastern California is known as the hottest place in the world and the driest in North America (Death Valley). In recent years, the fragile yet thriving ecosystem in Death Valley has been influenced by the increase in rain and temperature due to climate change. This shows how even the hottest place can be affected by climate change.

The rising temperatures caused by climate change can change the survival rates of the wildlife that lives in Death Valley. It can lower an animal’s chance of surviving, as seen with the Devil's Hole Pupfish. On the other hand,

Ten years ago, the average low temperature in August was 86 degrees, last year, it was 90 according to NOAA. The average low temperature has increased over the years by 4 degrees. The entire world is getting hotter because the rise in greenhouse gas emissions, which prevent heat from escaping and result in a warming of the entire planet, is what is causing the change in the climate. Just ten years ago the average low was 86 degrees now it’s 90. This shows how climate change is happening in Death Valley because of the rise in average low temperature. Until 1945 the common average temperature was below 75°F but since 1992 the average temperature for all the years has been above 75°F for three years (2017, 2018, 2021) average temperature being 80+°F (NOAA). The annual average temperature has also been increasing. It was common for the average temperature to be below 75°F but with climate change it has been increasing, it is now common for the temperature to be closer to 80°F than 75°F. This is because climate change is causing the temperatures to rise even in the hottest place in the

Since it’s a desert not much change has happened from climate change, the valley also only houses 300 people with the main life being animals (Susie Neilson and Azmi Haroun, 2023). The animals in Death Valley are well adapted to the climate because of this not many are significantly affected but some have already been showing signs of being influenced by climate change. Like the pupfish which has decreased by 416 since 1972 because their hatching time has shortened. Not only the pupfish but many other animals fled to the Mojave Desert (160 km away) region for cooler areas, changing their migration. However, some animals thrive because of climate change like the pronghorn antelope. The pronghorn antelope left Death Valley years ago but in April 2020 a herd was spotted returning to Death Valley by following the wildflowers that grew because of the increase in