FURTHER THOUGHTS ON THE GLOBAL EFFECTS OF CLIMATIC CYCLES…
(…and how these shift the latitudinal ranges of our climate zones)

We have come to a somewhat contrarian view about what are the most likely effects that result from the climatic cycles of our planet. How correct such a perspective might be about the subject we can’t say with any certainty. However, based on all that we’ve read up on it to date, we believe it’s a hypothesis that may have some merit for consideration.

Contrary to the doomsday views so prevalent today, which we think are based on skewed perspectives, here’s what we posit instead:

1. When the planet is in a cooling cycle:
2. a) As cold conditions increase in intensity, the Polar climate zones expand toward
         the Equator, perhaps as far as down as only 38.5 degrees latitude from the       Equator. That is, expanding the polar zones to encompass some 51.5 degrees of latitude.
3. In turn, the Sub Polar zones along their leading edges expand to perhaps reach 23.5 degrees latitude from the Equator to encompass some 15 degrees of latitude.  
4. The Temperate zones are thus diminished, compressed in latitudinal range between 23.5 degrees latitude from the Equator at their upper levels and 12.5 degrees latitude from the Equator along their lower ranges, encompassing only 11 degrees of latitude.
5. The Sub Tropical zones are also slightly reduced to a range between 12.5 degrees latitude from the Equator along their upper levels and 8 degrees latitude from the Equator along their lower levels, to encompass 4.5 degrees of latitude.
6. Lastly, the Equatorial zones themselves are slightly reduced to a range between 8 degrees latitude from the Equator along their upper levels to the Equator at their lowest levels.

These are only approximately estimated ranges for the latitudinal shifts which probably occur during such a cooling cycle. Since the record of the time lapse for such cooling cycles has never been more than 100,000 years, the shifts are relatively rapid, perhaps up to 5 degrees of changed latitude per 10,000 years, forcing plant, animal, and human life forms to adapt more or less at the same rate…or perish.

However, this loss of optimum Temperate zone habitats is offset by the radical drop in ocean levels which, in turn, expose the expanses of the Continental shelves as new habitat areas. How much of an offset that provides is something that would have to be researched and calculated.

1. When the planet is in a warming cycle:
2. As the warm conditions progress in intensity, the Polar climate zones shrink reaching out to just 82 degrees latitude from the Equator, and encompassing only 8 degrees of latitude.
3. In turn the Sub Polar zones along their lower edges, now only extend down from 82 degrees latitude to 78.5 degrees latitude from the Equator, encompassing only some 3 degrees of latitude.
4. The Temperate zones now expand toward the Poles to 78.5 degrees latitude from the Equator at their upper levels, down to 28.5 latitude from the Equator along their lower levels, to now encompass some 50 degrees of latitude.
5. The Sub Tropical zones also slightly increase up to 28.5 latitude from the Equator along their upper levels down to 16.5 degrees latitude along their lower levels, encompassing 12 degrees of latitude.
6. The Equatorial zones themselves slightly expand to reach up to 16.5 degrees latitude from the Equator at their upper levels, to encompass some 16.5 degrees of latitude.

However, since the time frame record for such warming cycles is longer than 100,000 years, the rate of such latitudinal climate zone shifts is also progressively slow, perhaps only 2.5 – 3 degrees latitude shift per 10,000 years; and, if a longer time span is involved, the rate of those shifts is even slower. The main impact that occurs with this scenario is that the Temperate zone habitats are expanded by almost as much as the Polar zones are during a cold cycle. The offset to this being the radical rise in ocean levels, which not only re-submerge any previously exposed Continental shelves expanses, but also, encroach on the land masses as well.

Nevertheless, the overall result is a renewed proliferation and diversity of plant, animal, and human life forms. But because such a warming cycle is so slowly progressive over a very long time span, that also allows all life forms to more easily adapt to its progressive increase in intensity.

This is our perspective of what probably occurs when our planet shifts from one climatic cycle to another. While nothing we do or don’t do can materially change such a cyclic process, we can and should direct our efforts not just at minimizing our contributions to the process, but focus instead on improving our ability to adapt to the changing conditions these cycles are certain to bring about.

CENTURION

ANNEX:

 Graphic representation of comparative latitudinal shifts during cold and warm climate cycles:

    COLD CYCLE                                                                         WARM CYCLE  

              0* Latitude                                                                    0* Latitude

90* Latitude                                                                   90* Latitude

POLAR                                                                           POLAR

38.5* Latitude                                                                 82.5* Latitude

SUB-POLAR                                                                  SUB-POLAR

28.5* Latitude                                                                78.5* Latitude

TEMPERATE                                                               TEMPERATE

12.5* Latitude                                                                 26.5* Latitude

SUB-TROPICAL                                                           SUB-TROPICAL

10* Latitude                                                                    16.5* Latitude

EQUATORIAL                                                             EQUATORIAL

0* Latitude                                                                     0* Latitude