2009 Essay Contest Finalist

Entry by Brendan Hawkins

ESW 2009 Essay Contest

The biosphere of Stratford is affected by our climate because only certain plants and certain animals can live here. Some can only live here for a portion of the year. We have deer, opossums, raccoons, coyotes and fish in Long Island Sound. Some trees include apple, pine, and maple but not tropical trees. The warming of our climate is also affecting our biosphere by the appearance of manatees and dolphins in Long Island Sound. These marine species are usually found further south.

The geosphere of Southeastern Connecticut affected our climate by the creation of hills and large rock formations such as Sleeping Giant, East Rock and West Rock in the Hamden and New Haven areas. Our climate is affected because these hills help prevent tornadoes. Also, our soil here is not the best for growing crops because we have so many rocks above and below the surface.

The atmosphere of Stratford, Connecticut is affected by our climate because there are lots of days when it rains or snows. We have a lot of wind because we live close to Long Island Sound. The increase in heat trapped in our atmosphere affects our climate by raising the air and water temperature.

The hydrosphere of Stratford, Connecticut affects our climate because we border Long Island Sound. The water keeps us warmer in the winter than inland Connecticut but also does not allow us to have as much snow as inland Connecticut. The water temperature stays moderate so we rarely get any hurricanes here. However, our climate is getting warmer causing the water temperature to increase which may make it more likely for hurricanes to strike this area in the future.