effects of climate change on global biodiversity

effects of climate change on global biodiversity

Abstract

Climate change remains one contentious issue globally. The impact of the same is very significant on the habitant change and the subsequent loss of biodiversity. The climate change has several consequences on the biophysical environment; several changes have so far been reported in the species distribution. The world still has many gaps in the knowledge of the effects of climate change on biodiversity. Generally, species have so far expanded their ranges upward in altitude and poleward in latitude. Pawson et al., 2013, shows that contraction in species distribution is imperfect; the populations of various species have intensely declined where climate change is seen to have contributed to this decline. However, biodiversity and ecosystem changes due to climate change are not all adverse as some species have thrived and adapted so far. This report examines some of the effects of climate change on global biodiversity.

Introduction

Climate change is considered a global threat to biodiversity and the natural ecosystem. Over the last century, the average global temperatures have gone up by 0.7 degrees Celsius, and they will continue to rise in the future as per the prediction. The continuous increase in temperature associated with the change in the climatic condition has led to the extinction of various diversity of plants and animals. Africa, for example which is the wealthiest continent in the biodiversity, is estimated to contain more than one-fifth of the global species of plants and animals (Chapin et al., 2012). The continent is comprised of a famous world’s diverse and biological ecosystem, such as the tropical forest, savanna, tropical forest, and the coral reefs, among others. However, human activities such as industrialization, farming, irrigation, and urbanization have been considered as the key drivers of global climate change and the reason behind the loss of diversity of plants and animals (Hurtt, 2015).

The effects of climate change on biodiversity is far stretched. Fragment species of plants and animals in the different parts of the world are under pressure from pollution and deforestation and are becoming more vulnerable to climate change.  For example, the changes of crucial habitats are experienced in various places around the globe as a result of the continuous change in climatic conditions leading to diversity loss. As global warming increases, these fires are likely to become more intense and extensive. They may result in significant changes in the ecosystems that would affect biodiversity through the loss or alteration of the species composition. The direct effects include those arising from the increasing temperatures and the growing level of carbon dioxide, often associated with global climate change. The immediate and potential impact include the hydrologic cycles, the increased extent of extreme weather events, and frequent fires that destroy the ecosystem. The multiple changes can affect biodiversity in various ways, such as altering the life cycles and shifting the changes in biodiversity in many possible ways. Besides, climatic change often results in the distribution of the changes in abundances, changes in migration patterns, and changes in the frequency and severity of pest and disease outbreaks.

In other areas, the effects of climate change do result in the alteration and loss of suitable climatic condition which supports different biodiversity. Corals in many tropical regions do experience substantial death and injury from the increasing water temperatures and increasing the intensity of a storm. The changes in the climatic condition in the various parts of the world are considered as the leading cause of the changes in the biodiversity populations. For example, the element of distribution in the different parts of the world has resulted in a scenario where some species which cannot survive on deserts have died and the gradual extinction of the various animal and plant species (Chapin et al., 2012).

Human activities, particularly agriculture, the element of settlements and industrial development, have increased in the last few centuries. This has resulted in the changes in the climate conditions, which do leave other essential plants and animal species vulnerable to death and later disappearance of some of the plants and animals’ species.  The habitats reduction and fragmentations pose a problem because it limits the ability of the many species to migrate to areas with favorable conditions (Chapin et al., 2012). Various places such as mountain tops, Islands, and the peninsulas are the most exposed and affected by climate; hence these animals and plant species have relatively narrower habits due to the alterations of these habitats (Hurtt, 2015).

The species with restricted climate envelopes, small populations, and the laminated ability to migrate are likely to suffer in the face of global climate change. It is estimated that over 25%, of the Australian Eucalypts, for instance, have distribution spanning areas where the average temperature does vary less than 1 degree Celsius. Even a relatively smaller change in the average temperatures will shift the climatic envelopes outside the currents distribution. The modeling on the impact of climate change reveals that by 2017 some particular animals and plants in most of the global protected areas will encounter new climatic conditions that have been experienced in the past. This is likely to result in the extinction of most plants and animals species (Morecroft et al., 2014).

Several species are likely to be affected physiologically by the change in climate; this is evidence that some of the species are physiologically vulnerable to the temperature spikes. The changes witnessed in the ecosystems as a result of changes in climate are going to have significant and generally negative cultural, social, and economic consequences (Oliver et al., 2014). Modeling studies on the possible effect on species due to climatic changes have indicated poleward shifts and altitude changes, range growths, or shrinkages validating the present evidence for the most part. These studies have just highlighted the unusual nature of species’ responses to the changes in climate, which is likely to have a significant impact on the future structure of the ecosystems (Morecroft et al., 2014).

Many insects and birds are showing several changes like early migration, breeding and egg-laying; there are also some changes in the distribution in terms of the ecosystem like the expansion of the desert ecosystems.  According to Jantz et al., 2015, humans are still uncertain about the magnitude and speed at which the changes in climate are going to impact biodiversity and the ecosystem services. For instance, the predicted changes in the intensity, frequency, and degree of turbulence like fire, famine, and drought, cyclone, and flood will somehow place the present vegetation under high stress and favor species able to quickly colonize uncovered areas (Oliver et al., 2014). This would mean the spread of the strange ‘weed’ species and critical variations in the abundance and dispersal of several native species.

Species loss could significantly reduce the ability of ecosystem services, especially if the environmental conditions are rapidly changing at the same time. Dynamic, mechanistic, and population models are some of the modeling tools that have been used so far to evaluate future effects and vulnerability of both the ecosystems and species (Staudinger et al., 2012). The once-popular plant communities have been severely reduced in size and damaged into smaller bits due to climate change. This habitat fragmentation and reduction poses a significant problem as it confines the ability of numerous species to transfer to areas with favorable and promising conditions. The species found on mountain tops, peninsulas, and islands will have a related problem (Jantz et al., 2015).  It is possible that as the changes in climate take place and species get eliminated from some areas the world will witness changes in some ecosystem functions or services; this could mean excellent land degradation, agricultural productivity changes and mass reduction in the quality of water supplied to human populations (Staudinger et al., 2012). Societies will, therefore, have some years to slowly adapt and familiarize their management of biodiversity as conditions continue to change (Morecroft et al., 2014).

Conclusion

The global statistics indicate that there is the extinction of over 1000 species of animals and plants every year as a result of the effects of climate change. With the factors that result in the continuous evolution and increase in climate, the significant global biodiversity is on the verge of becoming extinct by 2050. The effects of climate change on global diversity are on the rise, and human activities such as agriculture, industrialization, and urbanization, among others, are to blame.  There is a need for change in the events critical to humans to increase environmental suitability and reduce the impact of the climatic change on global biodiversity. Factors such as reduced carbon dioxide production, lowered rate of the population through proper waste management, and productive agriculture and urbanization practices need to be put in place to minimize the effects of climate change on global biodiversity.

References

Pawson, S. M., Brin, A., Brockerhoff, E. G., Lamb, D., Payn, T. W., Paquette, A., & Parrotta, J. A. (2013). Plantation forests, climate change, and biodiversity. Biodiversity and Conservation, 22(5), 1203-1227.

Oliver, T. H., & Morecroft, M. D. (2014). Interactions between climate change and land-use change on biodiversity: attribution problems, risks, and opportunities. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 5(3), 317-335.

Staudinger, M. D., Grimm, N. B., Staudt, A., Carter, S. L., & Chapin, F. S. (2012). Impacts of climate change on biodiversity, ecosystems, and ecosystem services. United States Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC.

Jantz, S. M., Barker, B., Brooks, T. M., Chini, L. P., Huang, Q., Moore, R. M., … & Hurtt, G. C. (2015). Future habitat loss and extinctions drove by land‐use change in biodiversity hotspots under four scenarios of climate‐change mitigation. Conservation Biology, 29(4), 1122-1131.