Effects of Climate on Vegetation and Wildlife

Effects of Climate on Vegetation and Wildlife

As much as the impacts are not easily noticeable for most people, the climate has a great effect on vegetation and wildlife. Before we go any deep, you need to understand what the term climate means for you to know its effects on vegetation and wildlife. Climate refers to weather conditions that have been prevailing in an area in general and have been recorded over a long period. Most people find themselves confusing between the term climate and weather. In the world we live in today, there are several different things that can lead to climate change. Some of the factors are human induced, and others are out of human control. The ones that human beings cannot control are natural factors. As much as there are factors that are out of human control, there are those that are caused by human activities.

Some of the climate changes that are human induced include the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and gas for electricity. Since there are many effects of climate change on the environment, it is crucial that people try their best to control these factors. However, they are two very different terms that describe changes in environmental conditions. When there is a change in climate, there are great changes in the temperatures, rainfall, and climate pattern, and that can have a great effect on vegetation. This is because different vegetation can do well in different climates.

When there is climate change, there could be variability in the vegetation that grows in a particular area, thus posing threats to wildlife resources that habit in a particular area. Climate changes can greatly affect the migration of animals since they disrupt the migration pattern. The issues that are brought along through the changes in the climate are interlinked, and that is the main reason why wildlife all around the world is greatly affected. Changes in climate can cause the melting of polar ice caps. These polar ice caps are home and hunting ground to several different species of animals, and that is the reason why wildlife is affected as a result of changes in climate..

When they is a climate change in a certain area, there may result in changes in soil composition since there could be an impact in nutrient cycles, microbial activities as well as a physiological process. For that reason, some plants may not be able to survive in a place that they use to survive in before. In addition, climate change can lead to matters such as soil erosion, acidity, and salinity of soil that are crucial for growth in vegetation in a particular place. Some wildlife feed on vegetation in a particular area where they habit. If there is a change in climate, the wildlife may have to migrate to another region where the food can be available. Sometimes, some animals may die from starvation if the climate changes are extreme.  Since there are harmful effects of climate change, there are several different initiatives that have been formed all over the world to address the issues.