Introduction
Title: The Impact of Climate Change on Biodiversity
Subtitle: Understanding the Challenges and Solutions
Content:
● Climate change is a global phenomenon driven by human
activities that leads to shifts in temperature, weather patterns, and
sea levels. These changes have profound effects on biodiversity—
the variety of life on Earth. This project explores the complex
relationship between climate change and biodiversity, highlighting
the impacts on ecosystems, species, and the actions needed to
mitigate these effects.
Climate Change Overview
Content:
● What is Climate Change? Climate change refers to long-term
alterations in temperature and weather patterns, primarily due
to human activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and
industrial processes. Greenhouse gases such as CO2, CH4,
and N2O trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to global
warming.
● Key Statistics:
○ Average global temperature rise of approximately 1.2°C
since pre-industrial times.
○ Current atmospheric CO2 concentration is over 420 ppm.
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Biodiversity Basics
Content:
● What is Biodiversity? Biodiversity encompasses the variety of
life forms on Earth, including genetic, species, and ecosystem
diversity. It is crucial for ecosystem stability, resilience, and
human well-being.
● Levels of Biodiversity:
○ Genetic Diversity: Variation in genes within a species.
○ Species Diversity: Variety of species within an
ecosystem.
○ Ecosystem Diversity: Range of different habitats and
ecosystems.
How is climate change affecting biodiversity?
The main driver of biodiversity loss remains humans’ use of land – primarily for food
production. Human activity has already altered over 70 per cent of all ice-free land.
When land is converted for agriculture, some animal and plant species may lose their
habitat and face extinction.
But climate change is playing an increasingly important role in the decline of
biodiversity. Climate change has altered marine, terrestrial, and freshwater
ecosystems around the world. It has caused the loss of local species, increased
diseases, and driven mass mortality of plants and animals, resulting in the first
climate-driven extinctions.
On land, higher temperatures have forced animals and plants to move to higher
elevations or higher latitudes, many moving towards the Earth’s poles, with far-
reaching consequences for ecosystems. The risk of species extinction increases with
every degree of warming.
In the ocean, rising temperatures increase the risk of irreversible loss of marine and
coastal ecosystems. Live coral reefs, for instance, have nearly halved in the past 150
years, and further warming threatens to destroy almost all remaining reefs.
Overall, climate change affects the health of ecosystems, influencing shifts in the
distribution of plants, viruses, animals, and even human settlements. This can create
increased opportunities for animals to spread diseases and for viruses to spill over to
humans. Human health can also be affected by reduced ecosystem services, such as
the loss of food, medicine and livelihoods provided by nature.
Ecosystem Disruption
Content:
● Impact on Ecosystems: Climate change disrupts ecosystems
by altering temperature and precipitation patterns, which can
lead to habitat loss, shifts in species distribution, and changes
in ecosystem services.
● Examples:
○ Polar Regions: Melting ice affects polar bears and
seals.
○ Forests: Increased temperatures and droughts lead to
forest fires and loss of habitat.
Species at Risk
Content:
● Threatened Species: Many species face heightened risks
due to climate change, including polar bears, sea turtles, and
various amphibians. Changes in temperature and habitat can
lead to decreased food availability and altered reproductive
patterns.
● Case Studies:
○ Polar Bears: Loss of sea ice threatens their hunting
grounds.
○ Coral Reefs: Ocean warming causes coral bleaching.
Coral Reefs
Content:
● Coral Reef Ecosystems: Coral reefs are highly
diverse marine ecosystems that are sensitive to
changes in water temperature and acidity. Coral
bleaching, caused by warming waters, leads to the loss
of vital marine habitats.
● Current Status:
○ Up to 50% of global coral reefs have been
severely damaged.
○ Ocean acidification affects coral calcification rates.
Polar Regions
Content:
● Effects on Polar Regions: Warming temperatures in
polar regions lead to melting ice, affecting species like
polar bears, seals, and penguins. The loss of ice also
impacts global climate patterns and sea levels.
● Specific Impacts:
○ Arctic: Thinning sea ice and loss of habitat.
○ Antarctica: Melting glaciers contributing to sea
level rise.
Forests and Deforestation
Content:
● Forest Ecosystems: Forests play a crucial role in
regulating the climate by absorbing CO2. Climate
change, combined with deforestation, exacerbates
habitat loss and reduces biodiversity.
● Key Issues:
○ Increased frequency of forest fires due to higher
temperatures and prolonged droughts.
○ Deforestation for agriculture and urban expansion
reduces habitat for countless species.
● Effects:
○ Loss of carbon storage capacity.
○ Disruption of water cycles and local climate
regulation.
Oceans and Marine Life
Content:
● Impact on Marine Ecosystems: Climate change
affects oceans through rising temperatures,
acidification, and deoxygenation, impacting marine
biodiversity and ecosystems.
● Key Effects:
○ Ocean Acidification: Increased CO2 leads to
more acidic waters, affecting shell-forming
organisms like molluscs and corals.
○ Temperature Rise: Warmer waters disrupt fish
migration patterns and coral health.
● Consequences:
○ Decline in fish stocks and marine biodiversity.
○ Altered food webs and ecosystem functions.
