Climate change is altering the Earth’s habitats and ecosystems, putting many species at risk of global population reductions or extinction.
Justify this statement, giving real world examples of climate change. (5 marks)
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→ Climate change is altering organisms environments across the globe, causing drastic population reductions and even extinctions of entire species.
→ One reason for sudden changes in populations is the increase in devastating and extreme weather events because of climate change. Storms, fires and extended droughts result in devastating death tolls in both plant and animal communities, eliminating individuals and drastically changing the gene pool.
→ Climate change also produces more incremental impacts on the environment. Steadily increasing temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns are two examples. Many organisms cannot adapt to these changes, causing depopulation and extinctions.
→ One example of a changing temperature on the environment is ocean acidification. Rising temperatures have a drastic effect coral health and its associated marine life. Acidification of the water also makes it difficult for many crustaceans to form hard shells.
→ The ecosystems themselves also play a large role in climate change, as plants act as a climate regulator due to their ability to store carbon. However, as climate change grows at an exponential rate, plants cannot adapt quickly enough and die out. This results in less carbon storage and a dangerous negative feedback loop.
→ It is therefore accurate to state that climate change alters ecosystems worldwide causing large population declines of species and eventually climate extinctions for some.
→ Climate change is altering organisms environments across the globe, causing drastic population reductions and even extinctions of entire species.
→ One reason for sudden changes in populations is the increase in devastating and extreme weather events because of climate change. Storms, fires and extended droughts result in devastating death tolls in both plant and animal communities, eliminating individuals and drastically changing the gene pool.
→ Climate change also produces more incremental impacts on the environment. Steadily increasing temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns are two examples. Many organisms cannot adapt to these changes, causing depopulation and extinctions.
→ One example of a changing temperature on the environment is ocean acidification. Rising temperatures have a drastic effect coral health and its associated marine life. Acidification of the water also makes it difficult for many crustaceans to form hard shells.
→ The ecosystems themselves also play a large role in climate change, as plants act as a climate regulator due to their ability to store carbon. However, as climate change grows at an exponential rate, plants cannot adapt quickly enough and die out. This results in less carbon storage and a dangerous negative feedback loop.
→ It is therefore accurate to state that climate change alters ecosystems worldwide causing large population declines of species and eventually climate extinctions for some.