Using examples, discuss the potential impacts of climate change on biodiversity and the potential

implications for global ecosystems and human well being.?

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts
for an extended period of time. Climate change may refer to a change in average weather
conditions, or in the time variation of weather within the context of longer-term average conditions.
Climate change is caused by factors such as biotic processes, variations in solar radiation received by
Earth, plate tectonics, and volcanic eruptions. Certain human activities have been identified as
primary causes of ongoing climate change, often referred to as global warming. In 2013, the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that "It is extremely likely that human
influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century” The
largest human influence has been the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide,
methane and nitrous oxide. Climate model projections summarized in the report indicated that
during the 21st century, the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 0.3 to 1.7 °C. Future
climate change and associated impacts will differ from region to region. Effects include increasing
global temperatures, rising sea levels, changing precipitation, and expansion of deserts in the
subtropics. Warming is expected to be greater over land than over the oceans and greatest in the
Arctic, with the continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Other likely changes include
more frequent extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, heavy rainfall with floods and
heavy snowfall. Ocean acidification; and species extinctions due to shifting temperature regimes.
Effects significant to humans include the threat to food security from decreasing crop yields and the
abandonment of populated areas due to rising sea levels. Because the climate system has a large
"inertia" and greenhouse gases will remain in the atmosphere for a long time, many of these effects
will persist for not only decades or centuries, but for tens of thousands of years to come.

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth, its biological diversity is commonly referred to as
biodiversity. The number of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the enormous diversity
of genes in these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and
coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse Earth. From a human perspective, the rapid climate
change and accelerating biodiversity loss risks human security, a major change in the food chain
upon which we depend, water sources may change, recede or disappear, medicines and other
resources we rely on. Rising temperatures already affect the world's Polar Regions. Diminishing ice
packs reduce the habitats of polar bears, penguins, puffins, and other Arctic creatures. As the ice
melts, it increases the sea level, which will affect and perhaps destroy ecosystems on coastlines.
Changes in temperatures will also cause shifts in mating cycles, especially for migratory animals that
rely on changing seasons to indicate their migration and reproductive timing.ay be harder to obtain
as the plants and forna they are derived from may reduce or disappear. Rising sea levels will also
cause changes to ocean temperatures and perhaps even currents. Such changes would have a strong
impact on zooplankton, an essential part of the food chain in the ocean. Shifts in where plankton live
and how big the size of their populations could upset the biodiversity in the Earth's waters. Whales,
especially, could bear the brunt of this, as many whale species require mass amounts of plankton to
survive. In addition, increased carbon dioxide causes acidification of the ocean, affecting creatures
and plants that are sensitive to pH imbalances. Corals because they are very sensitive to changes in
temperature. If water temperatures stay higher than usual for many weeks, the zooxanthellae they
depend on for some of their food leave their tissue. Without zooxanthellae, corals turn white
because zooxanthellae give corals their colour. White, unhealthy corals are called bleached.
Bleached corals are weak and less able to combat disease. Snails, clams, and urchins also make
calcium carbonate shells and ocean acidification negatively impacts these organisms as well. Just like
corals, ocean acidification makes it harder for these organisms to absorb the calcium carbonate they
need to build their shells. If coral reefs are lost, vital habitat will be lost too. The future health of
coral reefs and many marine organisms depends on our ability to reduce our carbon dioxide
emissions on a global scale.

Changing climate affects ecosystems in a variety of ways. For instance, warming may force species to
migrate to higher latitudes or higher elevations where temperatures are more conducive to their
survival. Similarly, as sea level rises, saltwater intrusion into a freshwater system may force some key
species to relocate or die, thus removing predators or prey that are critical in the existing food chain.
For many species, the climate where they live or spend part of the year influences key stages of their
annual life cycle, such as migration, blooming, and reproduction. As winters have become shorter
and milder, the timing of these events has changed in some parts of the country. As temperatures
increase, the habitat ranges of many North American species are moving north and to higher
elevations. In recent decades, in both land and aquatic environments, plants and animals have
moved to higher elevations. While this means a range expansion for some species, for others it
means movement into less hospitable habitat, increased competition, or range reduction, with some
species having nowhere to go because they are already at the top of a mountain or at the northern
limit of land suitable for their habitat. These factors lead to local extinctions of both plants and
animals in some areas. For example, boreal forests are invading tundra, reducing habitat for the
many unique species that depend on the tundra ecosystem, such as caribou, arctic foxes, and snowy
owls. As rivers and streams warm, warm water fish are expanding into areas previously inhabited by
Coldwater species.As waters warm, Coldwater fish, including many highly-valued trout and salmon
species, are losing their habitat. The impact of climate change on a particular species can ripple
through a food web and affect a wide range of other organisms.

Heat waves: Extreme heat can be deadly, particularly among the poor who may not have the luxury
of retreating to air-conditioned rooms. Floods: Climate change tends to make wet areas wetter and
dry areas drier, and so there will be an increase in both flooding and droughts. Flooding is one of the
most common natural disasters. Floods displace people from their homes, damage and destroy
infrastructure and buildings, and take a toll on an economic level. Unlike a flood, drought is rarely a
direct killer. But extremely dry conditions that last for months or years can lead to food and water
shortages and rising food prices, which can contribute to conflict. Droughts also have huge economic
costs, even in developed countries because of reduced farm output from drought. Extreme weather
events, such as floods and droughts, will lead to declines in some crops in some areas. While this
might be an inconvenience for people in developed countries when it comes to foods like limes and
avocados, the situation will be far more dire when it comes to crops like corn and wheat and in
countries that already struggle to feed their populations. Food shortages and increases in food
prices, which increase the number of malnourished people, are a particular concern in those places
that already suffering from food insecurity, such as large portions of Africa. Mosquitoes are sensitive
to climate—as temperatures rise, they’ll find favorable habitats in places that were once too cool for
them to live, such as higher latitudes and altitudes. The diseases they transmit, such as malaria,
dengue fever, and chikungunya fever, will spread with them.

Studies show that even a small amount of warming can increase malaria transmission under the
right conditions.