A sustained rise in the Earth’s average surface temperature is known as global warming, and it presents an existential threat to ecosystems and species. Delays in ecosystem services that are essential for life on Earth are among the catastrophic effects, along with habitat loss and the extinction of species. This blog explores the science underlying these effects and explains why biodiversity preservation is essential to the planet’s health and ability to withstand climate change.
What is Biodiversity?
The variety and variability of life on Earth, including the diversity within and between species as well as among ecosystems, is referred to as biodiversity. In addition to serving as a storehouse of biological resources, rich biodiversity also offers ecological services like
pollination, water purification, and climate regulation (Cardinale et al., 2012).
The Toll of Global Warming
Habitat Loss
Global warming leads to melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and shifting climatic zones, directly affecting habitats like polar regions, coral reefs, and tropical rainforests (IPCC, 2019).
One concerning effect of global warming is habitat loss, which has an impact on a wide range of ecosystems, from tropical rainforests to frigid regions. Animals that rely on ice for sleeping and hunting, such as seals and polar bears, are fighting for their lives as glaciers in
polar regions melt at a rate never seen before. under a similar vein, coastal habitats that are vital to a variety of marine species are under jeopardy due to increasing sea levels, another effect of global warming. Certain plants and animals are also finding previously friendly locations inhospitable due to the shifting borders of climatic zones brought on by rising temperatures. The ocean’s nurseries, coral reefs, are going through bleaching episodes as a result of rising sea temperatures and increased acidity, which is having an impact on whole marine ecosystems.
Changes in temperature and weather patterns can disrupt the migration cycles of birds, mammals, and fish, often with fatal consequences (Robinson et al., 2009). The absorption of
excess carbon dioxide by the oceans is making them more acidic, impacting marine biodiversity, particularly coral reefs and shell-forming organisms (Hoegh-Guldberg et al., 2007). Some estimates suggest that global warming could lead to the extinction of 25% of
the world’s animal and plant species by the year 2050 (Thomas et al., 2004). Global warming has been observed to affect pollination patterns, which could lead to a decline in food crops that are essential for human survival (Hegland et al., 2009). Warmer temperatures can result in the uncoupling of predator-prey relationships, leading to “trophic mismatches” that can disrupt entire ecosystems (Thackeray et al., 2016). The altering climates also make it easier for invasive species to establish themselves in new ecosystems, often to the detriment of native species (Walther et al., 2009).
Habitat loss due to global warming is not just an environmental issue but a crisis that impacts biodiversity, ecosystems, and potentially human civilization itself. Therefore, it’s a problem that requires immediate and coordinated global action.
Why It Matters
Ecosystems perform various ecological functions critical for climate regulation, including carbon sequestration, water purification, and nutrient cycling. The loss of biodiversity diminishes these functions, making ecosystems less resilient to environmental changes
(Isbell et al., 2015). The consequences of global warming on biodiversity and ecosystems are profound and interlinked. Tackling this issue requires an interdisciplinary approach and the collective will of international communities. The more we understand about these impacts, the better we can develop strategies to mitigate them, ultimately working towards a more sustainable and resilient world.
References
- Cardinale, B.J., Duffy, J.E., Gonzalez, A., et al. (2012). Biodiversity loss and its impact on humanity. Nature, 486(7401), 59–67.
- IPCC. (2019). Summary for Policymakers of the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity
and Ecosystem Services. - Robinson, R.A., Crick, H.Q.P., Learmonth, J.A., et al. (2009). Travelling through a warming world: Climate change and migratory species. Endangered Species Research, 7, 87–99.
- Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Bruno, J.F. (2007). The Impact of Climate Change on the World’s Marine Ecosystems. Science, 328(5985), 1523–1528.
- Thomas, C.D., Cameron, A., Green, R.E., et al. (2004). Extinction risk from climate change. Nature, 427, 145–148.
- Hegland, S.J., Nielsen, A., Lázaro, A., et al. (2009). How does climate warming affect plant- pollinator interactions? Ecology Letters, 12(2), 184–195.
- Thackeray, S.J., Henrys, P.A., Hemming, D., et al. (2016). Phenological sensitivity to climate across taxa and trophic levels. Nature, 535, 241–245.
- Walther, G., Roques, A., Hulme, P.E., et al. (2009). Alien species in a warmer world: risks and opportunities. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 24(12), 686–693.
- Isbell, F., Craven, D., Connolly, J., et al. (2015). Biodiversity increases the resistance of ecosystem productivity to climate extremes. Nature, 526, 574–577.