There are some natural places with enough diversity in altitude and geology such that as the planet warms, they can be resilient strongholds for plant and animal species. The Central Appalachians are one resilient climate escape route that may help species adapt to changing conditions. For instance, in North America, species are shifting their ranges an average of 11 miles north and 36 feet higher in elevation each decade to find more favorable conditions. In both oceans and on land, the changes in temperature and moisture are causing some species to migrate in search of new places to live. This affects many species that rely on salmon like orcas or grizzly bears. As climate change alters the temperature and flow of these waterways, some salmon populations are dwindling. In another case, salmon rely on steady-flowing cold rivers to spawn. and Canada, moose are struggling due to an increase in ticks and parasites that are surviving the shorter, milder winters. It’s not just how climate change affects an animal directly it’s about how the warming climate affects the ecosystem and food chain that animal has adapted to. In the polar regions, animals like polar bears that live on polar ice are now struggling to survive as that ice melts. Many species are approaching-or have already reached-the limit of where they can go to find hospitable climates. Īll of these impacts, and many, many others will become more severe if we don’t act to stop greenhouse gas emissions.Ĭhanging climates directly and indirectly cause stress to animals across the world.
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Higher temperatures are affecting the length of seasons and in some places, are already crossing safe levels for ecosystems and humans. The warming of the atmosphere affects weather patterns, causing more frequent and severe storms and droughts across many global regions. Climate change affects ocean habitats by lowering oxygen, decreasing phytoplankton (little plants that serve as the base of marine food chains) and killing coral reefs. For example, it warms the polar regions and the oceans, which melts ice cover at the poles and causes sea level rise. Rising temperatures from human-caused greenhouse gas emissions affects planet-wide systems in various ways. The main threats of climate change, stemming from the rising temperature of Earth’s atmosphere include rising sea levels, ecosystem collapse and more frequent and severe weather. What are the main threats of climate change?
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The rate of carbon emissions are the highest they’ve been in 66 million years and the amount of warming in the coming decades is expected to be 250 times greater than the average warming during the past century.
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However, the rises in temperature and carbon dioxide levels we’ve seen in the past century are extreme and are accelerating. Over Earth’s history, carbon dioxide levels fluctuate due to volcanic activity or the carbon cycle (animals and bacteria breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide while plants do the opposite). The more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the warmer it gets. Scientists have known for centuries that gases in Earth’s atmosphere like carbon dioxide and methane act as a greenhouse, preventing a certain amount of heat radiation from escaping back to space. Humanity’s accelerated burning of fossil fuels and deforestation ( forests are key parts of the planet’s natural carbon management systems) have led to rapid increases of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and global warming. Yes, over 97% of scientist agree that humans cause climate change.