Climate and Community: Understanding Environmental Change

Climate change affects different ecosystems in various ways:

– Forests: Changes in temperature and precipitation can lead to shifts in forest types and locations. Pests and diseases may thrive under warmer conditions, and increased carbon dioxide levels can affect plant growth.
– Wetlands: These areas are particularly sensitive to changes in water availability and quality. Sea-level rise can lead to the loss of coastal wetlands, while altered precipitation patterns can affect inland wetlands.
– Oceans: Warming oceans and acidification are causing coral bleaching and the decline of coral reefs, which are vital for marine biodiversity. Changes in sea temperature can also affect the distribution of fish stocks, impacting fisheries and the communities that rely on them.
– Grasslands and savannas: These ecosystems may experience increased frequency of fires and invasive species, altering their structure and species composition.
– Polar regions: Melting ice and thawing permafrost are drastically altering polar habitats, affecting species such as polar bears and penguins and leading to the release of greenhouse gases from permafrost.