Species vulnerability and climate change

Rajbir Saha

(rajbirsaha1995@gmail.com)

Many species worldwide are predicted to become vulnerable to 21st-centu ry Climate Change. With the increase in heatwaves and subsequent droughts, world forests are projected to get changed. In the Forests of Costa Rica, shifts in composition, driven by the mortality factor, have been seen towards the upward or poleward areas suggesting the migration of the tropical species to higher latitudes if there is an availability of the land surface. Analysis of the NFI's (National Forest Inventory) data and climate analogues showed that tree species' composition for twenty-six significant European trees is likely to change from 2061 to 2090. Due to changes in temperature conditions, the species composition of both native and invasive species has changed in the sub-tidal community of Newcastle (NH). Climate change is known to have a profound effect on the forests of the Alpine areas the Tibetan plateau, which is almost 60% Alpine. The region's annual temperature has doubled the global average over the past 50 years and the impact of this drastic warming has been observed in the change in species composition of plants from Sedges to Grasses in the Alpine grassland ecosystem of the Tibetan plateau. A shift in climate is expected to result in the 'Cul-de-sac' effect, that is, the movement of organisms to high altitudes in response to Climate change. This effect is expected to bring some significant changes in species composition in the Aegean and Adriatic seas, where the species richness at first will increase due to the migration of species from the Gulf of Gabes that would experience a net loss of species. However, the Lion Gulf and both the Adriatic and the Sea of the Aegean will inevitably be subjected to a net loss of biodiversity resources due to niche loss for the indigenous species. Therefore, throughout the 21st century, the Mediterranean coastal fish mix's makeup would change considerably. Climate change can also be found to affect primate composition either through changes in the vegetation cover through the availability of resources or through their physiological response to climate change. Mean global temperatures have risen ~1ºC since pre-industrial times as a result of human activities. In addition to increasing global temperatures, the impacts of climate change include extreme weather events such as drought, hurricanes and rising sea levels. Species are already being impacted by anthropogenic climate change, and its rapid onset is limiting the ability of many species to adapt to their environments. Climate change currently affects at least 10,967 species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, increasing the likelihood of their extinction. The Bramble Cay melomys (Melomys rubicola) is the first mammal reported to have gone extinct as a direct result of climate change. Previously found only on the island of Bramble Cay in the Great Barrier Reef, its habitat was destroyed by rising sea levels. In addition to increased rates of disease and degraded habitats, climate change is also causing changes in species themselves, which threaten their survival. Rising temperatures have led to ecological changes, behavioural changes, physiological changes. Warmer temperatures during egg incubation are causing the imbalanced female to male sex ratios among Endangered green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), with females accounting for 99% of newly hatched turtles on some nesting beaches. Genetic changes attributed to climate change include hybridisation – interbreeding as species' habitats change – affecting species such as the common toad (Bufo bufo) and green toad (Bufotes balearicus) in southern Italy. The effects of climate change on even the smallest species can threaten ecosystems and other species across the food chain. Because species lowest in the food chain are often among the first impacted by climate change, the full impacts of species loss may not be seen for decades. Invasive alien species are among the main causes of biodiversity loss and species extinctions, and the proliferation of invasive species is often exacerbated by climate change. Native to South America, the water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) can now be found in parts of every continent except Antarctica, and it is expected to increase its range as the climate warms. The hyacinth deoxygenates rivers, killing fish populations, which in turn reduces income and food supply for local communities. Climate change affects the ability of plant species to sequester carbon, turning carbon sinks into carbon sources. Warmer temperatures are also increasingly leading to tree death caused by disease, drought conditions and an upsurge in the number and severity of forest fires, which leads to an increase in carbon emissions. Efforts to conserve species and mitigate the impacts of climate change require an approach that includes meeting climate targets, conserving and securing habitats, and helping species adapt to reduce CO2 emissions. Long-term and cohesive actions to meet Paris Agreement targets for emissions reductions can prevent temperature increases from exceeding the critical 2° threshold. This will have the greatest impact on reducing the impacts of climate change on species and ensuring ecosystems continue to provide habitats for species and their wide-ranging services to people.

Help nature to help people. By functioning as carbon sinks, ecosystems like forests, wetlands and tundra combat climate change and play a key role in helping countries meet their Paris Agreement targets. Restoring ecosystems and reforesting in biodiversity-friendly ways with climate-change resilient species can further increase their effectiveness. Nature can also help people adapt. Help species cope. Species are the building blocks of ecosystems, and reducing the risks to species posed by climate change is critical. Sound conservation responses include helping species adapt to shifting climates and preparing strategies for coping with extreme weather events such as heatwaves, floods and droughts. Minimizing non-climate stressors is essential for increasing species' future resilience to climate change.