Impacts Of Climate Change On Ecosystems

• The resilience of many ecosystems is likely to be exceeded this century by an unprecedented combination of climate change, associated disturbances (e.g. flooding, drought, wildfire, insects, ocean acidification) and other global change drivers (e.g. landuse change, pollution, fragmentation of natural systems, overexploitation of resources)

• Over the course of this century, net carbon uptake by terrestrial ecosystems is likely to peak before mid-century and then weaken or even reverse, thus amplifying climate change

• For increases in global average temperature exceeding 1.5 to 2.5°C and in concomitant atmospheric CO2 concentrations, there are projected to be major changes in ecosystem structure and function, species’ ecological interactions and shifts in species’ geographical ranges, with predominantly negative consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem goods and services, e.g. water and food supply

• Many species have a very restricted repartition range (referred to as micro endemism) around micro habitats such as a single mountain or a lake. The disruption of these habitats as a consequence of climate change willalso mean the disappearance of their biodiversity

• Climate change will result in significant loss of habitats

Source of Information : Climate Change: A Silent Threat by Sylvain Richer de Forges

Impacts Of Climate Change On Ecosystems