This essay will first focus on the change in biodiversity by climate warming and then examine other influences like temperature change, invasive alien species, and land-use change - today and in the future.
Establishing the dimension of the changes in biodiversity, this essay considers negative, and positive impacts on biodiversity and suggests improvements and perspectives. As geodiversity determines biodiversity as well as ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity, it addresses the complexity of species richness and spatial scale in different biomes.
Biodiversity has changed and is changing temporarily with seasons and natural ecological disturbances. Nevertheless, anthropogenic influences amplify these processes changing biotic, abiotic, and movement factors. This affects biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and productivity which condition ecosystem services, and human well-being.
Table of Contents
1. How and why biodiversity is changing and will change within the next 100 years?
2. Biodiversity is currently changing and will change by climate warming
3. Biodiversity is currently changing and will change by extreme weather events.
4. Biodiversity is currently changing and will change by invasive alien species (IAS).
5. Biodiversity is currently changing and will change by land use change.
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This essay examines the multifaceted drivers of biodiversity change over the next century, specifically focusing on the synergistic impacts of climate warming, extreme weather events, invasive alien species, and land-use change, while evaluating potential conservation perspectives.
- Impact of climate warming on Arctic biodiversity and niche shifting.
- Consequences of extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts, on habitat destruction.
- Role of invasive alien species in altering ecosystem composition and competition.
- Effects of land-use change and fragmentation on species distribution and movement.
- Critical evaluation of current conservation strategies and the need for a holistic management approach.
Excerpt from the Book
Biodiversity is currently changing and will change by climate warming
As reflective glaciers, ice caps, and ice sheets are melting, the absorbing ocean heats, which in turn, causes more ice to melt, and heats the atmosphere (positive ice-albedo feedback). Correspondingly, more precipitation is falling as rain instead of snow, freezing to ice (Lemke et al., 2007), which impedes grazing and foraging. For example, caribou, reindeer, and muskoxen have difficulty getting through the ice layers to reach nutrient-rich forage, which can increase mortality (Rennert et al., 2008). This resulted in ontogenetic niche shifting (ONS), with plant and animal species shifting poleward.
Moreover, climate warming results in earlier plant flowering, earlier bird arrival, earlier breeding, and earlier emergence of insects in the Northern Hemisphere. For instance, the spring range of Barnacle Geese (Branta leucopsis) has moved north along the Norwegian coast. Wide-spread distributed community dominant plant species like (Carex bigelowii), (Dryas octopetala) and (Cassiope tetragona) will extend northward as well and will increase in abundance (IPCC, 2002).
Summary of Chapters
How and why biodiversity is changing and will change within the next 100 years?: An introduction to the anthropogenic influences on biodiversity and the essay's focus on key environmental drivers.
Biodiversity is currently changing and will change by climate warming: Analysis of how melting ice and rising temperatures in the Arctic force species to shift their ranges poleward.
Biodiversity is currently changing and will change by extreme weather events.: Examination of how droughts, heatwaves, and floods degrade habitats and threaten species such as orangutans in peat swamp forests.
Biodiversity is currently changing and will change by invasive alien species (IAS).: Discussion on how invasive plants like Himalayan balsam outcompete native species, exacerbated by environmental disturbances.
Biodiversity is currently changing and will change by land use change.: Investigation into how habitat fragmentation and agriculture contribute to biodiversity loss and the necessity of area-focused conservation.
Keywords
Biodiversity, Climate warming, Land-use change, Invasive alien species, Extreme weather events, Conservation, Species richness, Niche shifting, Arctic Tundra, Peat swamp forests, Habitat fragmentation, Ecological disturbances, Anthropogenic influence, Carbon cycle, Geodiversity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this essay?
The essay investigates the drivers of global biodiversity change, specifically how anthropogenic climate change and landscape alterations will impact species richness and distribution over the next century.
What are the central themes discussed?
The central themes include the effects of rising global temperatures, the increased frequency of extreme weather events, the proliferation of invasive species, and the degradation of habitats due to land use.
What is the primary objective of this research?
The goal is to analyze the interconnected nature of these environmental influences and to highlight the necessity of integrated conservation strategies to preserve biodiversity.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The work utilizes a synthesis of existing literature and meta-analysis of ecological studies to evaluate the relative impacts of environmental drivers across different biomes.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The body chapters address specific mechanisms of change: thermal impacts in the Arctic, the role of flooding in habitat destruction, competitive dynamics between invasive and native flora, and the consequences of land-use intensification.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is defined by terms such as biodiversity loss, climate change, niche shifting, invasive alien species, habitat fragmentation, and sustainable land management.
How does permafrost degradation specifically affect Arctic species?
Permafrost degradation releases trapped gases and alters soil moisture, while the loss of ice corridors limits the ability of species like Peary caribou to migrate between islands, potentially increasing inbreeding depression.
Why is the conservation of peat swamp forests critical in Southeast Asia?
These ecosystems are vital for endangered species like orangutans and contribute significantly to carbon cycling, yet they are increasingly threatened by flooding and forest fire-induced habitat loss.
What is the significance of the "Imenti forest" example?
The Imenti forest serves as a real-world case study demonstrating how corridor connectivity can fluctuate due to surrounding land-use pressures and urbanization, influencing species presence.
Does the author suggest that recovery is possible within 100 years?
The author argues that while biodiversity is currently declining, 100 years is a short period for full recovery, thus requiring immediate, holistic, and coordinated intervention between scientists, policymakers, and local actors.
- Citation du texte
- Anonym (Auteur), 2022, How and why biodiversity is changing and will change within the next 100 years?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1432081
