Plant and animal species are adapted to the climates of the regions in which they live. Fossil records show that species have changed over millions of years. Some of these changes have been biological adaptations to climate changes. The adaptation process is called “evolution”, and it’s very slow.
Temperatures are rising more rapidly than most species can evolve and adapt. In theory, a plant or animal in the northern hemisphere can move its range north to cooler climate; a species in the southern hemisphere can move south; and one on a mountain side can move up the mountain. An article in the NT Times by Elizabeth Rosenthal with the title above describes the move strategy and some birds and mammals that are experiencing rising temperatures. The title suggests, and the article’s content shows that many are not doing very well.
Ms. Rosenthal writes that many biological scientists predict that 20 to 30 percent of species will be lost if the average global temperature rises 3.6 to 5.4 degrees F. [This range of increase is 2 to 3 degrees C. Many climate scientists believe that average temperature will increase by this amount or more.]
She describes the move strategy and includes two quantitative examples.
•In Yosemite National Park there is an animal survey spanning 100 years. Half the mountain species have moved their habitats up by an average of 550 yards to find cooler ground.
•The pica is a small mammal that lives among stones on mountain sides. One study reported that they are moving up the slope at a rate of 160 yards per decade.
There are two take-aways from this article:
•These gradual moves to cooler habitats prove that some regional temperatures are rising, strong evidence of overall global warming.
•One cost of this warming is species loss and a decline in biodiversity.
I invite you to read the whole article.
Bill Allen, 01-26-11 revised