Effects of Climate Change - Assignment Example

Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code & Name: Date of Submission: Part A How Biodiversity Will Respond To Climate Change Impact of climate change on the world’s biota The climate change is expected to change the world rain pattern and temperature that will obviously affect the world’s biodiversity. The distribution of the biota depends on the climatic condition of a given region. For example, the article mentions that Anemone Buttercup only exists at mountain tops with very low temperature. The climate change on the other hand increases the temperature causing the ice to melt and mountain tops to be warm. Therefore, impacting on Anemone Buttercup negatively thus causing it to move to another position or extinction. Extinction and geographical redistribution is the general impact of climate change to biota. Specie’s climate envelope and how it relates to the climate The specie’s climate envelope is the practice of matching environmental condition (i.e. rainfall distribution or temperature) with the distribution of species. The change in climatic condition easily results to change in the distribution of the species. For example, during winter whales move to the warm region to breed. This enables matching the climate change with the movement of the biota possible since climatic condition determines the niche of a given species. What will happen to cold and tropical adapted species? The climate change will be detrimental to the species that are adapted to the cold environmental condition. This species include Mountain Pygmy Possum that stay up in mountains and poles where temperatures are lower. The rise in temperature will force these species to move up the mountain and more closer to the poles where temperatures are still lower. The limited snow will expose the possum to cold and wind since due to lack of high mountains and melting of snow. The possum will lack food since they are exposed earlier before their food become available. These will cause extinction of possum due to lack of a place to move to maintain the same climatic pattern. Also, tropical adapted species will feel the effect of the climate change. These are species which finds warmer environmental condition favorable. For example, mosquitoes are well adapted to warm temperatures thus climate change will expand its habitat. On the other hand, spread of malaria will increase since the parasite develops with temperature above 160 C. Therefore, climate change will lead to increase in mosquito population and spread of malaria. Phenology’ and how it will be affected by climate change The timing of the life cycle events of species is termed as phenology. According to biologist, phenology depends on the climatic condition i.e. rains or temperature change. Therefore, climate change will affect the pattern of rainfall and temperatures thus making plants to flower early, birds to migrate early or leaves falling early. Urchin’s distribution and relationship with climate change The urchin has been affected already since they are moving southwards. These makes it move to Tasmania which was previously very cold (1960 and below). This shows that climate change has led to change in temperatures in the region thus causing expansion of urchin niche. CATALYST-SEA URCHIN CHANGE Tasmania urchin’s perception and effect to fisheries The urchin infestation in Tasmania has led to destruction of the fish habitat since urchin feeds on the fish food. The scientists have then released lobster to feed on the urchin to enable fish to survive in the region. The research proved positive after testing lobster for urchin DNA which was found to be true. Therefore, it can be concluded that the climate change impacts the world’s biodiversity either by shrinking, expanding or redistribution of the species. UNCERTAINTY IN SPECIES RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE Meaning of Evolutionary biologist The evolutionary biologist or ecologist is anyone who deals with study of organism adaptation to changes in the environment. These include adaption of organisms to climate change or insects resistance to insecticide. The change can be slow or rapid depending on the extent of change that the organism requires to adapt to a given change in the environmental condition. Distinguishing between Plasticity and Evolution The terms Plasticity and Evolution are two words with different meanings. Plasticity is temporary modification of the body to response to changes in the environment. For example, increase in metabolism in cold areas to maintain body temperature or increase in hemoglobin in highlands due to reduction in amount of oxygen. On the other hand, evolution is permanent change caused by change genetic combination. The change occurs across the generation i.e. malaria resisting previous drugs. The two terms are similar since they involve adaptation of organism to change in environmental condition. Categorising species which adapt better to climate change The evolution of the organism depends on the generation turnover. The organism like insects have high turnover enabling the genes to change quickly. Also, rodents evolves quickly though it has slightly lower generation turnover, evolution enables them to be chemical resistant. Lastly, birds are also prone to quick evolution where they produce birds who adapt comfortably to dry areas. Maximising an environment to help a species that cannot evolve The environment can be maximised for the slow evolving organisms by evolutionary refugia where organisms are taken to another location with favorable condition for it to slowly evolve. Also, ensuring that practices that lead to climate change are mitigated or controlled plays a greater role. Assisted migration and associated challenges The assisted migration entails artificial influence on the evolution of a given organisms. For example, there are similar organisms but are adapted to different environment. The genes are moved from organism that has strong genes to the one with weak genes thus producing offspring with favorable adaptation. This can be done by artificial pollination or insemination. The challenge is on the cost and creation of the ecological condition that the organism can survive since the practice involves moving the organisms from region they can survive to a region with adverse condition. Also, maintenance of the food production poses a great challenge due to changes in the climate change to be experienced in future. Catalyst- Tree Deaths: Relationship between tree dying and climate change The dying trees are associated with the bores, cankers, insects and high temperature with sporadic rainfall. These factors are attributed to the climate change for example, at high temperatures leaves closes stomata making it hard to make food to grow thus causing the tree to die. Reference: Abc.net.au,. 'Catalyst: Sea Urchins - ABC TV Science'. Abc.net.au. Web. 21 Sept. 2015. Abc.net.au,. 'Catalyst: Tree Deaths - ABC TV Science'. Abc.net.au. Web. 21 Sept. 2015. Aph.gov.au,. 'Aph'. Aph.gov.au. Web. 21 Sept. 2015. Morgan, John, and Ary Hoffman. 'Uncertainty In Species Responses To Climate Change'. Flora & Fauna: Challenges n. pag. Print. Venn, Susanna. 'How Biodiversity Will Respond To Climate Change'. Flora & Fauna: Responses n. pag. Print. Pagano, Marcela C. 'Plant And Soil Biota: Crucial For Mitigating Climate Change In Forests'. BJECC (2013): 188-196. Web. Part B HUMANS & SOCIETY: HEALTH IMPACTS Effect of temperature changes to the body High temperatures caused by climate change are dangerous to the human being. The increase of temperature is vulnerable to people with age of 75 years and above. Also, it increases cardiac arrest cases due to increased heart activity. The body subjected to more than 370C of heat for a longer period makes the body exhausted which result to stroke and even death. Effect of temperature changes to nutrition Climate change is expected to affect food production, availability and affordability which pose a serious nutritional challenge. The food available will be only available to those who can afford thus poor starving to death. Effect of temperature changes to vector born disease The vector born diseases are expected to increase since they expand their niche due to increased temperatures. For example, mosquitoes and malaria parasite finds warm environment favourable for breeding. How mental health is affected by climate change The rising temperature leads to increase in the mental illness. According to the article, mental illness and behavior disorder increases once the temperature clocks 270 or above which is supported by the statistics of the effect of heat wave which recorded increase of death by 7%. Role of society in addressing the risks facing human health The human being plays a crucial role in promoting human health. This includes partnership of relevant sectors, capacity building within the community and incorporating issues of climate change in strategic action plan. The proper measures will ensure that the quality of life is maintained. HUMANS & SOCIETY: SPORT Factors that determines sport vulnerability and evidence in Australia Rules Football The vulnerability of sport depends on four factor which includes whether the facility is energy-dependent, water-dependent, venue being indoor or outdoor and ability of the sport to develop resilience by adapting to change in climate. The climate change has forced the Australian Rules football to come up with synthetic turf which resembles the common playing grass in all community fields to reduce number of injuries. Strategic risk posed by climate change to sports and need for them to respond The strategic risk posed entails reduction of the carbon footprints which is gauged with administration, spectators, clubs and venues. The sporting individual should not ignore the climatic impact that their activity poses. The sporting fraternity has influence to a greater part of the community thus able to lead a movement in planting trees or reducing number of cars on the road. The AFL has purchased carbon credit which is a greater move in compensating those affected by carbon emitted. Therefore, it will be more beneficial if the sporting fraternity carryout sporting activities and incorporate climate change. Measure for adapting to climate change for AFL and its resilience The important measure in adapting to climate change at community level entails creating awareness. These will be achieved through development of resource which is distributed by creation of AFL Green Club website, the AFL Green Club Action Plan, and the AFL Green Club Environmental Module. Mitigating measure that would likely lead to high reduction greenhouse gas emissions indirectly The AFL communication of their green success to the public and other stakeholders will have greater effect in reducing green house effect. The result will be indirectly linked to the AFL since stakeholders will follow suit due to the success thus reducing global effect of green house gases. The best example is the AFL ‘Green Round’ which created awareness on the AFL success. Reference: aflcommunityclub.com.au,. 'AFL Community Club'. aflcommunityclub.com.au. Web. 21 Sept. 2015. Dingle, Greg. 'Climate Change And Sport In Australia'. Humans & Society: Sport n. pag. Print. keepwintercool.com.au,. 'Keep Winter Cool'. keepwintercool.com.au. Web. 21 Sept. 2015. Koat.com,. 'Climate Change And Skiing'. YouTube. N.p., 2014. Web. 21 Sept. 2015. Li, Hui et al. 'The Impact Analysis Of Climate Change On The Wetland In Jianghan And Dongting Plain'. AMR 864-867 (2013): 949-952. Web. Tung, Ching-Pin et al. 'Climate Change Impact Assessment For Sustainable Water Quality Management'. Terrestrial, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences 23.5 (2011): 565. Web. Verrinder, Glenda. 'What’S Climate Change Got To Do With Health?'. Humans & Society: Health impacts n. pag. Print. Western Australia Department of Sport and Recreation,. 'Climate Change Is No Longer Just A Concept: How Climate Change Could Affect Sport And Recreation Now And In The Future'. Perth, WA: Western Australia Department of Sport and Recreation (2007): n. pag. Web. 21 Sept. 2015. Read More