Write an article on Climate Change Impact on Terrestrial Ecosystems

Climate Change Impact on Terrestrial Ecosystem: Terrestrial ecosystems are natural ecosystems that include forests, grasslands, deserts, etc. It includes all the ecosystems that are found on land. The climate change impact on ecosystem is widely seen. There are many effects of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems which affect biodiversity. Climate controls almost every aspect of the ecosystem such as how animals behave, how plants grow, how animals develop, and how all these interact with the physical environment. In this article, we will look into the climate change impact on ecosystem – Terrestrial ecosystem.

What are Terrestrial Ecosystems?

Terrestrial ecosystems are those ecosystems that exist on land. Deserts, grasslands, taiga, tropical rainforests, temperate deciduous forests, and tundra are a few examples. The primary feature of terrestrial ecosystems that sets them apart from aquatic ecosystems is the presence of soil at the surface, as opposed to water, and the expansion of plants above this soil/water surface. In contrast to aquatic habitats, where water is rarely a limiting factor for organisms, terrestrial ecosystems have a wide range of water availability, including water scarcity in certain circumstances. Terrestrial ecosystems often experience larger diurnal and seasonal temperature changes than aquatic ecosystems in similar regions because water cushions temperature fluctuations.

Effects of Climate Change on Terrestrial Ecosystems

The effects of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems are as follows:

Species and Populations Change Along with Changing Climate

Due to climate change different species function differently. Some species adapt to the conditions and the others that cannot adapt will become extinct. In the population that adapts to the conditions, a change in their behaviour and physical characteristics is observed. Thus change in the climate can lead to increase, decrease or extinction of some populations which will overall affect the biodiversity of a region. Change is observed in the range of species inhabiting the geographic area when there is change in the climatic conditions.

Timing of Natural Cycles Change

Most of the plants and animal species depend on climatic conditions such as temperature change and water conditions for triggering the stages of their life cycles. But due to change in the climate their life cycle gets disturbed. As a result, the species that depend on each other for some time of the year will not be in sync. An example of plankton can be taken, plankton are the major food source for young fish but they are more sensitive to temperature change than the fish. Thus due to change in the temperature enough amount of plankton will not be available for young fishes for their growth.

Interaction Among the Ecosystem Alters

The interaction among the species and populations changes with the environment and one another due to changes in the climatic conditions which can be felt throughout the entire ecosystem. This will affect the food webs which is the feeding relationship among different organisms in an ecosystem. Planktons and plants are at the first level of the food web and all other animals higher in the web depend on them for their food sources. Thus every organism is interconnected through the food web and if one species in this web is adversely affected then all the others will feel its effects.

Ecosystem Services Get Affected

The ecosystem provides many of the basic services to the humans, amongst which food is the main component. As climate change affects the plants and animals, the quality and availability of food gets affected drastically. In conditions of drought and high temperatures, scarcity of food for the human population arises as most of the plants get dried up and animals die.

Effects of Climate Change on Terrestrial Ecosystems in India

Climate change is impacting terrestrial ecosystems in India due to which the habitants are facing several problems. Climate change has many adverse impacts on agriculture, forest and biodiversity, health, water resources, coastal management, and temperature. The decline in the productivity of agriculture is the main impact of climate change in India because a majority of the population depends on agriculture either directly or indirectly.

Extreme Weather Events

Many extreme weather conditions lead to devastating effects on the terrestrial ecosystems in India. Part of this has happened because of human activities and the other part has happened due to the natural calamities. There are several factors and reasons behind a natural calamity, for example, outer space activities, human construction activities, etc. Humans traveling in vehicles that make use of such fuels that cause pollution in the atmosphere is one of the several reasons behind these extreme weather events.

Water Resources

Many human-induced climate changes have already intensified the water extremes in India. In history, many such events of floods and landslides due to heavy rains have occurred. The recent floods in parts of northern India are an example of how these extreme weather events can be more dangerous in hilly areas than in plains.

Biodiversity

As there is a lot of biodiversity in the terrestrial ecosystems found in India, a sudden change in climate leads to the death of many organisms. This happens because they fail to adapt to the changing conditions and thus die. Many cases of mass death of organisms have been reported during natural calamities like drought, tsunami, flood, landslide, etc. Mass deaths of birds, seals, whales, etc have been reported many times in history.

Wildlife

According to the data that was released in 2021 by the Drought Early Warning System (DEWS), 21.06% of India faces drought-like conditions. These conditions include dry conditions seen in northern, central, and eastern states along with Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Odisha. Because of this water, food, and scarcity of shelter affect the lives of wild animals habiting these areas, and thus animals such as leopards, elephants, wild cats, foxes, etc enter into human settlements in search of water, food, etc.

Health

Health has been impacted the most due to these extreme changes in the weather. Any changes in the weather majorly affect the health of humans as well as other organisms habiting this country and the whole world. Count of people diagnosed with breathing problems is increasing day by day. Many humans as well as animals are developing different types of cancer as the country progresses towards the future.

Conclusion – Climate Change Impact on Terrestrial Ecosystems

Thus, it can be concluded that effects of climate change on terrestrial ecosystem are harmful for the species inhabiting them. Species population decreases and can lead to their extinction. Food webs get affected adversely and there may occur scarcity of food due to which each trophic level faces negative impacts. Climate change impact on terrestrial ecosystems include altering vegetation patterns, causing shifts in species distributions, and increasing the risk of wildfires and droughts, which can lead to habitat loss and ecosystem degradation.

FAQs on Climate Change Impact on Ecosystems – Terrestrial

What is meant by Climate Change?

Climate change refers to change in the average conditions such as temperature, patterns of wind flow, precipitation, etc. It involves long term trends like shifts towards warmer or colder conditions.

Cite the Difference between Global Warming and Climate Change.

Both these terms are not the same. Global warming is just one of the ways in which the climate gets affected due to the rise of greenhouse gases.

Is there a Difference Between Weather and Climate?

Yes, both the terms are different. “Weather” is the combination of the daily atmospheric conditions like temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind, etc. Whereas “climate” is the weather of a place averaged over a period of time.

Can People Reduce the Risk of Climate Change?

Yes, people can reduce the risk of climate change by making wise choices that will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. Also they can prepare beforehand to deal with the changing climatic conditions.

How does Climate Change affect the Timings of Natural Cycles in Plants and Animal Species?

Plants and animals depend on climatic conditions such as temperature change and water conditions for triggering the stages of their life cycles. But due to the climate change, their life cycle gets disturbed as there is no fixed time of temperature change.

What is the Climate Change Impact on Ecosystem?

Climate change disrupts ecosystems by altering natural events, habitats, and weather patterns, leading to biodiversity loss and species extinction.

What are the Effects of Climate Change on Terrestrial Ecosystem?

Climate change impacts terrestrial ecosystems through altered precipitation patterns, temperature fluctuations, and extreme weather events, leading to habitat loss, changes in species distribution, and increased risk of wildfires and desertification.