How might a living organism quickly adapt to a changing climate and reduce the impact of climate change on biodiversity?
Many animals are already adapted in ways we are not aware of. For example - the Asian elephant here at the Point Defiance Zoo where I volunteer has been here since 1996 and has no issues with the cooler winter weather.
Yes, organisms cannot adapt to the changes in their environment, they may move to another location. If they will not move, the species may become threatened, or extinct. This happens by the process of natural selection. By natural selection, the nature of the species gradually changes to become adapted to the niche. If a species becomes very well adapted to its environment, and if the environment does not change, species can exist for a very long time before they become extinct. Animals can react to climate change in only three ways: They can move, adapt or die. Many animals are moving to higher elevations and latitudes to escape warming temperatures, but climate change may be happening too quickly for most species to outrun it. Natural selection is a mechanism of evolution. Organisms that are more adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on the genes that aided their success. This process causes species to change and diverge over time. Changes in behavior, physical structure, internal mechanisms and metabolism are forms of adaptation that is caused by climate properties. Organisms of the same species that occur in different climates can be compared to determine which adaptations are due to climate and which are influenced majorly by other factors. Actions such as moving to higher ground to avoid rising sea levels, planting new crops that will thrive under new climate conditions, or using new building technologies represent adaptation strategies. Adaptation often requires financial investment in new or enhanced research, technology, and infrastructure. Many animals are moving to higher elevations and latitudes to escape warming temperatures, but climate change may be happening too quickly for most species to outrun it. Rising temperatures affect vegetation, food sources, access to water and much more. Ecosystems may become uninhabitable for certain animals, forcing wildlife to migrate outside of their usual patterns in search of food and livable conditions, while causing other animals to die off. Resilient ecosystems, to reduce the stress caused by other human activities such as pollution and land clearing and interventions for priority species with identification and protection of places of climate refuges where species are likely to persist. The rise in global temperature, sea level, and extreme weather events can cause habitat loss, changes in the timing of seasonal events, and an increase in disease outbreaks, which can lead to the extinction of species. Rising temperatures in the oceans affect marine organisms. Corals are particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures and ocean acidification can make it harder for shellfish and corals in the upper ocean to form shells and hard skeletons. We have also seen changes in occurrence of marine algae blooms.
Biodiversity can support efforts to reduce the negative effects of climate change. Conserved or restored habitats can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thus helping to address climate change by storing carbon. When some animals and plants encounter the impacts of climate change in their environment, they respond by changing behavior and moving to a cooler area, modifying their physical bodies to better deal with the heat, or altering the timing of certain activities to match changes in the seasons. The rise in global temperature, sea level, and extreme weather events can cause habitat loss, changes in the timing of seasonal events, and an increase in disease outbreaks, which can lead to the extinction of species. The shrinkage of glaciers, decreasing water flow of the perennial rivers depleting ground water level directly and indirectly affect the biodiversity of the sub- region. Some of the most immediate effects of recent climate change are becoming apparent through affects on biodiversity. Increased Biodiversity Extinction Risk: Climate change is exacerbating existing threats to biodiversity and climate goals of the country, such as habitat destruction and fragmentation, and increasing the risk of extinction for many species. The importance of biodiversity is that the more the biodiversity in species, individuals, and ecosystems, the more stable are those populations. As, greater genetic diversity within a single population is the reason that the population can better adapt to disturbances in weather, climate change, and diseases. Many animal and plant species are likely to become extinct as ecosystems adjust to climate change. While adaptable species will survive, and other migrates, the end result will be lost biodiversity. On land, higher temperatures have forced animals and plants to move to higher elevations or higher latitudes, many moving towards the Earth's poles, with far-reaching consequences for ecosystems. The risk of species extinction increases with every degree of warming.
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