Question

What will plants and animals do as temperature rises?
“The land is part of me...”
"The future kind of scares me, just thinking about how we're going to survive." says 18-year old Harlie Potter, an Inuit living in the autonomous area of Nunatsiavut in Newfoundland, Canada. Today, warming is most noticeable in the polar regions, especially in the Arctic.

How Will Climate Change in the Future?
Earth’s temperature will keep rising unless greenhouse gas emissions are curbed. The temperature in 2100 may be as much as 5° C (9° F) higher than it was in 2000. Is 5° C (9° F) a lot? It's more than the increase in temperature from the the times of maximum ice during the Pleistocene to now. Since the end of the Pleistocene, the temperature has only risen about 4° C. That's just 4° C from abundant ice to the moderate climate we have today. How might a 5° C increase in temperature affect Earth in the future?

Warming will affect the entire globe by the end of this century. The map in Figure below shows how much temperatures will change by 2050 based on NOAA’s Coupled Climate 2.1 model. The Arctic and inland areas are predicted to see a higher temperature increase, while the temperature increase in coastal areas and the Southern Ocean are likely to be more moderate.

Map showing projected surface air temperature changes by 2050 according to NOAA climate model.
[Figure 2]
The Arctic will experience the greatest temperature changes.
What Will Happen?
As temperature rises, more sea ice will melt. The figure below shows how much less sea ice there may be in 2050 if temperatures keep going up (Figure below). This would cause sea level to rise even higher. Some coastal cities could be under water. Millions of people would have to move inland. How might other living things be affected?

Comparison of Arctic sea ice thickness in the 1950s and projected for the 2050s.
[Figure 3]
In the 2050s, there may be only half as much sea ice as there was in the 1950s.
Weather will become more extreme. Heat waves and droughts will become more frequent and more intense. Areas that previously were humid, like the Amazon rainforest, will become drier. Cropland worldwide will be affected by drought. Other places may flood more frequently as hurricanes and other storms become more severe.

Plants and animals will move or die out. Some will thrive in a warmer world, but most will not. The biosphere may become quite different.

These are only a few of the impacts warmer temperatures will have. The vast majority of scientists agree that this is what is happening.

Answer 1

As temperatures continue to rise due to climate change, both plants and animals will face significant challenges and changes in their habitats and behaviors. The following outlines how they may respond:

### Effects on Plants

1. **Shift in Species Distribution**: Many plant species may migrate towards higher altitudes or latitudes where temperatures are more suitable for their survival. For example, species currently found in the southern United States may begin to be found in northern regions as those areas become warmer.

2. **Phenological Changes**: Plants rely on specific climatic cues for growth, flowering, and fruiting. With rises in temperature, these cues may shift, leading to earlier blooming and changes in the timing of life cycles. This can create mismatches with pollinators and other symbiotic species.

3. **Increased Stress**: Higher temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns can lead to increased stress for plants. Some plants may experience drought stress due to less predictable rainfall, while others may struggle with increased moisture and related diseases.

4. **Altered Ecosystems**: As certain plants thrive in warmer temperatures, the composition of ecosystems will change, potentially leading to declines in native species that cannot adapt. This can create a cascade of effects throughout the ecosystem, affecting herbivores and other dependent species.

### Effects on Animals

1. **Habitat Loss**: As sea ice melts and coastal areas are submerged, many species that depend on specific habitats may experience significant population declines or even extinction. For example, polar bears rely on sea ice for hunting seals; a decrease in sea ice could lead to a dramatic drop in their populations.

2. **Migration and Range Changes**: Many animals will attempt to migrate to cooler areas, leading to changes in species distributions. However, barriers like urban areas and agriculture may hinder their ability to move to suitable habitats, affecting their survival.

3. **Altered Food Webs**: Changes in plant and animal distributions can disrupt food webs. For example, if primary producers (plants) fail to thrive due to drought or temperature changes, herbivores that rely on them will also decline, affecting predators higher up the food chain.

4. **Higher Competition and Predation**: As animals move to new habitats, they may encounter new species. Increased competition for resources can lead to declines in some species, while others may thrive if they can outcompete the native species for food and territory.

5. **Increased Disease and Parasites**: Warmer temperatures can lead to increased populations of pests and diseases that affect both plants and animals. Changes in climate can also expand the range of certain pathogens, impacting species that have not previously been exposed.

### Summary

The rise in global temperatures will have complex and multifaceted effects on both plants and animals. While some species may adapt or thrive in changing conditions, many more will face significant challenges, leading to shifts in ecosystems and potential biodiversity loss. It is crucial to take steps to mitigate climate change and protect vulnerable species and habitats in order to support resilience in the natural world.