ETB Climate change

Question 1

Definition of climate change

Answer 1

• large-scale, long-term shift in average temp and precipitation

Question 2

definition of biodiversity

Answer 2

• diversity of species, genes and the ecosystems the are in

Question 3

effect of climate change on biodiversity of plants (habitat level)

Answer 3

• increased temp leading to shifts in geographic ranges upwards towards the poles away from the tropics
• increase in more frequent, intense and longer extreme events
  (e.g. drought, flooding, forest fires)
• reduction in amount and availability of habitats / biomes
  (e.g. rising sea levels destroying freshwater plants)
  => loss of ecosystem diversity

Question 4

effect of climate change on biodiversity of plants (organism level)

Answer 4

• increased temp lead to higher environmental stress on plants,
• leading to more susceptibility to disease / insect outbreaks
• shifts in timing of seasons leading to phenological shifts in flowering time, causing mismatch bet plant and pollinator populations
  => plants which are unable to adapt to these changes will be selected against and die
  (e.g. selection of C4 plants over C3)

Question 5

effect of climate change on biodiversity of plants (consequences)

Answer 5

• decreased biodiversity
• due to extinction of plant species
  -> lowered species diversity
• and decreased gene pool
  -> loss of genetic diversity