Biodiversity

It is now generally agreed that Global warming is really happening and will lead to climate change.
The Biodiversity and Climate Change website has considered the impact of climate change on key habitats. The table below summarises some of their findings.

Habitat		Implications to habitat and biodiversity
	Wetlands	Some will dry out whilst others will flood (3-4 degree rise could eliminate 85% of wetlands)
	Coastal marshes	Sea level rise will eliminate many of these, especially if backed by agricultural or urban land (species will not be able to relocate)
	Forests	Major change in vegetation types – new species
	Arctic habitats	Vast loss of tundra – thawing of permafrost (will add extra soil carbon dioxide into the air)
	Mountains	Will get altitudinal migration, with invasion of alpine meadows by forest systems. High altitude may have no place to migrate upwards to.
	Low lying island	Loss of land area due to sea level rise. Loss of seabird colonies.
	Arid regions	Deserts will become even hotter. Semi-arid will become arid with the loss of grassland and arable land
	Coral reefs	Rising temperatures will bleach corals. Increasing carbon dioxide levels may reduce calcification rates (coral skeletons)
	Mangroves	Will be ‘squeezed out’ as the sea and the land meet.