Climate change has a big impact on genetic diversity in plants and animals, which is really important for the health of our planet. Here are some key ways this happens:
Loss of Homes: Climate change can change the environments where plants and animals live. As a result, they can lose their homes. For example, scientists predict that by the year 2100, global temperatures might increase by as much as 4.8°C. This can break habitats into smaller pieces, making it hard for many species to find places to live, especially those that have very specific needs.
Dying Populations: When animals and plants lose their habitats, their numbers can drop a lot. A study shows that more than 1 million species are at risk of disappearing. This can lead to what scientists call "genetic bottlenecks." When population sizes shrink by more than 90%, it reduces the variety of genes, which is really important for species to adapt and survive.
Moving to New Homes: Many species find it hard to move to new and better habitats because of mountains, rivers, or human activities like building roads. For instance, in the UK, red squirrels have lost about 20% of their genetic diversity because they have to compete with the invasive grey squirrel. Since the grey squirrel is not native, it causes problems for the red squirrel.
Temperature Effects on Genes: Climate change can change how genes are expressed in living things. As temperatures go up, some genes may stop working well, which can lead to a reduction in genetic variety that helps species survive tough conditions.
To sum it up, climate change is a serious threat to genetic diversity. It changes habitats, causes population drops, and forces species to move to different places, all of which can hurt the balance of our ecosystems.
Climate change has a big impact on genetic diversity in plants and animals, which is really important for the health of our planet. Here are some key ways this happens:
Loss of Homes: Climate change can change the environments where plants and animals live. As a result, they can lose their homes. For example, scientists predict that by the year 2100, global temperatures might increase by as much as 4.8°C. This can break habitats into smaller pieces, making it hard for many species to find places to live, especially those that have very specific needs.
Dying Populations: When animals and plants lose their habitats, their numbers can drop a lot. A study shows that more than 1 million species are at risk of disappearing. This can lead to what scientists call "genetic bottlenecks." When population sizes shrink by more than 90%, it reduces the variety of genes, which is really important for species to adapt and survive.
Moving to New Homes: Many species find it hard to move to new and better habitats because of mountains, rivers, or human activities like building roads. For instance, in the UK, red squirrels have lost about 20% of their genetic diversity because they have to compete with the invasive grey squirrel. Since the grey squirrel is not native, it causes problems for the red squirrel.
Temperature Effects on Genes: Climate change can change how genes are expressed in living things. As temperatures go up, some genes may stop working well, which can lead to a reduction in genetic variety that helps species survive tough conditions.
To sum it up, climate change is a serious threat to genetic diversity. It changes habitats, causes population drops, and forces species to move to different places, all of which can hurt the balance of our ecosystems.