Climate Change Effects on Animal Distribution and Evolution
INSTRUCTOR Lecture Notes
Climate Change is the most severe problem that we are facing today—Chief Scientist for UK Government
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Introduction—Effects on Animal Populations are explicitly tied to the disturbance of
ecological processes.
a. Increase Intensity of Storms—increased flooding, increased erosion, sedimentation of
aquatic habitats.
b. Melting Ice Caps—polar bears, penguins, etc.
c. Drought—changes in landscape results in alterations of vegetative communities and
food webs.
d. Desertification—complete habitat loss for non-desert species
Effect – Loss of Biodiversity
a. Define Biodiversity
i. The Key to Conservation Biology is maintaining or improving Biodiversity
ii. Begin by asking for a definition of diversity—then relating it to animal
populations.
b. Define Population & Community—always need the “units” (defined area)
c. Why is Biodiversity Important?
d. How is Biodiversity Measured?
i. Species Richness
ii. Species Evenness
iii. Index of Diversity
1. Equation that combines both Richness and Evenness
2. Provides a value that can be compared to other habitats or the same
habitat over time.
Effect— Changes in Disease Outbreaks
a. Changes in precipitation are tied to bacterial, fungus, and viral diseases that affect
animals or are carried by animals (hosts).
i. Golden Frog example—extinct due to a bacterial infection
ii. Yukon River—Shinook Salmon – 45% of salmon now infected by protozoan
parasite never found in the area before 1985. (Kocan et al 2004)—presence of
protozoan tied to increases in water temperature.
iii. June 2009—large die-off of Snapping Turtles in ND due to a fungal infection tied
to heavy flooding.
Effect— Changes in Range Distributions
a. A 3oC increase would result in drying of much of the northern “prairie potholes” causing
major declines in duck populations.
Effect— Changes in Co-evolution and Timing
a. Define Co-evolution
b. Timing Events—
i. Birds timing start of nesting season so that chicks hatch at the time when the
most insects are available
1. Interconnectivity of European Ecosystem—flowers bloom, butterflies
produce caterpillars, bird eggs hatch—all timed together for the benefit
of all parties. Now, the cycle is off—observations over 47 years showed
that birds maintained their arrival, nesting, and hatching date, but
caterpillars peaked two weeks earlier and were not very common
during peak need for the chicks. – Fitter 2002, Science.
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Effect— Increases in Generalists, Decreases in Specialists
a. Species that occur across a wide area will continue to increase, often resulting in a
“pest” population, replacing other species
b. Species that require specific habitats (Everglades, Boreal Forests, Alpine Areas) will
decline.
Conclusion Statement (North Dakota):
“The combination of rising temperatures and winter precipitation amounts therefore trends toward
earlier and more dramatic spring snowmelts and higher stream-flow conditions in winter and spring,
with an expected increase in potentially significant flood events such as the 1997 Red River flood of
Grand Forks that destroyed nearly 90% of the city and caused over $1 billion in damage.”
—in Philander (2008).