Responses of Terrestrial Ecosystems and Organisms to Climate-Change Stressors

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to how terrestrial ecosystems and organisms respond to climate-change stressors.

Terrestrial ecosystem

A land-based community of organisms and the interactions among its biotic and abiotic components (e.g., tropical rainforest, tundra, deserts).

Climate-change stressors

Environmental pressures such as temperature rise, altered precipitation, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise that challenge ecosystems.

Global warming

Long-term increase in Earth’s average surface temperature; projected to rise 1.5–4.5 °C over the next century.

Latitudinal temperature amplification

Pattern where warming is smallest at the equator and greatest at the poles.

Growing-season lengthening

Extension of time between last spring frost and first fall frost due to warmer temperatures.

Plant respiration increase

Higher night temperatures causing plants to consume more photosynthate, potentially lowering growth efficiency.

Winter warming trend

Observation that winter temperatures are rising faster than summer temperatures.

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus)

Vulnerable Arctic predator that depends on sea ice for hunting, mating, and denning; threatened by earlier melt and later formation of ice.

Sea-ice habitat loss

Reduction of seasonal marine ice platforms, diminishing access for ice-dependent species to prey and breeding sites.

Sea-level rise

Projected average global ocean increase of ~50 cm by 2100 due to melting ice sheets/glaciers and thermal expansion of seawater.

Thermal expansion

Increase in seawater volume as it warms, contributing to rising sea levels.

Glacier retreat

Shrinkage of glaciers; about 30 % global loss during the 20th century, indicating long-term climate warming.

Himalayan glacier retreat

Loss of ~30 m per year from glaciers feeding the Ganges, Indus, and Brahmaputra, threatening regional water and food security.

Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae)

Antarctic seabird whose krill-based diet is jeopardized by melting sea ice and declining krill populations.

Krill

Small crustaceans that feed on algae under sea ice and form a key food source for penguins, whales, and other predators.

Saltwater intrusion

Invasion of seawater into freshwater coastal aquifers and soils caused by rising sea levels, stressing vegetation and agriculture.

Bramble Cay melomys (Melomys rubicola)

Island rodent declared extinct in 2016; first mammal extinction directly linked to climate-driven sea-level rise.

Extreme climate events

Increased frequency and intensity of droughts, heatwaves, storms, and wildfires under climate change.

Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)

Endangered tropical megafauna affected by rising temperatures, altered rainfall, flooding, and reduced reproductive success.

Biome shift

Poleward or upslope movement of ecosystem types as temperature and precipitation regimes change.

Phenology

Timing of seasonal biological events (e.g., flowering, migration), which can shift under warming climates.

Ecological connectivity

Degree to which landscapes allow organism movement; fragmentation can hinder climate-driven range shifts.

Forest disturbances

Climate-linked stresses such as intensified insect outbreaks, more severe wildfires, and declining productivity.

Insect-outbreak intensification

Increase in frequency or severity of herbivorous insect attacks on forests under warmer conditions.

Wildfire escalation

Higher occurrence and severity of forest fires due to hotter, drier conditions.

Snowpack reduction

Decrease in accumulated winter snow, affecting soil insulation, runoff timing, and water supply.

Alpine ecosystem vulnerability

High sensitivity of mountain biota to reduced snow cover and rising temperatures.

Species-extinction risk

Elevated probability that species with limited ranges or specialized habitats cannot adapt or migrate fast enough to climate change.