3) Effects on environment, animals and plants

(physiology and development of organisms) What is the effect of increasing temperatures on the size of endothermic animals? (can regulate internal temperature)

Decreasing body size of endotermic animsla in response to increased temperature

• smaller bodies mean higher surface area to volume ratio, effectively dissipating excess heat

(physiology and development of organisms) What is the effect of increasing temperatures on body temperature and metabolic rate of ectothermic animals? (cannot regulate internal temp)

• body temperature increases, ectotermic animals will use adaptive techniques to cool body temperature

• may cause metabolic rate to become faster due to increase enzyme activity (cause rapid growth rates and shortened generation times)

• those with narrow temperature tolerance or optimal temperature for development may suffer form ezyme denaturation, death or decrease in maximum body weight

Effect of climate change on phenology of organisms

• Advancement of flowering times

• changes in migratory behaviour eg timing of arrival on breeding territories, overwintering grounds, determining chances of survival and reproductive success

Define latitude and altitude and describe how temperature changes with it

• Latitude: measurement of distance north or south of Equator

• As latitude increase, temperature decreases

• altitude vertical distance above sea level

• As altitude increases, temperature decreases

Effect of climate change on geographical distribution of species

• As temperature increases, altitudes and latitudes at which minimum temperatures occur have shifted towards higher grounds and the poles

• species shift their distributions upwards in altitude and poleward in latitude as well

Effect of increased environmental stress on food chains

• In seasonal environments, production of offspring is timed to coincide with the annual peak of rsource availaibility

• As plant phenology advances in response to climate warming

• developing a mismatch between peak resource availability and peak of resource demand by reproducing herbivores

Effect of climate change on niche occupation

• fitness of one species is increased at the expense of another, , altering the nature of interactions of species within the community

Decline in a species: (eg acrtic fox competing with red fox)

• decline in prey population cycles causes decrease population of prey

• encroachment of more superior species due to change in climate leads to interspecific competition for resources

Impact of increasing temperatures on insects (overview)

1. Extended geographical ranges

2. increased overwintering success

3. increased population growth rates, no. of annual generations and extended length of development season

4. Changed synchrony in pest-host relations

5. increased insect migration

Explain impact of climate change on the geographical range of insects

• warmer temperatures generally increase geographic ranges for most insects, (potetnial geographic range of suitable temperautres)

• If conditions exceed upper lethal limit, geographic ranges could diminish

Explain impact of climate change onthe overwintering success of insects

• GHGs cause winter temperatuers to increase and shortens the duration of winder

• ability of insects to overwinter improves, allowing the reproductive output to increase

Explain impact of climate change on population growth rates, no. of annual generations and length of development seasons of insects

• since every stage of insect’s development is temperature dependent

increased temperatures can lead to:

• higher fertility rate

• faster development rate of insect eggs

• earlier first appearance

• faster growth and development of instar stages

Hence,

• extended available period for lifecycel development

• more annual number of generations

Explain how climate change impacts pest-host relations

• increasing temperatures cause host plants to be stressed adn more vulneratble to insect outbreaks, increasing pest damage

Explain how climate change impacts insect migration

• insects migrate polwards to remain within temperature tolerance ranges