Biodiversity and Plant Physiology Course Support Biodiversity and Climate Change Level: Master 1

Abstract

Biological diversity, the name given to the entire variety of life on Earth, provides the products and services that sustain our livelihoods through the ecosystems it forms. The pressures exerted by human beings on ecosystems are leading to a depletion and alteration of biological diversity at an unprecedented rate. The current populations are altering ecosystems more rapidly and significantly than at any other time in human history. Climate change adds additional pressure to our ecosystems. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a comprehensive evaluation of the connections between ecosystem health and human well-being, reveals that climate change could become the most significant factor directly responsible for the depletion of biological diversity by the end of the century. The relationship between biodiversity and climate change is complex and reciprocal. On one hand, climate change is a major driver of biodiversity loss. As temperatures rise and weather patterns become more erratic, species are forced to migrate, adapt, or face extinction. Many species, particularly those with limited mobility or specific habitat requirements, are unable to adapt quickly enough, leading to a decline in biodiversity. Habitats such as coral reefs, wetlands, and polar regions are particularly vulnerable, and their degradation further exacerbates the loss of biodiversity.