Review of the Literature on the Links Between Biodiversity and Climate Change

Review of the Literature on the Links Between Biodiversity and Climate Change Synopsis

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 4th Assessment Report (IPCC AR4) concluded that climate change will have significant impacts on many aspects of biological diversity, on ecosystems, species, genetic diversity within species, and on ecological interactions. The implications of these impacts are significant for the long-term stability of the natural world and for the many benefits and services that humans derive from it. Because of the importance of these impacts and of climate change itself, there has been a great deal of recent research, which has added to the evidence base. This review draws on recent research to summarize advances since the IPCC AR4 in our understanding of the impacts of climate change on biodiversity. The evidence for these impacts comes from three principal sources: direct observation, experimental and modeling studies.