The dwindling forest cover not only threatens the habitat of millions of species but also endangers water reserves. Describe your concern about the threat to the bio-services.
Answers
Answer:
TEMPERATURE SPIKES
A number of species will be affected physiologically by climate change. There is evidence that some species are physiologically vulnerable to temperature spikes. For example, the green ringtail possum, an endemic species of Queensland’s tropical rainforests, cannot control its body temperature when the ambient temperature rises above 30°C. An extended heatwave in north Queensland could kill off a large part of its population.
CORAL BLEACHING
Warmer sea surface temperatures are blamed for an increase in a phenomenon called coral bleaching. This is a whitening of coral caused when the coral expels their zooxanthellae, a symbiotic photosynthesising algae that lives within the coral tissues and provides it with essential nutrients. The zooxanthellae also give corals their spectacular range of colours. Zooxanthellae are expelled when the coral is under stress from environmental factors such as abnormally high water temperatures and/or pollution. Since the zooxanthellae help coral in nutrient production, their loss can affect coral growth and make coral more vulnerable to disease.
INCREASES IN EXTREME EVENTS
Predicted changes in the intensity, frequency and extent of disturbances such as fire, cyclone, drought and flood will place existing vegetation under stress and favour species able to rapidly colonise denuded areas. In many cases this will mean the spread of alien ‘weed’ species and major changes in the distribution and abundance of many indigenous species.
CHANGES IN RAINFALL
Australia is a dry continent. Its plants and animals are mostly well adapted to drought and have developed a wide range of strategies for coping with the country’s climatic extremes. The marginal nature of the environment, however, means that even minor changes in rainfall patterns could have major impacts on wildlife. The Murray-Darling Basin (Australia’s largest water catchment) and southwest Western Australia are already threatened by salinity and other environmental problems. Predicted decreased rainfall and consequent lower river flows in both regions would have a major impact on aquatic biota.
INCREASED CO2 AND PLANT GROWTH
The basic ingredients for photosynthesis include carbon dioxide and water. Increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causes increased growth rates in many plant species. This is good news for farmers, but only if this carbon dioxide ‘fertilisation’ effect is matched by adequate soil moisture and other nutrients. Leaf-eating animals like koalas may not be so lucky: increased concentrations of carbon dioxide could diminish the nutritional value of foliage.
SEA-LEVEL RISE
According to the most recent IPCC report, sea level is predicted to rise by 26–98 centimetres by 2100, due to the thermal expansion of the oceans and the melting of polar ice-caps and ice sheets. Coupled with the effects of storm surges, which are expected to be of a greater magnitude in a warmer world, this increase in sea level could threaten many coastal ecosystems. Also at risk are mangrove forests and low-lying freshwater wetlands in Kakadu National Park.

Climate change is predicted to take place faster in the next century than at any time for at least the last 10,000 years. Coupled with other factors, such as continued land-clearing, this could mean the extinction of species at a rate even greater than when the dinosaurs disappeared around 65 million years ago. Some species not under immediate threat of extinction might nonetheless suffer decreases in population size, diminishing intra-species’ genetic diversity (and therefore face increased vulnerability). changing rapidly at the same time. It is possible that as the climate changes and as species are eliminated from an area we will see a change in some ecosystem functions; this could mean more land degradation, changes in agricultural productivity and a reduction in the quality of water delivered to human populations.
Adapting to change
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Explanation:
The dwindling forest cover not only threatens the habitat of millions of species but also endangers water reserves. On the basis of visual input given,write a letter to the editor of a national daily expressing your concern about the threat to the bio reserves.