1.3.6

The Impact of Environmental Change

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Environmental Changes and Their Impact

Environmental change affects the distribution (spread) of species, and in extreme cases, their longevity (how long they survive). Such environmental changes include:

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Temperature

  • Polar bears hunt seals on floating sea ice.
  • Increasing temperatures cause this ice to melt. This means that the polar bears are no longer able to hunt their main food source.
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Water

  • Wildebeests migrate annually from the Serengeti plains of Tanzania Northwards into Kenya to track seasonal changes in rainfall patterns.
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Atmospheric gases

  • Carbon dioxide dissolves in water and increases the water acidity.
  • Acidic water hinders corals' ability to build a skeleton. This means that the increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere prevents coral growth.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.6Reactivity

2.7Energetics

2.8Properties of Materials

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.3Waves

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.5Matter

3.6Space Physics

4Thinking Scientifically

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