Climate and Change in Ecosystems Answers

Changes in land use can have a great impact on ecosystems. These changes often reduce the amount of available land and resources for organisms. These changes cause organism populations to decrease, sometimes even leading to complete loss of species in an ecosystem. These changes are typically permanent.

The growing and flowering seasons of plants will start earlier as a result of an earlier spring caused by warmer conditions. The growing and flowering season will most likely also last longer, resulting in increased plant growth.

Student answers will vary. Possible answers include seasons, tide cycles, population sizes, succession, evolution, landscape changes, and climate changes.

Natural change to ecosystems occurs all the time for various reasons. These changes, for the most part, increase the productivity of an ecosystem, allowing for greater biodiversity, symbiosis, and adaptability. While natural disasters like volcanoes, wildfires, and hurricanes can devastate an ecosystem, ecosystems ultimately recover from these disasters through the process of succession and return to a healthy state. This process keeps the soil of ecosystems fertile and capable of sustaining organisms.

Organisms that have a narrow temperature tolerance range cannot survive in a wide variety of temperatures. Even small changes in climate can affect organisms that do not have a high tolerance for change. These organisms will be forced to adapt, relocate, or die off. If climate change is widespread, such organisms may not be able to survive.

Student answers will vary. Possible answers include extreme weather, disease, land use change, invasive species, and pollution.

Changes in land use, such as building cities, roads, or farms, can remove or divide habitats and reduce the space and resources available to wildlife. They can also change soil and water conditions, increase pollution, and disrupt food webs, causing species populations and ecosystem diversity to change.

Natural change can benefit ecosystems by renewing habitats, recycling nutrients, and creating opportunities for new species to thrive. For example, some plants depend on fire to release seeds or clear space for new growth. However, change can also destroy habitat, reduce food or shelter, and cause populations to decline. Ecosystems may recover from gradual or familiar changes, but severe or rapid changes can be harmful, especially to species that cannot adapt or move.

Environmental factors that can change ecosystems include temperature, precipitation, drought, floods, fires, storms, soil conditions, and the availability or quality of water. Pollution and human activities such as land clearing can also cause ecosystem changes.

Ecosystems can change when temperature, rainfall, or other environmental conditions shift; when populations grow, decline, or move to new areas; and when disturbances such as fires, storms, or human land use alter habitats. Species interactions and the overall biodiversity of an ecosystem can also change.

Warmer temperatures can cause plants to leaf out, flower, and begin growing earlier, potentially lengthening the growing season. However, an early start can expose new growth to late frosts and may cause plants to become out of sync with pollinators or other organisms they depend on.

Organisms with a narrow temperature tolerance can survive only within a small range of temperatures. As climate change shifts temperatures, conditions may move outside that range. These organisms may then struggle to survive or reproduce, or may need to move to a cooler or warmer habitat, making them more susceptible to climate change.