Download Why is Migration a Problem?

Ecosystem Response
Goddard High School
Migration
Global Warming has caused migration of
plants and animals to cooler climates
Those most susceptible to migration
problems:
Geographically localized species
Highly specialized species
Species living on the edge of their range
Poor dispersing species
Plant Migration
If the Earth warms 2 deg. C in the next 100 years,
plants will have to migrate at a rate of 2 mi. per year
That rate is more than 5 times higher than migration
rates due to climate change before human influence
Plant Migration
May result in loss of biodiversity
Need for “highly mobile and opportunistic”
species
especially a problem for “nut-bearing” plants
or those that spread seeds by wind
Plants will have to migrate 5 times faster
than in natural warming from the past
Plant Migration
Possible Benefits:
•Increase in CO2 is a positive feedback
mechanism
•Some scientists argue that the increase in
CO2 will cause plants to thrive overall, thus
reversing the effect
Animal Migration: Birds
Numerous studies of 103 bird species have
shown that these birds have been arriving earlier
in the second half of the 20th century than they
did in the first
Animal Migration: Fish
•Mainly a problem for freshwater fish
•temperature in water of lakes and streams raises
•freshwater fish (attempt to) migrate to cooler
waters
•Examples: Trout and Salmon
Animal Migration: Red Fox
•The Red Fox, originally inhabiting North America and
Eurasia, is now migrating north into the territory of the
Arctic Fox due to warming.
•When competing for resources the Red Fox usually wins,
endangering the survival of the Arctic Fox
Why is Migration a
Problem?
1. Many have nowhere to migrate
2. Many cannot migrate fast enough
3. Migration will cause increase of
invasive species
Many Have Nowhere to Migrate
•Draining of wetlands, deforestation, and
development of coastlines leaves limited options
for migration