By Sarah-Jo Dawson, IYPF President

May 22nd marks the 2007 International Day for Biological Diversity,
with the theme of Biodiversity and Climate Change. The last two
editions of this IYPF newsletter have focused on Climate Change and
now our thoughts should turn to the impact that this has on earth´s
ecosystems and species.

According to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) published last
year, "climate change now poses one of the principal threats to the
biological diversity of the planet and is projected to become an
increasingly important driver of change in the coming decades".

With the average global temperature rising 0.6oC since the mid-1800s,
some of the many observed changes, with obvious impact on habitats
and ecosystems, in the 20th century include
· A rise in global mean sea level of 10-20cm
· A 40-60% in available water in the large catchment basins of Lake
Chad, Niger and Senegal
· The retreat of 70% of sandy shorelines
· A 92 and 82% loss of ice mass on Mounts Kenya and Kilimanjaro
· A 2/3 reduction in volume of Switzerland´s glaciers
· A 4% reduction in arctic ice thickness in late Summer / early
Autumn

With predicted increases of 1.5-5.8 oC by 2100 further massive
changes to ecosystems are predicted. For example it is predicted that
Australia´s Great Barrier Reef could lose 95% of its living coral by
2050 due to changes in ocean temperature and chemistry.

According to the Convention on Biological Diversity "the links
between biodiversity and climate change run both ways: biodiversity
is threatened by climate change, but proper management of diversity
can reduce the impact of climate change".

Consequences on species as a result of climate change include changes
in distribution, changes in reproduction times, changes in increased
length of growing seasons for plants and ultimately increased threat
of extinction. In fact, the extinction of golden toads and Montverde
harlequin frogs has already been attributed to climate change.

However, protection of diversity can help combat the effects of
climate change.
· the conservation of habitats can reduce the amount of CO2 released
into the atmosphere. Currently deforestation is estimated to be
responsible for 20% of human-induced CO2 emissions
· conserving certain species such as mangroves and drought resistant
crops can reduce the disastrous impacts of climate change effects
such as flooding and famine
· the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity can strengthen
ecosystem resilience, improving the ability of ecosystems to provide
critical services in the face of increasing climatic pressures
For example, studies in North Africa have shown that the planting of
a biologically diverse "green belt" can in some instances hold back
desertification effects.

It is essential that we all try to do our part to combat the loss in
biodiversity as a result of climate change, whether by trying to
reduce our own environmental footprints, taking part in workplace
energy conservation projects, lobbying governments and policymakers,
or by actively taking part in direct species or habitat conservation
projects.

For more information see
http://www.biodiv.org/programmes/outreach/awareness/biodiv-day-
2007.shtml
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/resources/sites/biodiversity.html