Global climate change may produce major shifts in biomes for any given location because ______________

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Global climate change will affect mean temperature, precipitation and salinity which will have a big impact on the types of biomes that can survive in a particular location. For example, an increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation can cause grasslands to change into deserts, while an increase in precipitation can cause a forest to replace a grassland. Soil chemistry, pH of precipitation and the frequency of invasive species may also change, but these are secondary effects of the primary changes in temperature, precipitation and salinity. Biodiversity and day length may also change, but these are not the primary drivers of biome shifts. Extinction of many species is a possible outcome of major shifts in biomes, but it is not the only or most important factor governing biome shifts. Food web dynamics may also change, but this is a secondary effect of the changes in biomes and ecosystem structure caused by climate change.

Global Climate Change May Produce Major Shifts in Biomes for Any