Global Warming Impacts on Wildlife and Society

Produced by and for the Outreach Lecture Series of the Environmental Science Institute. We request that the use of any of these materials include

an acknowledgement of Dr. Camille Parmesan and the Outreach Lecture Series of the Environmental Science Institute of the University of Texas at

Austin. We hope you find these materials educational and enjoyable.

by Dr. Camille ParmesanOutreach Lecture Series Volume 14

Global Warming:Impacts on Wildlife and Society

by Dr. Camille Parmesan

The presentation contained herein was made by Camille Parmesan and is intended for educational purposes only. Any use of this work, partial or complete, must cite Camille Parmesan and this Outreach Lecture Series Volume 14. No portion of this product may be reproduced or distributed in any form. 09/2001

Human activities are changing the weather

Global warming

Some of the heat given off by the earth is trapped in the atmosphere by gases

such as water and CO2

Some of the heat given off by the earth escapes into space.

How greenhouse gases keep the earth warm.

Animation of the Greenhouse Effect

QuickTime™ and aAnimation decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Movie for PC: Double click here

Movie for Mac: click once with cursor on image

A warning may come Up about viruses.Just click OK.

QuickTime™ and aAnimation decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Increased CO2 causes the atmosphere to retain more heat by catching more heat

given off by the earth.

Atmospheric CO2 Concentrations Are Increasing as a Result of of Human Emissions

Atmospheric CO2 Concentrations Are Increasing as a Result of of Human Emissions

Increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations began with the industrial revolution.

Deforestation also increases atmospheric CO2 concentrations.

Source: OSTP

Deforestation in Brazil1978 1988

Global average temperatures are increasing with increases in CO2.

GlobalAverage

Temperature

1998 was the warmest year on record since 1910.

Global temperature over the past 1000 years.

The past 140 years

Global temperature over the past 65 million years.

PR

ES

EN

T

18,000 years

230,000 years

1 Million years

3.5 Million years

10 million years6 5 million years

10,000 years

1,000 years

55 million years

1,000 ya

13 mya

65 mya

The relationship between temperature and carbon

dioxide over the past 160,000 years.

• Clear correlation between atmospheric CO2 and temperature over last 160,000 years

• Current level of CO2 is outside bounds of natural variability

• Rate of change of CO2 is also unprecedented

Source: OSTP

In the age of dinosaurs atmospheric CO2 concentrations and temperatures were much higher than today.

100,000 years

18,000 years

230,000 years

1 Million years

3.5 Million years

10 million years6 5 million years

10,000 years

1,000 years

55 million years

The only mammals living at this time were small rodents.

Sea levels were much higher than today, and Texas was mostly under water

Climate change was one important reason that the dinosaurs disappeared.

All animals and plants are adapted to the local climate

Even humans have evolved to match the climate in which they

live.

Even humans have evolved to match the climate in which they live.

Climate change has already affected many animals such as this butterfly, the Edith’s Checkerspot.

Edith’s Checkerspot butterfly lives in a wide range of habitats from coastal meadows …

… to the highest peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains

Movie of a butterfly looking for food in a dried field.

The movie shown here in the lecture is not available for public distribution.

From 1860 to 1996. Each colored area represents multiple populations. Shades of red represent the proportion of populations extinct in a given area during the period 1992-1996 that were previously recorded as present during the period 1860-1983.

Many extinctions~75%

Few extinctions~20%

Some extinctions~40%

Patterns of population extinctions of Edith’s Checkerspot Butterfly

More populations of Edith’s Checkerspot butterfly have gone extinct at low elevations than at high

elevations.

Few extinctions (~15%)

Many extinctions (~40%)

Other insects, such as this mosquito, will have range changes that will effect you more directly.

Long-term responses to climate change have been found all over

the world.

Observed Changes in Physical and Ecological Systems

Hydrologyand glaciers

Sea-Ice Animals Plants Studies coveringlarge areas

Studies usingremote sensing S

ourc

e: I

PC

C T

AR

200

1

Hydrologyand glaciers

Sea-Ice Animals Plants Studies coveringlarge areas

Studies usingremote sensing

The red fox has shifted its range north, threatening the artic fox.

The toucan and other lowland tropical birds have moved uphill, threatening high elevation birds.

Hydrologyand glaciers

Sea-Ice Animals Plants Studies coveringlarge areas

Studies usingremote sensing

Snow cover and ice extent have decreased all around the world.

Hydrologyand glaciers

Sea-Ice Animals Plants Studies coveringlarge areas

Studies usingremote sensing

Some insects are being affected by climate change because the plants they feed on are flowering or leafing out earlier than they emerge.

Prairies may decline in a high CO2 environment

Tem

pera

ture

Cha

nge

Year

Projected temperature increases for the USA over the next century.

Today

Galveston hurricane

Movie for PC: Double click here

Movie for Mac: click once with cursor on image

A warning may come Up about viruses.Just click OK.

QuickTime™ and aSorenson Video decompressorare needed to see this picture.

Sea Level Rise in the Next 100 Years

Galveston

South Padre Island Many important

places on the Texas Coast

will disappear

Whooping Cranebreeding habitat

Where in the United States will it get the hottest?

Much Hotter

A Little Hotter Change in the July Heat Index over the next 100 years(Hadley Model, VEMAP).

The Hill Country will still be the best place to live in Texas.

Acknowledgements

38

Acknowledgements:

Material and Images: Union of Concerned ScientistsUnited Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

ChangeU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyU.S. Global Change Research ProgramEnvironmental Sciences Institute, University of TexasCenters for Disease Control

Production:Nelson GudaKristina Schlegel

Overall Support:

Jay Banner, Department of Geological Sciences, UTTexas Memorial Museum

Dr. Camille ParmesanDr. Camille ParmesanAssistant Professor, Section of Assistant Professor, Section of Integrative Biology, the Integrative Biology, the University of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at Austin

Dr. Camille Parmesan's early research focused on multiple aspects of population Dr. Camille Parmesan's early research focused on multiple aspects of population biology, including the ecology, evolution and behaviors of insect/plant biology, including the ecology, evolution and behaviors of insect/plant interactions.  For the past several years, the focus of her work has been on interactions.  For the past several years, the focus of her work has been on current impacts of climate change in the 20th century on wildlife.  Her work on current impacts of climate change in the 20th century on wildlife.  Her work on butterfly range shifts has been highlighted in many scientific and popular press butterfly range shifts has been highlighted in many scientific and popular press reports, such as in reports, such as in Science, Science News, Science, Science News, New York Times, London Times, New York Times, London Times, National Public Radio, and the recent BBC film series "State of the Planet" with National Public Radio, and the recent BBC film series "State of the Planet" with David Attenborough. The intensification of  global warming  as an international David Attenborough. The intensification of  global warming  as an international issue led her into the interface of policy and science.  Parmesan has given issue led her into the interface of policy and science.  Parmesan has given seminars in DC for the White House, government agencies, and NGOs (e.g., IUCN seminars in DC for the White House, government agencies, and NGOs (e.g., IUCN and WWF).  As a lead author, she was involved in multiple aspects of the Third and WWF).  As a lead author, she was involved in multiple aspects of the Third Assessment Report of the IPCC.Assessment Report of the IPCC.