Climate change pushes organisms into extinction

More than 3,500 crow 'bats' in Australia, giant squid species often ' see ' on the beach while in the Alps (Europe) there are no scenes of butterflies fluttering . This shows that the situation of the warming Earth is beginning to destroy nature. Most animals and plants are affected, and the process of climate change takes place so quickly that all species cannot adapt to survive.

According to a report by UN scientists last month, about 30% of the world's species could be destroyed if the Earth's surface temperature increased by 2.5 ^° C and this figure would increase to 70%. if the temperature increases by 3.5 ^o C. However, this is not the first time because in the last 520 million years, nature on Earth has experienced 5 periods of "great extinction" , and 4 of them have related to increased warming in tropical waters.

The worst affected would be plants and animals in tropical climates, plateaus and species that are less able to adapt to temperature changes - according to expert World Conservation Association Wendy Foden. Typically, many butterflies live on plateaus in North America and in the south of France, which has been ' especially distant ' while polar bears and penguins are daily witnessing their common roof fade into water.

Carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) - the main " culprit " that causes global warming - also increases acidity in seawater, making corals and plankton, and whale's main food and much Other mammal marine life, mass die. The poisoning of poisonous mushrooms in the warm climate has ' erased ' some frogs in South America, Africa and Europe.

'In the long term, every creature is affected,' warned Foden. Only a few benefit from climate change, mainly fast-growing species, who have lived in various climatic conditions or are able to adapt to changing living environments. Such as cockroaches, pigeons and weeds.

In Australia, in 2002, when temperatures rose above 41 ^° C in the state of New South Wales, people witnessed a series of " falling" crowds of over 3,500 animals - accounting for about 10% of the species' population. in this country. When temperatures rise, animals often go to cool climates. Through a survey of more than 1,500 animals, biologist Camille Parmesan of the University of Texas (USA) concluded that 40% of them have spread to many places, most of them towards the two poles. Another study showed that more than a dozen species of birds migrated about 20 km north of England, 39 species of butterflies also flew to the northern regions of Europe and North America away from the old roof more than 200 km.

Collect gray-headed bat carcasses on the outskirts of Sydney city (Australia) on the scorching sunny days of January 2002. More than 3,500 crow bats died because the temperature suddenly increased. (Photo: AP)

Meanwhile, millions of Mediterranean sea jellyfish have been ' resettled ' off the Northern coast of Ireland and Scotland, while the giant Humboldt squid - which can grow up to 2.1 meters - has exposed itself to the coast. California when sea water warms up. In warmer weather conditions, 60% of plant and animal species will migrate, reproduce and flower earlier in the spring. This situation, according to researcher Parmesan, could " break down " the dependence between birds and insects (bird's main food), as well as between insects and the flowers they pollinate. This is one of the causes of narrowing the number of individuals in animals and plants.

In the face of the fact that many species do not grow up to adapt to changing habitats, conservation experts propose the establishment of natural corridors to attract animals to come, and ' resettle ' them. in areas with a more temperate climate.

HA