Impact of global warming on biodiversity
Useful sites
Australia’s biodiversity and climate change (Australian Government Department of Climate Change)
Summarises the findings of a report on the vulnerability of Australia’s biodiversity to climate change.
Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
Biodiversity and its value
Defines genetic, species and ecosystem diversity and discusses the value of biodiversity.
Australia’s biological diversity
Locates Australia's 15 biodiversity hotspots and what is being done to preserve them.
The problems that climate change causes for wildlife (Climate Action Network, Australia)
Describes how climate change may affect habitats such as alpine, wetlands and the Great Barrier Reef.
Climate change: Projections for Australia (CSIRO, Australia)
Summarises the current understanding of changes to Australia's climate and projections for change over the next century.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Birds and bees act up with climate change (News in Science, 15 May 2008)
Describes observed effects of global warming on organisms and the environment.
Global warming may wipe out most birds (News in Science, 14 November 2006)
A report suggests that nearly three quarters of all bird species in northeast Australia and more than a third in Europe could become extinct if global warming continues.
Tipping point (Catalyst, 25 May 2006)
Looks at three Australian animals that may not be able to adapt to the rate of environmental change.
Gum trees and climate change (Earthbeat, 22 May 2004)
Explains how the distribution of eucalypts will change in response to global warming.
Climate change and biodiversity (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)
Details the projected changes in climate and potential impact on biodiversity.
United Nations Environment Programme – Biodiversity and climate change (World Conservation Monitoring Centre, UK)
Summarises the ways in which climate change will impact on biodiversity and lists some sensitive eosystems.
Ecological impacts of climate change (The National Academies, USA)
Explains the ecological consequences of climate change with examples from the USA.
Maps and graphics (United Nations Environment Progamme, GRID Arendal, Norway)
Provides a wide range of graphics showing the impact of climate change, including changes to biodiversity.
Climate change and biodiversity (Convention on Biological Diversity)
Summarises the links between biological diversity and climate change.
Birdlife International
Climate change is already impacting biodiversity
Describes changes in climate that have already had an impact on wildlife, focusing on birds.
Climate change will soon threaten many more species with extinction
Suggests that climate change will affect bird distribution and breeding habits, with examples from Mexico, the Arctic, South Africa, Australia and Europe.
Page updated December 2009.