What is the impact of climate change on biodiversity?

• A. It leads to increased species diversity
• B. It has no effect on ecosystems
• C. It causes species extinction and altered migration patterns
• D. It stabilizes population dynamics

Answer: (C)

The impact of climate change on biodiversity is profound, primarily leading to species extinction and altered migration patterns. As climate conditions shift, many habitats become unsuitable for their current inhabitants. Species that cannot adapt quickly enough to changing temperatures, food availability, and weather patterns may face extinction.

Additionally, climate change significantly affects migration patterns because many species rely on specific climatic cues to trigger seasonal behaviors, such as migration and breeding. As these cues change, species may arrive at their migratory destinations too early or too late, which can lead to mismatches with food availability and affect reproduction.

The other options are less accurate in depicting the relationship between climate change and biodiversity. Increased species diversity is typically not a result of climate change; rather, the stressors from climate change tend to reduce biodiversity. Moreover, the assertion that climate change has no effect on ecosystems contradicts a wealth of scientific evidence highlighting the disruptions caused by climate shifts. Lastly, climate change does not stabilize population dynamics; instead, it often creates instability and unpredictability in ecosystems, as species struggle to adapt to rapidly changing conditions.