From day to day, the impact of global warming in the ecological field is very worrying. The climate is getting warmer, it can change the conditions of the surrounding environment.

In the oceans, the water temperature becomes hotter and more acidic. Meanwhile, on land, the temperature is also hotter, thus reducing the quality of soil and freshwater.

It can be said, in various places, the environment is changing so fast. Some animals and plants can't even survive and die. This is the impact of global warming in the ecological field that is harmful to the entire ecological system or ecosystem.

Below are some of the impacts of global warming in the ecological field.

1. Climate Change Causes Ecosystem Shift

Rising Earth's temperature causes changes in ecosystems. Either that, expand or narrow the geographic range of a particular type of habitat.

For example, a study of the European butterfly found that its population had shifted to the north side by 114 km between 1990-2008 due to global warming and expansion of more suitable habitats. Sometimes, changes in an animal's habitat will affect its population. Animals whose populations have fallen drastically are predicted to become extinct.

Global warming or even a slight change in temperature can cause spring or autumn to come sooner. As a result, disrupting the availability of water, food, and the health of animal populations.

2. Rising Temperatures Threaten Species Diversity

As explained, if the temperature continues to rise, many animals cannot breed in their natural habitat. Scientists estimate that 8% of today's animals will become extinct due to climate change .

Near the equator, the region with the highest biodiversity on Earth, many species are becoming extinct because they cannot adapt to rising temperatures. Reef fish, for example, can only live in warm waters. They will die if the sea water gets hotter.

It is estimated that by 2070 almost 20% of tropical plant species will not germinate because the temperature is already beyond its maximum limit.

3. Forest Fires Occur Intensively and Frequently

Another ecological impact of global warming is forest fires that occur very frequently. The temperature conditions are hot and dry, making dry leaves in the forest flammable.

In the western United States, a 1°C temperature increase increases the potential for wildfires by up to 600%. Burning down animals and plants of local species that are in the path of fire.

In fact, there were forest fires in Australia in 2019-2020. The fires scorched 25 million hectares of forest and about 1 billion animals. Many animals have died in these fires and it raises concerns about the future of Australia's unique ecosystem.

4. Extreme Weather Impacts Ecosystem

Scientists are looking at the ecological impact of global warming with extreme weather events. For example, in 2019, a heat wave hit Cairns, Australia.

Causes a third of the flying glasses to die in just 2 days. This is because the temperature rose to 42 °C. Most animals cannot survive the extreme temperatures caused by global warming.

The intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes is also increasing due to warmer sea surface temperatures. When hit by a storm, many animals and plants die. Floods and hurricanes have an impact on ecosystems. This is because it interferes with the nutrition and balance of plant growth.

5. Rising Sea Levels And Destroying Coastal Ecosystems.

Rising sea levels are displacing hundreds of thousands of people along the coast and causing the loss of wetland ecosystems. By 2080, 22% of the world's wetlands are at risk of disappearing due to rising sea levels.

Coastal Louisiana, USA, which has more than two million acres of wetlands, loses about one football field of land every 45 minutes. Wetland ecosystems protect coastlines from flooding and store three times more carbon than forests. This is very important to reduce climate change.

The loss of coastal wetlands due to global warming will threaten the diverse plant and animal species that live in them, and have an impact on the fisheries economy that depends on marine life.

6. Coral Reefs Die Due to Warming Ocean Temperatures

Healthy coral on Australia's Great Barrier Reef is brown and green, while coral bleached and damaged by warming ocean temperatures is white.

Studies estimate that one-third to one-half of the world's corals have been lost, in part due to ocean warming. When average ocean temperatures rise by just 1°C, corals become stressed and expel symbiotic algae that act as nutrients. Resulting in the appearance of white coral or coral bleaching.

Although coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, they support about 25% of marine life. The loss of coral reefs threatens marine ecosystems that depend on coral reefs as nurseries for fish and other marine species.

7. Melting Ice Causes Loss of Polar Habitat

The continent of Antarctica has melted three times as much as it did 25 years ago. Trillions of tons of ice are melting from the Greenland ice sheet per year due to global warming.

Climate change is making temperatures in the polar regions warmer, so there are some animal species that are disturbed, such as caribou and polar bears.

In addition, at the South Pole, global warming is changing the distribution of penguin colonies and the emergence of new plant species.

8. Disease Outbreaks

Global warming makes the weather and climate in some areas uncertain. Sometimes it rains, turns sunny and hot in a matter of hours. This causes the condition of human health to be disturbed.

Not only that, the emergence of fungus or mosquito breeding can endanger public health. The immune system of living things that decline will be more susceptible to seasonal diseases, such as coughs, colds, fevers, and skin diseases.

This is information related to the impact of global warming on ecology. From the above review, hopefully we can take inspiration and insight on how to preserve the ecological balance in order to maintain the survival and health of mankind.