Climate Change and Biology
Climate change is the most pressing challenge humankind has ever faced. It has a complex impact on humans and natural environments both today and particularly in the future. Climate change can be attributed to human activity, but it can be decelerated enough that harmful impacts are not insurmountable. it is therefore crucial to teach about the impact of a changing climate and provide ideas on how biological approaches can be applied to climate change mitigation. Biology plays an important role in understanding the complexity of climate change and in building a climate-friendly world.
This text consists of the following chapters:
Climate Change is due to the Human Acceleration of the Greenhouse Effect
– The Carbon Cycle in Nature
– Climate Change Affects the Carbon Cycle
The Climate has Always Changed
Species are Struggling to Adapt to Climate Change
Climate Change causes Biodiversity Loss
– Climate change may bring Substantial Ecosystem Changes
Climate Change Is Linked To Other Environmental Issues
The Role of Biology in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
– Nature Reserves play an Important Role
– Forests and Fields – the Carbon Storage Experts
– How Bio-economy and Circular Economy help to Fight Climate Change
– The Great Climate Change Adaptation has Already Begun
Growing into Active Citizens
Exercises
Image Gallery
Sources and Additional Information
Climate Change is Due to the Human Acceleration of the Greenhouse Effect
The greenhouse effect is defined as a warming of the lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere due to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (water vapour, methane and nitrous oxide, among others). A natural greenhouse effect facilitates life on our planet; this occurs when greenhouse gases allow the Sun’s heat energy to pass through the Earth’s atmosphere and then absorb the bulk of heat. Therefore, the surface temperature of the atmosphere remains about 33°C higher than without a natural greenhouse effect, meaning a surface temperature of around -18°C.
Climate change, a human acceleration of the greenhouse effect, refers to growing greenhouse gas emissions warming the atmosphere. Currently, human activity is rapidly causing climate change by releasing pollutant gases. Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere have increased steadily and significantly in the last two centuries, mainly due to an ever increasing demand for fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas – are carbon captured in soil and sediment through photosynthesis millions of years ago.
The Climate has Always Changed

USFWS Endangered Species
The most fundamental factor defining the Earth’s climate is the amount of incoming solar radiation. This varies according to latitude and season. The cycling of air, water, and carbon is powered by energy from the sun. Wind driven and ocean current circulations move warmth from one area to another. The continents, oceans, and mountain ranges impact these circular patterns.
Species are Struggling to Adapt to Climate Change
Climate change affects natural environments and species. Every species reacts to the impact in different ways. Some species benefit from a warmer climate, and they will have the competitive advantage over other species, since they are better adapted or have better resilience and resistance to climate change. Their numbers will increase in the habitat they occupy, and they will also become more common in surrounding areas.
Climate Change Causes Biodiversity Loss

J. N. Stuart
Biodiversity refers to the diversity and richness of living nature, i.e. organisms and biological systems. Biodiversity occurs at the genetic, species, and ecosystem levels.
In nature, biodiversity is a combination of biological entities that are interacting. Climatic conditions regulate species distribution. Biodiversity is important to the health of the Earth’s ecosystems and thus a precondition for life on the planet. It boosts immunity and the adaptability of the species, which enables some particular species or ecosystems to adapt more quickly than others to changing circumstances.
Biodiversity matters profoundly to humans through its effect on ecosystem services vital to life, such as food, clean water, air, and other natural products. Biodiversity also has an intrinsic value.
[/su_spoiler]Climate Change is Linked to other Environmental Issues

NathanaelBC
Environmental problems form a complex web. Climate change is closely linked to many other environmental issues with multiple and complex inter-dependencies and feedback cycles. The most significant issue is the decrease of biodiversity, which is connected to habitat fragmentation and deforestation.
Additionally, ocean acidification is a serious problem related to increased carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere. The following chapters extrapolate on the latter three challenges.
The Role of Biology in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
Biology can play an important part in learning to understand the basics of climate change and its consequences and subsequently provide tools for mitigation and adaptation. The major strategies to mitigate climate change are biodiversity and carbon sink conservation and enhancement.
Biology class provides an excellent opportunity not only to learn scientific facts but also strengthen a relationship with nature. Places familiar, meaningful and dear to our hearts may evoke a desire to care for nature as opposed to hearing about foreign, unknown places.
Growing into Active Citizens

The Wild Center
Climate change debates often overemphasize personal choices and consumer habits, particularly when addressing young people. This approach has its place, but there are more effective ways to make a difference such as acquiring skills and sound knowledge, launching citizen initiatives, making speeches, writing articles and letters to the editor, contacting decision-makers and organizing meetings. The more one practices influencing skills, the better one becomes.
Exercises
Recent Advances in tje Cimate Change Biology Literature: Describing the Whole Elephant (Peterson, Menon & Li, Peer Reviewed Publications 2010) Climate change and prolongation of growing season: changes in regional potential for field crop production in Finland (Peltonen-Sainio, Jauhiainen, Hakala & Ojanen, Agricultural and Food Science 2009) Ten Species That Are Evolving Due to the Changing Climate (Thompson, Smithsonian.com 2014) Ilmastonmuutoksen vaikutukset ekologisiin prosesseihin ja Suomen luonnon monimuotoisuuteen (Ilmasto-opas) Matka maailman ympäri – muutokset maailman suurekosysteemeissä ja luonnon monimuotoisuudessa (Ilmasto-opas) Ilmastonmuutos lajien sukupuuttojen aiheuttajana (Jokimäki, Ilmastotieto 2013) Vain korallisaarella elänyt nisäkäs nähtiin viimeksi vuonna 2009 – Ihmisen aiheuttama ilmastonmuutos tappoi sukupuuttoon ensimmäisenä maailmassa? (Tekniikka & Talous 2016) Cimate Change and Biodiversity (Convention on Biological Diversity) Ilmastonmuutos ja luonto (Suomen Luonnonsuojeluliitto) Itämeren erityispiirteet saattavat kadota ilmaston muuttuessa (Ilmasto-opas) Ilmastonmuutos lähiluonnossamme (Marjakangas 2011). Mediapinta. Ocean Acidification. Summery for Policymakers (International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme 2013) Merien happamoituminen jatkuu nopeana (CO2-raportti 2013) Deforestation and Its Extreme Effect on Global Warming (Scientific American 2012) Maanviljelijän varautuminen ilmastonmuutokseen (Joona, Ilmase-hanke 2016) Luonnon monimuotoisuuden suojelu: Suojelualueet ja uhanalaiset lajit (Ilmasto-opas) Ilmastonmuutos ja metsät (Suomen Luonnonsuojeluliitto) Biotalous on kestävä ratkaisu (Sitra)
Learn about the carbon cycle and carbon storage systems on the Earth. Divide the class into groups of three or four and introduce the idea of carbon storage service units. Each group is responsible for forests, soil or the oceans. The groups should find out:
a) Which species are responsible for carbon sequestration of your carbon stock?
b) Which mechanisms are used in carbon sequestration?
c) Which methods are most useful for improving effective carbon sequestration?
d) What living and non-living factors may prevent effective sequestration?
Learn more about the carbon cycle, abiotic factors and interaction between climate and forests. Take the quiz on the Carbon Tree project here: web page:
http://hiilipuu.fi/fi
Follow the ice break-up or attend the national Big Butterfly Count and discuss your observations and how they are linked to climate change..
In photosynthesis, trees absorb atmospheric carbon, acting as carbon sinks. Introduce a Plant a Tree Day, for example, to celebrate official holidays and increase the number of carbon sinks on the planet. Even if participation is not possible for all students, you could introduce a tradition of each graduating class planting an apple tree in the schoolyard to bear fruit for future students to enjoy.
Discuss how farmers and foresters can help to tackle climate change and be prepared. What various factors should be taken into account in food production and forest management today and in the future?
Find out about the greenhouse gas emissions in your municipality or county and discuss how to reduce this amount. Next, divide students in groups and ask them to design a climate change action plan, such as a campaign or communication strategy, a citizen initiative etc.
Find out about your local nature reserves and discuss why they were established. Ask questions such as: Are they useful for climate change adaptation? What is the debate over these areas? Are they at risk and are there plans to set up new reserves?Image Gallery
Sources and additional information
http://ilmasto-opas.fi/fi/ilmastonmuutos/ilmio/-/artikkeli/1e92115d-8938-48f2-8687-dc4e3068bdbd/hiilidioksidi-ja-hiilen-kiertokulku.html
http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1029&context=biopeerpubs
http://www.mtt.fi/afs/pdf/mtt-afs-v18n3-4p171.pdf
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ten-species-are-evolving-due-changing-climate-180953133/?no-ist
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https://ilmastotieto.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/ilmastonmuutos-lajien-sukupuuttojen-aiheuttajana/
http://www.tekniikkatalous.fi/tiede/vain-korallisaarella-elanyt-nisakas-nahtiin-viimeksi-vuonna-2009-ihmisen-aiheuttama-ilmastonmuutos-tappoi-sukupuuttoon-ensimmaisena-maailmassa-6559701
https://www.cbd.int/climate/intro.shtml
http://www.sll.fi/mita-me-teemme/ilmasto/ilmastonmuutos-ja-luonto
https://ilmasto-opas.fi/fi/ilmastonmuutos/vaikutukset/-/artikkeli/9f658194-8627-4ca9-b2e8-ed339bb4c1b9/itameren-erityispiirteet-saattavat-kadota-ilmaston-muuttuessa.html
http://www.igbp.net/download/18.30566fc6142425d6c91140a/1385975160621/OA_spm2-FULL-lorez.pdf
http://www.co2-raportti.fi/index.php?page=ilmastouutisia&news_id=4071
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/deforestation-and-global-warming/
http://www.ilmase.fi/site/tietopaketit/maanviljelijan-varautuminen-ilmastonmuutokseen/
https://ilmasto-opas.fi/fi/ilmastonmuutos/vaikutukset/-/artikkeli/a75a76eb-eae5-4bcb-aec1-ee676f7c7a57/suojelu.html
http://www.sll.fi/mita-me-teemme/metsat/ilmastonmuutos_ja_metsat
http://www.sitra.fi/ekologia/biotalous