CLIMATE CHANGE

IMPACT ON ECOSYTEMS SERVICES GLOBALLY

 Group 3 members
• Ashton Mutovhe L0141791R Florence Mutadzo L0237301E
• Njabulo M. Dabengwa L0150998P Margaret Chivasa L0190082K
• Mbulelo Mthupha L0237747U Anele A. Masina L0180557A
• Gugulethu Ncube L0237862P
• Wadzanayi S. Zamisa L0237817S
• Nothando Dube L0237841S
 Assignment Question
• Using examples, examine the impact of climate change on
ecosystem services globally
 INTRODUCTION
• Climate change is a global crisis that threatens the health and well-being of people
and ecosystems worldwide.
• It is caused by the build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which trap heat
from the sun and cause the Earth's temperature to rise.
• Climate change has significant impacts on ecosystem services such as water
supply, food production, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, energy
security, and forest products.
• This presentation, will examine some examples of how climate change affects
ecosystem services globally.
 DEFINITIONS
• Climate change refers to the long-term alterations in Earth's climatic patterns, including
changes in temperature, precipitation, and extreme weather events.
• It is caused by the build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which trap heat from the
sun and cause the Earth's temperature to rise.
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2014): "Climate change refers to a
change in the state of the climate that can be identified (e.g., by using statistical tests) by
changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties, and that persists for an extended
period, typically decades or longer. It refers to any change in climate over time, whether due
to natural variability or as a result of human activity."
 DEFINITION – ECOSYSTEM SERVICE

• Ecosystem services are the benefits that humans derive from ecosystems,
including natural resources such as forests, wetlands, and oceans.
• These services include a wide range of goods and services that support human
well-being, such as clean air and water, food production, carbon sequestration,
recreation opportunities, and cultural heritage.
• This particular phenomenon has four major components which are mainly
1. Provisioning Services
2. Regulating Services
3. Cultural Services
4. Supporting Services
Interpretation of Ecosystem Services
 Components of Ecosystem Services Explained
1. Provisioning Services
• When people are asked to identify a service provided by nature, most think of food. Fruits, vegetables, trees, fish, and livestock are available to us as direct
products of ecosystems. A provisioning service is any type of benefit to people that can be extracted from nature. Along with food, other types of provisioning
services include drinking water, timber, wood fuel, natural gas, oils, plants that can be made into clothes and other materials, and medicinal benefits
2. Regulating Services
• Ecosystems provide many of the basic services that make life possible for people. Plants clean air and filter water, bacteria decompose wastes, bees pollinate
flowers, and tree roots hold soil in place to prevent erosion. All these processes work together to make ecosystems clean, sustainable, functional, and resilient to
change. A regulating service is the benefit provided by ecosystem processes that moderate natural phenomena. Regulating services include pollination,
decomposition, water purification, erosion and flood control, and carbon storage and climate regulation.
3. Cultural Services
• As we interact and alter nature, the natural world has in turn altered us. It has guided our cultural, intellectual, and social development by being a constant force
present in our lives. The importance of ecosystems to the human mind can be traced back to the beginning of mankind with ancient civilizations drawing pictures
of animals, plants, and weather patterns on cave walls. A cultural service is a non-material benefit that contributes to the development and cultural advancement of
people, including how ecosystems play a role in local, national, and global cultures; the building of knowledge and the spreading of ideas; creativity born from
interactions with nature (music, art, architecture); and recreation.
4. Supporting Services
• The natural world provides so many services, sometimes we overlook the most fundamental. Ecosystems themselves couldn't be sustained without the consistency
of underlying natural processes, such as photosynthesis, nutrient cycling, the creation of soils, and the water cycle. These processes allow the Earth to sustain basic
life forms, let alone whole ecosystems and people. Without supporting services, provisional, regulating, and cultural services wouldn't exist.
 Impacts of
Climate Change
on Ecosystem
Services
WATER SCARCITY
Lal, R., and Maasdammer, C. (2008). Soil carbon sequestration through conservation agriculture in the tropics: a review of the literature.
Agroforestry Systems, 75(1), 3-23. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/03687659802569295

• Climate change affects the distribution of precipitation, leading to prolonged droughts and water scarcity in
some regions.
• This can lead to decreased crop yields, reduced livestock production, and increased conflict over access to
water resources.
• In Africa, droughts and water scarcity are leading to food shortages and increased conflict over access to
water resources.
• In 2019, a drought in eastern Africa affected more than 45 million people and caused significant crop failure.
• In California, USA, prolonged droughts have led to water shortages for both humans and agriculture.
• This has resulted in crop failures, reduced livestock production, and increased conflict over access to water
resources.
OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (2007). Climate Change Synthesis Report Summary for Policymakers of the Fifth Assessment Report of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Geneva, Switzerland: World Meteorological Organization].
Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploaded_files/publications/ar4_syr_policymakers_full_wcover.pdf

• As carbon dioxide is absorbed by seawater, it reacts to form carbonic acid, which lowers the pH of
the ocean.
• This can harm marine life, particularly shellfish and coral reefs.
• In the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, ocean acidification is causing coral bleaching and death.
• This has significant implications for tourism revenue and the livelihoods of people who depend on the
reef for income.
• In the Pacific Northwest of Canada and the United States, ocean acidification is affecting shellfish
populations such as oysters.
• This can have negative effects on food security and fishing industries that rely on these species.
BIODIVERSITY LOSS
IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (2019). Global biodiversity crisis intensifies, threatening human wellbeing, economic
stability, and natural resources. Science, 366(6475), eaav3655. Retrieved from https://www.sciencemag.org/content/science/full/abs/science/2019/07/30/eaav3655

• Climate change is threatening biodiversity by reducing crop yields due to pests,

diseases and the provision of ecosystem services such as pollination and
nutrient cycling.
• For example, in Amazon rainforest, Brazil, deforestation and habitat loss have
led to declines in biodiversity, including the extinction of many species.
• This has significant implications for ecological balance and the provision of
ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and habitat for wildlife.
FOREST DEGRADATION
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (2017). Global Forest Resource Assessment
2015. Retrieved from https://www.fao.org/global-forest-resource-assessment/en/

• Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns are leading to increased forest fires and
insect outbreaks, which can cause significant damage to forest ecosystems and reduce their
ability to provide ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and habitat for wildlife.
• In Australia, prolonged droughts and increased bushfires are leading to significant degradation of
forests in many regions.
• This can have negative effects on carbon sequestration capacity, habitat for wildlife, and soil
health.
• In Russia, logging practices have led to significant forest degradation in many regions.
• This can have negative effects on soil health, water quality, and ecosystem services such as
carbon sequestration and habitat for wildlife.
SOIL DEGRADATION
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). (2019). Global Soil
Partnership. Retrieved from https://www.unenvironment.org/en/soil-partnership

• Climate change is causing soil erosion, nutrient depletion, and salinization in many
regions, which can reduce agricultural productivity and lead to food insecurity.
• In India, soil erosion is leading to reduced agricultural productivity and food insecurity in
many regions.
• This is caused by factors such as deforestation, overgrazing, and climate change-induced
droughts.
• In North America's Great Plains region, soil salinization is leading to reduced agricultural
productivity due to reduced crop yields.
• This can affect food security for people who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.
DISASTER RISK
NOAA Climate Central (2018). Coastal flood extremes in the United States have increased substantially since 1850 due to rising sea levels and more frequent large storms:
analysis of historical data from NOAA tide gauge stations along US coastlines between 1850 to present day using storm surge records from NOAA's National Hurricane Centre's
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale

• Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods,
droughts, and wildfires that disrupt essential ecosystem services such as water supply, transportation
networks
• In Bangladesh, rising sea levels due to climate change are increasing the risk of flooding and other
natural disasters affecting coastal communities – leading to displacement of people, loss of property,
and damage to infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and buildings.
• In Australia, prolonged droughts and increased bushfires are leading to changes in the frequency and
intensity of wildfires.
• This can have significant impacts on ecosystem services such as water supply, transportation networks,
and food production systems.
AIR POLLUTION
World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). Ambient Air Pollution. Retrieved from
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-air-pollution

• The burning of fossil fuels for energy production is a major contributor to air pollution, which can
have negative effects on human health such as respiratory problems and heart disease.
• Air pollution also harms ecosystems by reducing air quality for plants and animals living in them.
• In China, air pollution is a major environmental problem caused by the burning of fossil fuels for energy
production.
• This can have negative effects on human health such as respiratory problems and heart disease.
• It also harms ecosystems by reducing air quality for plants and animals living in them.
• In India, air pollution from industrial activities and transportation is leading to significant health problems for
people living near major cities. This can affect productivity and quality of life for people who depend on
healthy air for their livelihoods.
FOOD SECURITY
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2021). State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2021. Retrieved from
https://www.fao.org/documents/en/j/C/SFS-S/SFS-S-2021.pdf

• Climate change is threatening food security by reducing crop yields due to pests, diseases, and extreme
weather events.
• It is also affecting the availability of water resources for plant growth, and hence affecting the functionality of
the ecosystems.
• In Sub-Saharan Africa, droughts and other climate-related shocks are affecting crop yields in many regions.
This can lead to food shortages and increased conflict over access to food resources.
• In 2019, a drought in eastern Africa affected more than 45 million people and caused significant crop failure.
• In Southeast Asia, rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns are affecting the availability of
water resources for irrigation.
• This can reduce crop yields and lead to food shortages in many regions. In some cases, this can also lead to
increased conflict over access to water resources.
ENERGY SECURITY
International Energy Agency (IEA). (2021). World Energy Outlook 2021. Retrieved from
https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2021

• Climate change is affecting the production and distribution of energy resources such as oil, gas, and
coal.
• Rising temperatures can reduce the availability of fossil fuels by causing them to become trapped in
underground reservoirs or reduce their quality, making them more difficult to extract.
• In Russia, changes in temperature and precipitation patterns are affecting the availability of fossil fuels
such as oil and natural gas.
• This can reduce energy security for countries that rely on Russian exports of these fuels.
• In North America, changes in temperature and precipitation patterns are affecting the production of
hydropower, which is a major source of renewable energy.
• This can have implications for energy security as countries look for alternative sources of energy to
meet their needs.
FOREST PRODUCTS
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (2021). Forest Products Yearbook
2021. Retrieved from https://www.fao.org/publications/forest-products-yearbook/

• Climate change is affecting the production and distribution of forest products such as timber,
non-timber forest products (e.g., medicines, firewood), and ecotourism services.
• Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns can affect the growth rate and quality of trees,
making it harder to harvest timber or collect other forest products.
• This can also affect the livelihoods of people who depend on forest ecosystems for their income.
• In Brazil, logging practices have led to significant degradation of forests in many regions.
• This can have negative effects on soil health, water quality, and ecosystem services such as
carbon sequestration and habitat for wildlife.
• It also affects the livelihoods of people who depend on forest products such as timber and non-
timber forest products (e.g., medicines, firewood).
 CONCLUSION

• Climate change has far-reaching impacts on ecosystem services

worldwide. It affects not only human societies but also the natural world
that provides these services.
• To mitigate these impacts, it is essential to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and take action to protect and restore ecosystems.
• By doing so, we can ensure a sustainable future for ourselves and future
generations that depends on healthy ecosystems and their services.
• It is crucial to mitigate climate change and promote adaptation strategies
to protect and restore ecosystems and the services they provide.