Climate Change Impacts and Implications: An Indian Perspective
13
activity, accelerated sea-level rise, increasing sea surface and atmospheric temperature, variability in the timing and quantity of precipitation and littoral erosion are
the critical factors affecting the ecological integrity of coastal ecosystems as well
as important societal activities (Day et al. 2013; Yañez-Arancibia 2015). Climate
change is expected to alter the behavior and life history characteristics of organisms
which could lead to dramatic changes in inter and intra-specific competition, predation, mutualisms, species distributions, biodiversity patterns, and the provisioning
of ecosystem services (Tylianakis et al. 2008). In the long-term, climate change
will most likely alter the littoral zone, the species composition and biodiversity of
coastal areas, and important ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, primary
and secondary productivity (Walther et al. 2002; Day et al. 2013). Climate change
along with habitat fragmentation is one of the major threats to biodiversity and these
changes have adverse and irreversible impacts on various ecosystems services which
are ultimately going to affect the social, cultural and economic conditions of the
human society (Bharali and Khan 2011). Most of the climate change research have
tended to examine climate effects on biotic components by focusing on single species
while treating the larger community as background variation (Jamieson et al. 2012)
and by typically focusing on a single climate variable at a time (Todgham and Stillman 2013). The present study discussed the impacts and consequences of climate
change over various sectors including agriculture, biodiversity, mangroves, coastal
and forests ecosystems.
2 Impacts of Climate Change
Climate change is one of the most critical environmental issues that have grabbed
the attention of the whole world. India is facing an alarming environmental and
socio-economic challenge in its effort to protect its fast depleting natural resources
(Lolaksha and Anand 2017). Coastal ecosystems, biodiversity, water, human health,
energy, transportation, forests, and agricultural productivity are some other important
sectors that will be subjected to the maximum exposure to climate change (UNFCCC
2006; National Research Council 2013). Climate change will have a profound
impact on human and ecosystems during the coming decades through variations
in global mean temperature and precipitation pattern. The main culprit behind the
changes in the climatic conditions is believed to be the effects of human interference
(Santer et al. 2013).
3 Impacts on Agriculture and Agricultural Productivity
The agricultural productivity is under direct influence of climate change and any
change in the temperature, precipitation pattern and CO 2 concentration are certainly
prospected to affect the crop productivity (Kumar and Gautam 2014). Climate change
13
activity, accelerated sea-level rise, increasing sea surface and atmospheric temperature, variability in the timing and quantity of precipitation and littoral erosion are
the critical factors affecting the ecological integrity of coastal ecosystems as well
as important societal activities (Day et al. 2013; Yañez-Arancibia 2015). Climate
change is expected to alter the behavior and life history characteristics of organisms
which could lead to dramatic changes in inter and intra-specific competition, predation, mutualisms, species distributions, biodiversity patterns, and the provisioning
of ecosystem services (Tylianakis et al. 2008). In the long-term, climate change
will most likely alter the littoral zone, the species composition and biodiversity of
coastal areas, and important ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, primary
and secondary productivity (Walther et al. 2002; Day et al. 2013). Climate change
along with habitat fragmentation is one of the major threats to biodiversity and these
changes have adverse and irreversible impacts on various ecosystems services which
are ultimately going to affect the social, cultural and economic conditions of the
human society (Bharali and Khan 2011). Most of the climate change research have
tended to examine climate effects on biotic components by focusing on single species
while treating the larger community as background variation (Jamieson et al. 2012)
and by typically focusing on a single climate variable at a time (Todgham and Stillman 2013). The present study discussed the impacts and consequences of climate
change over various sectors including agriculture, biodiversity, mangroves, coastal
and forests ecosystems.
2 Impacts of Climate Change
Climate change is one of the most critical environmental issues that have grabbed
the attention of the whole world. India is facing an alarming environmental and
socio-economic challenge in its effort to protect its fast depleting natural resources
(Lolaksha and Anand 2017). Coastal ecosystems, biodiversity, water, human health,
energy, transportation, forests, and agricultural productivity are some other important
sectors that will be subjected to the maximum exposure to climate change (UNFCCC
2006; National Research Council 2013). Climate change will have a profound
impact on human and ecosystems during the coming decades through variations
in global mean temperature and precipitation pattern. The main culprit behind the
changes in the climatic conditions is believed to be the effects of human interference
(Santer et al. 2013).
3 Impacts on Agriculture and Agricultural Productivity
The agricultural productivity is under direct influence of climate change and any
change in the temperature, precipitation pattern and CO 2 concentration are certainly
prospected to affect the crop productivity (Kumar and Gautam 2014). Climate change