Climate Change Impacts and Implications: An Indian Perspective
15
upper Himalayas, northern and central parts of Western Ghats and parts of central India, while the northeastern forests have been identified as the more resilient
ones (Chaturvedi et al. 2010). The major impacts of climate change that on the
forests are the disruption of carbon-regulating services, prolonged droughts, more
pest invasions and other environmental stresses that would eventually lead to their
destruction and degradation (Seppälä 2009). Natural disturbances such as pest and
disease outbreaks are going to be affected by climate change which in turn is going
to impact the forestry (Alig et al. 2002). Not only the forest fires or insect damage
but also a variation in the frequency of extreme events such as strong winds, winter
storms, droughts, etc. can bring about a loss to commercial forestry (Kirilenko and
Sedjo 2007). Many terrestrial biogeochemical processes, such as soil respiration, litter decomposition, nitrogen mineralization and nitrification, denitrification, methane
emission, fine root dynamics, plant productivity and nutrient uptake will be impacted
with temperature changes which in turn will alter forests and ecosystem dynamics
(Norby et al. 2007). Changes in the structure and functioning of forest ecosystem are
going to have negative impacts on the productivity of forest ecosystems which in turn
will affect local economies (FAO 2005). The impacts of climate change on forestry
include the increasing global timber supply and a slow increment in the demand for
forest production (IPCC 2001). Climate change brings an irreversible damage to the
forest ecosystems which certainly require the longest response time to adapt (Leemans and Eickhout 2004). With the change in the forest structure and composition,
other dependent entities such as wildlife, human systems and economies will face a
challenge to keep pace with the rate of change within the forest ecosystem.
5 Impacts on Biodiversity
India harbors a huge variety of biodiversity and, it is under the threat of climate change
(Kumar and Chopra 2009; Soni and Ansari 2017). Climate change has been identified
as one of the major drivers behind the adverse effects on biodiversity and its associated
goods and services (MEA 2005). Climate is one of the most important factors that
regulate the growth, abundance, survival and distribution of species (Travis 2003).
Climate change has affected the global biodiversity resulting in the extinction of
many species of flora and fauna from their natural habitat (Bharali and Khan 2011).
The changes in the climatic conditions have found to exacerbate the effects of other
anthropogenic factors that threaten the biodiversity (Moore et al. 1999; Forrest et al.
2012). Impacts of climate change over the biodiversity vary from region to region
(Sarkar 2012). It is also a major determinant of distribution and abundance of species
in both managed ecosystems (agriculture, production forests, cities and many coastal
zones) and natural ecosystems (terrestrial and marine) (Perrings 2010). With the shift
in the climatic conditions, species with small fragmented populations, or populations
restricted to small areas are more vulnerable (Integrated solutions for biodiversity,
climate change and poverty 2010). Also, the synergism between the rapid temperature
rise and other factors of climate change could disrupt the linkage among the species
15
upper Himalayas, northern and central parts of Western Ghats and parts of central India, while the northeastern forests have been identified as the more resilient
ones (Chaturvedi et al. 2010). The major impacts of climate change that on the
forests are the disruption of carbon-regulating services, prolonged droughts, more
pest invasions and other environmental stresses that would eventually lead to their
destruction and degradation (Seppälä 2009). Natural disturbances such as pest and
disease outbreaks are going to be affected by climate change which in turn is going
to impact the forestry (Alig et al. 2002). Not only the forest fires or insect damage
but also a variation in the frequency of extreme events such as strong winds, winter
storms, droughts, etc. can bring about a loss to commercial forestry (Kirilenko and
Sedjo 2007). Many terrestrial biogeochemical processes, such as soil respiration, litter decomposition, nitrogen mineralization and nitrification, denitrification, methane
emission, fine root dynamics, plant productivity and nutrient uptake will be impacted
with temperature changes which in turn will alter forests and ecosystem dynamics
(Norby et al. 2007). Changes in the structure and functioning of forest ecosystem are
going to have negative impacts on the productivity of forest ecosystems which in turn
will affect local economies (FAO 2005). The impacts of climate change on forestry
include the increasing global timber supply and a slow increment in the demand for
forest production (IPCC 2001). Climate change brings an irreversible damage to the
forest ecosystems which certainly require the longest response time to adapt (Leemans and Eickhout 2004). With the change in the forest structure and composition,
other dependent entities such as wildlife, human systems and economies will face a
challenge to keep pace with the rate of change within the forest ecosystem.
5 Impacts on Biodiversity
India harbors a huge variety of biodiversity and, it is under the threat of climate change
(Kumar and Chopra 2009; Soni and Ansari 2017). Climate change has been identified
as one of the major drivers behind the adverse effects on biodiversity and its associated
goods and services (MEA 2005). Climate is one of the most important factors that
regulate the growth, abundance, survival and distribution of species (Travis 2003).
Climate change has affected the global biodiversity resulting in the extinction of
many species of flora and fauna from their natural habitat (Bharali and Khan 2011).
The changes in the climatic conditions have found to exacerbate the effects of other
anthropogenic factors that threaten the biodiversity (Moore et al. 1999; Forrest et al.
2012). Impacts of climate change over the biodiversity vary from region to region
(Sarkar 2012). It is also a major determinant of distribution and abundance of species
in both managed ecosystems (agriculture, production forests, cities and many coastal
zones) and natural ecosystems (terrestrial and marine) (Perrings 2010). With the shift
in the climatic conditions, species with small fragmented populations, or populations
restricted to small areas are more vulnerable (Integrated solutions for biodiversity,
climate change and poverty 2010). Also, the synergism between the rapid temperature
rise and other factors of climate change could disrupt the linkage among the species