494
J. A. Dar et al.
budget) (Schimel et al. 2001; Iordan et al. 2018). Major biophysical effects are
the change in surface albedo (Iordan et al. 2018) and the global radiation balance by
causing changes in the emissions of biogenic compounds, which could possibly affect
the patterns of cloud formation, bringing about great changes in the climate albedo
(Unger2014; Iordan et al. 2018). Therefore, land-use change is widely considered as
an exacerbatory factor of concern that contributes to both regional as well as global
climate change.
3.4 Biological Invasion
Biological invasion is one other important manifestation of global warming and
climate change. Climate change is known to favour the expansion of invasive species
(Ackerly et al. 2012) and in turn, invasive species also exacerbates the effects of global
warming in many ways by contributing to the fuel loads for forest fire, hindering
the nutrient cycles and biogeochemical processes, etc. Climate change creates novel
optimum habitats for the successful establishment of invasive species, facilitating the
process of invasion (Bradley et al. 2009; Shrestha et al. 2018). Invasive species are
more tolerant to a wide range of climatic conditions and have unique biological traits
that enhance their competitive success (Sundarapandian et al. 2015; Sundarapandian
and Subashree 2017). Around one-sixth of the terrestrial part of the globe is highly
vulnerable to alien species invasion (Early et al. 2016; Lamsal et al. 2018). With
increasing impacts of climate change, invasive species are developing several kinds
of adaptations to enhance their populations (Clements and Ditommaso 2011; Lamsal
et al. 2018). As a result of range shifts, species that were previously unknown to
be invasive may likely become invasive and threaten the native biota in the newly
colonized habitats. Of late, woody plants have invaded the high-latitude ecosystems
that were mostly herb-dominated (Sturm et al. 2001; Grimm et al. 2013). Similarly,
alien invasive species are now found to have been distributed along the lower and
mid-elevations of mountain ecosystems and they might soon occupy high elevations
too (Alexander et al. 2016; Lamsal et al. 2018). Thus, alien species invasion could
dramatically alter the species composition and community structure of the invaded
habitats and drastically alter the ecosystem functioning.
4 Socio-economic Aspects: A Cross-Link
Climate change not only exerts eco-biological impacts, but also has socio-economic
implications as well and together they exercise a greater bearing than influence
caused individually (Audsley et al. 2015). These impacts are expected more severe
in developing countries than developed countries due to idiosyncrasies in geographical location (Morton 2007; Savo et al. 2018). These factors may be: the importance
J. A. Dar et al.
budget) (Schimel et al. 2001; Iordan et al. 2018). Major biophysical effects are
the change in surface albedo (Iordan et al. 2018) and the global radiation balance by
causing changes in the emissions of biogenic compounds, which could possibly affect
the patterns of cloud formation, bringing about great changes in the climate albedo
(Unger2014; Iordan et al. 2018). Therefore, land-use change is widely considered as
an exacerbatory factor of concern that contributes to both regional as well as global
climate change.
3.4 Biological Invasion
Biological invasion is one other important manifestation of global warming and
climate change. Climate change is known to favour the expansion of invasive species
(Ackerly et al. 2012) and in turn, invasive species also exacerbates the effects of global
warming in many ways by contributing to the fuel loads for forest fire, hindering
the nutrient cycles and biogeochemical processes, etc. Climate change creates novel
optimum habitats for the successful establishment of invasive species, facilitating the
process of invasion (Bradley et al. 2009; Shrestha et al. 2018). Invasive species are
more tolerant to a wide range of climatic conditions and have unique biological traits
that enhance their competitive success (Sundarapandian et al. 2015; Sundarapandian
and Subashree 2017). Around one-sixth of the terrestrial part of the globe is highly
vulnerable to alien species invasion (Early et al. 2016; Lamsal et al. 2018). With
increasing impacts of climate change, invasive species are developing several kinds
of adaptations to enhance their populations (Clements and Ditommaso 2011; Lamsal
et al. 2018). As a result of range shifts, species that were previously unknown to
be invasive may likely become invasive and threaten the native biota in the newly
colonized habitats. Of late, woody plants have invaded the high-latitude ecosystems
that were mostly herb-dominated (Sturm et al. 2001; Grimm et al. 2013). Similarly,
alien invasive species are now found to have been distributed along the lower and
mid-elevations of mountain ecosystems and they might soon occupy high elevations
too (Alexander et al. 2016; Lamsal et al. 2018). Thus, alien species invasion could
dramatically alter the species composition and community structure of the invaded
habitats and drastically alter the ecosystem functioning.
4 Socio-economic Aspects: A Cross-Link
Climate change not only exerts eco-biological impacts, but also has socio-economic
implications as well and together they exercise a greater bearing than influence
caused individually (Audsley et al. 2015). These impacts are expected more severe
in developing countries than developed countries due to idiosyncrasies in geographical location (Morton 2007; Savo et al. 2018). These factors may be: the importance