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Each year, millions of Americans of all ages grab binoculars, camping gear, rods and reels, skis, skates, and bikes, and hit the great outdoors. However, favorite fishing holes, trails, and camping sites may be altered as wildlife and wildlands feel the impacts of climate change related effects.
Increasingly, scientists are finding compelling evidence that climate change is affecting natural ecosystems. Some direct effects include changes in temperature, rainfall, soil moisture, and sea level. Such changes could add important new stresses on ecological and socio-economic systems that are already affected by pollution, resource extraction and non-sustainable resource management practices.
Consider:
- Freshwater recreational fishing opportunities will be disrupted. Cold water fish habitat could be reduced or lost in many states (about two million acres by 2060).
- Climate change may affect the timing of life cycles for many types of wildlife that depend on temperature to signal migration and breeding. Studies show that some species of birds, butterflies, and amphibians are already migrating and breeding earlier than expected.
- In many parts of the world, population pressure and consequent overharvesting, deforestation, and desertification are reducing biodiversity. Rapid climate change will accelerate these losses, with significant economic consequences.
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