Climate Change

ince the dawn of time, the earth’s cli- in the number of pest species may pose par- mate has undergone many changes— ticular challenges for human, crop, and native Ssome of them quite dramatic. During ecosystem health. the Pleistocene Period, roughly 2.5 million to Although higher temperatures may help 10,000 years ago, numerous glaciers advanced expand the range of certain tree species in our and retreated across the globe, including much region, considerably more may become rare of the Chicago Wilderness region. The Ice or disappear entirely. These include north- Age, as it is commonly known, was caused by ern red oaks (Quercus rubra), black cherries a combination of factors, including naturally- (Prunus serotina), sugar maples (Acer saccharum), occurring changes in the amount of water paper birches (Betula papyrifera) and butternuts vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide (Juglans cinerea). and other gasses in the earth’s atmosphere. Beyond the effect on individual species, Together, these “greenhouse gasses” regulate climate change is likely to have a significant Populations of the federally-endangered the temperature of the earth. impact on entire natural communities. Each Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis), already stressed by one is an interdependent, functioning system With the advent of the Industrial a lack of suitable habitat, may not be Revolution, concentrations of greenhouse gas- of plants, animals and microorganisms, which able to survive the additional habitat ses in the earth’s atmosphere have increased evolved over millennia. Rapid climate change, changes wrought by climate change. exponentially—mainly from burning of fos- such as we are experiencing now, will affect sil fuels and destroying native habitats. This different species differently, and at different increase has trapped significantly more heat in rates. This could lead to the disruption of key the atmosphere, leading to a number of pro- species interactions, such as upsetting the bal- jected climate change-related effects. ance between prey and predator, pollinators A growing body of research indicates that and their host plants, and other inter-species increasing temperatures will affect the abun- relationships, potentially causing the collapse dance and distribution of fish, wildlife and of certain habitats. plant species. Mobile species will tend to Climate change could also amplify the migrate northward. The Chicago Wilderness existing threats to natural communities, such Climate Change Task Force projects that “As as habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive many as 44 species of birds that currently species, and pollution; possibly jeopardiz- breed in Illinois may no longer breed in the ing past conservation efforts in the Chicago state by the end of the century.” These include Wilderness region. such familiar and widespread species as black- Fortunately, sound conservation manage- capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus), gray ment is likely to help our plant and animal catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis), Baltimore ori- communities become more resilient to the oles (Icterus galbula) and American goldfinches challenges climate change brings. More and (Carduelis tristis). larger natural areas—better connected and Some pollinator insect species are likely to better managed—promote genetic diversity, The balance of nature in preserves be negatively affected, but overall insects are which allows plants and animals to adapt such as the Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve in DuPage County is threat- expected to increase in numbers. The increase to changing conditions. A large and diverse ened by climate change. However, in number of healthy natural concert with the other reserves in our areas is also likely to help region, healthy ecosystems help miti- “Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from gate the effects of climate change. observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, wide- offset the effects of climate spread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level.” —An change for people, since Assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a scientific, they capture and store excess intergovernmental body established by the United Nations Environment greenhouse gases. Programme and the World Meteorological Organization.