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There have been huge changes in habitat during the same period, driven largely by urbanization and changes in agricultural patterns, that dwarf any changes driv
by romaaeterna 7y ago
There have been huge changes in habitat during the same period, driven largely by urbanization and changes in agricultural patterns, that dwarf any changes driven by climate. We actually had Ectopistes migratorius go completely extinct by 1901, due to habitat destruction, not climate change.
- mempko 7y agoClimate change at the human accelerated rate IS habitat destruction.
- romaaeterna 7y agoBut the important thing is the rate. How would you measure the habitat destruction? Distinct species per unit area? Biomass per unit area? Climate change affects no possible proxy that you could select as fast as a bulldozer and a housing development. (And in recent years, climate change has been positive for global biomass.)
- cmendel 7y agoYes, but you are conflating local effects with broader trends. A housing development may result in the partial or total habitat destruction of a couple of species, climate change is causing the destruction of a double digit percentage of all species across the board.
- romaaeterna 7y agoAs of yet, actual habitat destruction by humans has wiped out far more species across the board than climate change has. Perhaps that will change some time in the future.