Ecosystems and Global Climate Change:
A review of potential impacts on U.S. terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity

This report was prepared for the Pew Center on Global Climate Change to provide an overview of the potential effects of climate change on natural terrestrial ecosystems and their component species. Published in December 2000, it is the fifth in a series of reports examining the potential impacts of climate change on the U.S. environment. Coordinator: Dr. Louis F. Pitelka.Consequences of Climate Change

Long-term observations now confirm that our planet has warmed over the 20th century and the scientific consensus is that Earth's climate will undergo dramatic changes in the 21st century. Climate change, something we are likely to experience in our lifetimes, is arguably the greatest challenge facing humankind in the new century.

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