This chapter discusses the global effects of warming and how it not only affects animals but also affects other living things specifically tropical life forms. Kolbert visits Manú National Park where she meets a forest ecologist, Miles Silman, who studies how the climate has changed in the tropics. Kolbert presents the idea that if you travel downward from the North Pole to the United States the population of trees will increase. This shows that climate has a huge effect on plant life. There are many different theories about why rainforests are so conducive to biodiversity. Some of these theories suggest that there is a positive relationship between stable climate and biodiversity. The biodiversity of rainforests shows that an ecosystem relies heavily on stable temperature and levels of moisture. Kolbert looks at how the number of species in an area is linked to the size of an area. This shows that animals are migrating further up to find environments that they can adapt to. Global warming is shrinking the areas where plants and animals can survive. As temperatures are predicted to go up Silman states “ Have plants and animals retained over this huge amount of time- whole radiations of mammals have come and gone in this period- have they retained these potentially costly characteristics?” and Kolbert goes on to wonder what would happen if they haven’t “What if they’ve lost these costly characteristics because for so many millions of years they provided no advantage?” This relates to the theme a suitable combination of conservation and development is required for survival because thee plants may have been able to survive such high temperatures through adaptation but that was almost 15 million years ago and it remains a question of whether they will be able to withstand a sudden increase once more.
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