The Sixth Extinction: Chapter 8

This chapter explores the dangers of climate change and the threat it poses to different ecosystems. Kolbert explains that usually people assume that global warming will only affect ecosystems in cold biome because it's common sense that a rise in temperature will distort the entire ecosystem. She explains that in reality there will be an effect on every single ecosystem, as proven by Miles Silman’s study on the rain forests of South America. The chapter explains that as you explore south of the equator; you notice that the environment becomes more and more diverse. This diversity is because of the warm climate of the ecosystem that leads to rapid reproduction ultimately altering the speed of evolution to a more rapid pace. This means that different species with different needs over time have adjusted to the temperature of the forest to meet those needs. Potentially meaning that a change of temperature endangers most of the species if not all. Some scientists think this is not the case as one theory explains that as specified had done before they will keep reproducing a pace that will allow the species to adapt to the change in temperature. That sounds reasonable right? Well not quite, Silman explains that it’s more complex than that because the trees that allow the species of the ecosystem to survive actually need specific needs, including temperature, to be met in order for their survival. So there’s no way to save the forest because the trees are dying? Silman found that some trees with rapid lifespans are changing to adapt to the rise in temperature. Now the only question is if there’s enough time for trees with longer lifespans to evolve in order to survive the rise in temperature. 

This isn’t the first instance of climate change in history; in actuality, Louis Agassiz explained that there once was actually an ice age. An Ice Age is when the impact of the sun is limited to such a point that temperatures dramatically drop. This is only a temporary time, and the temperature rises once again along this time species have adapted to these changes and survived. Currently, the planet is still in an ice age period but it's coming to an end meaning that temperatures are rising dramatically and it’s unclear if many species will be able to adapt in time to survive. While Kolbert explores the forest, she notices many species that have adapted to the cold weather of the ice age as the temperature rises, not all of these species will be able to adapt and will become extinct. It’s now up to science to see if there’s a way to save these species. 

This chapter Kolbert shows that the planet is interconnected by a very complex system. This is shown as natural systems change over time and with it so are the species that inhabit it. Charles darwin explains how temperature change impacts the species that inhabit the ecosystem, “As the cold came on, and as each more southern zone became fitted for arctic beings and ill-fitted for their former more temperature inhabitants, the latter would be supplanted and arctic productions would take their places” (Kolbert 161) This goes to say that nature is a complex system that changes over time and the species who can’t evolve with it are replaced naturally.