Climate change and its biological consequences

CHAPTER ONE Climate Change: Cause and Evidence: Evidence for Global Warming The Earth's Energy Balance Greenhouse Gases Climate Forcing Factors and Feedbacks Global Chmate Models Future Climate Projections: Evidence to Date The Rest of the Story. CHAPTER TWO Past Climates: Proxy Thermometry and Age Sun-Earth Geometry and Climate Ancient Climates The Younger Dryas Event The Little Ice Age Changing Communities. CHAPTER THREE Plant Physiognomy and Physiology: Plant Demand for Water and Energy Plant Physiognomy Plant Physiology Causes of Forest Decline Fire Phenology Once and Future Vegetation Patterns. CHAPTER FOUR Past Vegetational Changes: Vegetation Migration in North America Vegetation Responses to the Younger Dryas Event Plant-Climate Response Boreal Forest Movement Rates for Individual Species Lessons for the Future. CHAPTER FIVE Forest Models and the Future: Forest Modeling Simulated Forest Futures Other Forest Gap Modeling Forest Sensitivity to Temperature Change Empirical Modeling Forests and Other Organisms. CHAPTER SIX Ecosystems: Ecosystems Ecosystem Responses to Climate Loss of Species Diversity Birds Mammals Reptiles Amphibians Fish Insects The Great Lakes Ecosystems Lakes of the Central Boreal Forest Sea Level Rise and Wetland Loss Ozone Depletion, Ultraviolet Radiation, and Life The Antarctic Ecosystems. CHAPTER SEVEN Agriculture, Droughts, and El Nino: Crop Modeling Climate Change Scenarios Crop Model Results Wheat Production in North America Irrigation Water Requirements in the Great Plains Caiifomia Agriculture Yields and Climate Change The MINK Region Climate Impacts on Pest-Plant Interactions Livestock and Climate Change Drought. CHAPTER EIGHT What to Do: Strategies Technological Fixes Into the Future.