“When the winds of change blow, some build
walls; others build windmills.” Anonymous
Fascinating
and diverse are the words that Thor Hanson uses to describe the responses of
animals and plants to climate change. As I write this post, between 25 and 85
percent of all species are in the process of relocation. Both plants and
animals have the potential to seek different conditions to survive.
According to Gretta Pecl, a full-time University Professor of marine ecology and founder of the Global Marine Hotspot Network, “we are living through the greatest
redistribution of species since the last ice age. Over thirty thousand
climate-driven species range shifts have already been observed and measured.”
“Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid” by Thor Hanson explores the specific changes that various species of plants and animals undergo to survive. With climate change, extreme weather events are more common. Anole lizards, for example, develop larger toe pads to cling to trees more effectively during hurricanes.
There are many behavioral changes that
surprise scientists. The switch experienced by butterfly fish is an example of
this. Butterfly fish eat corals. As you may know, corals live in symbiosis with
algae, but high temperatures cause stress in them and lead to a phenomenon
called coral bleaching. This happens when corals expel the algae that live in
symbiosis with them. (Heat waves are also responsible for coral disease,
starvation and death).
Coral
bleaching itself wreaks havoc on the entire ecosystem, but the reason I mention
coral bleaching here is to explain the behavioral changes of the butterfly
fish. To gain access to the coral they need to feed on, butterfly fish act like
fierce competitors. However, butterfly fish let go of their hostile behaviors
in view of the bleached corals; they become “pacifists”. Bleached corals are a
poor meal, so butterfly fish do not waste energy fighting for them.
Another
intriguing example is the situation with the bears in Kodiak Island, located
off the Southern coast of Alaska. Everybody knows that salmon is an important
component of their diet, but in Kodiak Island something unexpected happened. When the levels of salmon in the streams
began reaching a peak, the bears stopped searching for them; they simply left
the fishing area. The bears pursued the berries
instead. Early warm weather had ripened the red elderberries sooner, so the
bears chose the berries over the salmon. (By reducing their consumption of
salmon, however, there is less available nutrition for scavengers in the
surrounding woods).
Thor Hanson’s book contains various photographs and illustrations that complement the read. “Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid” kindles our curiosity, as it expounds some of the strategies that plants and animals use to adjust to the challenges of climate change.
Finally,
Thor Hanson poses a crucial question:
What are the human responses to climate change?
“Seen
through the lens of climate change biology, human activities often echo the
responses of plants and animals in the wild—moving, adapting, taking refuge.
Such parallels are not surprising, because in spite of the complexity of our
societies, and the technologies we surround ourselves with, in the end we’re
just one more species in a changing world, facing the same climate challenges,
and drawing on the same basic toolbox of potential solutions. With one notable
difference. Unlike any other organisms on the planet, people have the ability
to do more than simply react to climate change. If we so choose, we can alter
the behaviors that are causing it to happen.”
Climate change contributes to food insecurity,
starvation, and social conflicts. This is the aspect that is often left out of
the conversations:
https://www.sei.org/perspectives/climate-change-amplifies-risks-violent-conflicts-africa/
Here’s a thought-provoking video:
Feel free to
visit Thor Hanson’s website to learn more about his works and background:
https://earth.org/france-to-ban-plastic-packaging-for-fruit-and-vegetables-2022/
