Biodiversity Strategy - Gosford City Council - NSW Government

• Local interest groups such as Bushcare, progress and environmental associations
and schools - to provide a valuable resource for these groups, especially tools,
databases and other resources to assist in biodiversity conservation measures.
1.4 Climate Change
Global atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide are rising resulting in an enhanced greenhouse
effect. The increased concentration of such greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is seen by the
majority of the world's leading scientists as contributing to the warming of the Earth's surface.
This warming can affect rainfall and storm intensity and sea levels. A rise in sea level together
with severe weather events has the potential to significantly impact the coastline. Low-lying
coastal terrain may become inundated, beaches eroded, coastal infrastructure damaged and
coastal ecosystems affected.
The implications of climate change upon biodiversity cannot be underestimated. As discussed
in the National Biodiversity and Climate Change Nation Plan 2004-2007 produced by the
Commonwealth government:
"Biodiversity underpins the ecosystem processes that makes life possible and is critical to
the ecological sustainability of our nation. Healthy ecosystems contribute positively to the
air we breathe, the water we drink and the ability of our land to sustain production from
agriculture, fisheries and forestry…
Over the 21 st century, human-induced climate change may result in large-scale
biodiversity loss on a global scale. In particular, climate change could cause dramatic
shifts in species distributions and species extinctions, particularly across fragmented or
vulnerable ecosystems…
In the 21 st century, biodiversity conservation has to address the challenges from past
environmental degradation with a new overlay of pressures from climate change. These
challenges are great, but they also provide us with new opportunities to improve
stewardship of our biodiversity…
Temperature and rainfall play major roles in determining where individual species of plants
and animals can live, grow and reproduce…
The effects of climate change on species and ecosystems can be both direct and indirect.
Direct impacts of climate change on species and ecosystems:
• Reduction in the geographic range of species:
• Change to the timing of species' lifecycle:
• Change in population dynamics and survival:
• Change in the location of species' habitats:
• Increase in the risk of extinction for species that are already vulnerable:
• Increased opportunity for range expansion of invasive species:
• Change in the structure and composition of ecosystems and communities:
• Change in coastal and estuarine habitat due to rising sea levels:
Climate change is also expected to exert an indirect effect by influencing the intensity and
magnitude of existing stresses, such as invasive species and fire regimes, on biodiversity
and ecosystem structures, functions and processes. For example, change in climate can
influence fire regimes by altering the frequency, intensity and extent of fire events".
(Australian Government 2004)
Biodiversity Strategy Page 8