Final answer:
The statement that climate change is confined to one area and only affects species with a low tolerance for environmental changes is false. Climate change is global, impacting diverse species and ecosystems, causing habitat loss, altered weather patterns, and increased extinction rates. These changes pose a significant threat to biodiversity and require urgent mitigation efforts.
Step-by-step explanation:
We can correctly identify which statements are true and false concerning the global impacts of climate change. The statement that climate change is confined to only one area of the planet and is only affecting species with a low tolerance for changes in their environment is false. Climate change is a global phenomenon that affects various species and ecosystems across the planet. It is not just species with a low tolerance for environmental changes that are at risk; even adaptable and widespread species are experiencing its impact. Climate change leads to broader ecological consequences, such as habitat loss, altered weather patterns, including rainfall and snowfall patterns, and shifting of climate zones towards the poles. Additionally, the rise in global temperatures significantly affects biodiversity and can lead to extinction rates ranging from 15 percent to 40 percent of species by 2050, according to various scientific estimates.
Adaptation to climate change is especially challenging due to rapid changes caused by human activities, leading to various ecological and biological stresses. These changes include the loss of habitats due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban development that can impede species migration in response to shifting climates, leading to potentially high extinction rates. Moreover, the shift in climate also affects lowland tropical biodiversity and is particularly severe in the Arctic due to decreasing ice coverage. Global warming is expected to raise sea levels, further impacting species' habitats and the overall environment.
Global climate change is also causing systemic shifts in the distribution of species and phenology in marine ecosystems at a pace that is 12 times faster than terrestrial species. This represents a significant threat to a wide variety of species in multiple ecosystems, not just those with low resilience, highlighting the extensive influence of climate change on global biodiversity.