Final answer:
Climate zones on Earth will change over the next century due to the effects of global climate change, including elevated temperatures and altered precipitation patterns. Extreme weather events and human activities, such as deforestation, will continue to influence these changes. The main cause of current climate change is an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Earth's climate zones are expected to change over the next century due to global climate change. Factors such as rising temperatures, shifts in precipitation patterns, and increased frequency of extreme weather events are projected to reshape current climatic zones. For instance, temperature and precipitation are crucial in defining a climate zone, which is why a rise in global mean temperature can alter these zones significantly. Climatic events such as El Niño, massive volcanic eruptions, and human-induced processes like deforestation are expected to continue playing significant roles in altering climate zones.
Evidence of climate change can be observed through long-term trends rather than short-term weather variations. For example, a consistent increase in temperature over decades may indicate climate change rather than a single hot year. Scientists distinguish climate change by looking at weather patterns over an extended period, often 30 years or more, which reveals a trend rather than random variations.
Global Climate Change
Climate change refers to long-term alterations in weather patterns lasting several decades. The main cause of recent and ongoing climate change on Earth is the increase in levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide resulting from human activities. This has led to a worldwide increase in temperature, with numerous ramifications for the planet's ecosystems and climate zones. In response to shifts in abiotic factors caused by climate change, the distribution of species is also changing, such as the observed movement of marine species toward the poles.