WILDLIFE UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE, A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF IMPACTS

Abstract

Background: The impact of climate change on wildlife and ecology is extensively described in this scientific literature. The relationship between biodiversity and climate is complex. Studies done in the past have demonstrated that both direct and indirect impacts of climate change on animals can be found. As the atmosphere warms, thermal optimum locations move to high latitudes and high altitudes. The last several years have seen a rise in global precipitation, which has an impact on wildlife. Objective: The main objective of this research is to assess the corpus of information on how climate change impacts wildlife. Method: To identify research gaps and document the state of the science regarding the impacts of climate change on wildlife systems, we carried out a systematic literature review. The method of selecting and excluding articles from consideration for the literature review is explained using the PRISMA statement idea. Finally, to close the theoretical gap on the impacts of climate change on wildlife, 56 articles are examined, chosen, and assessed. Result: The meta-findings indicate that climate change affects wildlife. The most significant effects of climate change on wildlife include metabolic and behavioral changes brought on by heat stress in wildlife, impairment of animal function, changes in water-soluble carbohydrates, disruption of leaching patterns in the land, decline in feeds like herbal production, rangeland, and fodder production, rise in diseases in wildlife, reduction in overall food security, loss of wildlife biodiversity, and negative impacts on species reproduction. Lower mammal populations have contributed to a larger rise in woody cover inside protected areas, whereas increased agricultural production, infrastructure development, and human settlement have contributed to a greater decline in woody cover outside protected areas. Conclusion: According to the results of the meta-analysis, wildlife all over the world has been profoundly impacted by climate change. If some species die extinct as a result of climate change, species may not typically suffer from it, according to research on how it affects animals. According to them, since tropical regions contain the richest biodiversity, warmer and increased precipitation may be good for the environment.