Global climate has changed many times throughout Earth's long history. What kinds of changes to ecosystems have been caused by the changing climate?

A. only minimal, temporary changes to ecosystems

B. slow, gradual changes to ecosystems, but not sudden changes

C. seasonal changes to ecosystems, but not changes from year to year

D. a wide variety of gradual and sudden changes to ecosystems

Question

Biology

Abbey

1 December, 17:41

Global climate has changed many times throughout Earth's long history. What kinds of changes to ecosystems have been caused by the changing climate?

A. only minimal, temporary changes to ecosystems

B. slow, gradual changes to ecosystems, but not sudden changes

C. seasonal changes to ecosystems, but not changes from year to year

D. a wide variety of gradual and sudden changes to ecosystems

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Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Lea Taylor · Answer 1

D. a wide variety of gradual and sudden changes to ecosystems

Explanation:

There have been different global climatic changes throughout the history of planet earth. The changes have been gradual or abrupt and have been due to various causes, such as those related to changes in orbital parameters, precession, variations in solar radiation, continental drift, periods of intense volcanism, meteorite impacts etc. Some changes to the ecosystems related to climatic changes are, for example, The Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction (which probably caused the extinction of the dinosaurs), the contraction of the forests during the last glacial maximum promoting biological diversification, the melting of the polar caps increasing sea level etc.