Climate is the state of the atmosphere over years or decades. Although climate is commonly defined as “average weather,” the term encompasses more than a simple mean. It also refers to variability, seasonality, and extremes in climate elements such as temperature and precipitation (Hartmann 1994). Earth’s climate is controlled by a complex, interactive system composed of land, water, snow and ice, organisms, and the atmosphere (Landsberg and Oliver 2005). This chapter discusses how climatic conditions, and therefore, changes in climate—can impact the health and reproductive success of all organisms.
Details
Type Book ChapterPub Date 10/1/2008Stock # PB225X_1