Humans and animals need plants to survive. Oxygen and food resources come from them. They’re also the life of ecosystems, nurturing the environment.

What happens when plants, a vital source of life, lose their survivability?

As climate change worsens, its impacts are worsening too. June 2022 recorded the Earth’s sixth warmest weather to date. It is a worrying situation. All living things will be severely affected if no proactive interventions are done.

Plants are currently in a difficult situation. Understanding how climate change affects their immunity will help mitigate its harmful effects. Here is the list of how climate change impairs plants.

Increased Carbon Dioxide, Good or Bad?

It’s a little in between.

In hindsight, more carbon dioxide is suitable for plants. It drives an expansion of their ability to photosynthesize. Photosynthesis is essential for plants because it makes the food they need. They can produce oxygen that benefits humans when they get the necessary food intake.

Increased carbon dioxide can only do so much. While it may benefit plants, it’s not helpful for humans. Too much carbon dioxide can harm plants’ health too. Other factors like water and temperatures are also significantly considered.

Escalating Stressors

Constant climate change disrupts plants’ natural immunity balance, particularly when temperatures rise excessively. Global warming results in droughts, wildfires, floods, and pest outbreaks. These stressors may lead to plant extinction.

Plants Get Stressed

Plants are the fundamental source of life on Earth. Their productivity is heavily affected by extreme heat waves. When plants don’t function as they need to, it disturbs the natural balance of the environment. Food supplies, air quality, and environmental health will suffer ruthlessly, burdening all living things.

Growth of Invasive Plants

Invasive types of plants can grow in varying climate conditions. They could take up space intended for natural species. Non-invasive plants that are potentially beneficial will not have a chance to thrive when this happens.

Pest Vulnerability

Weather changes fuel pests to thrive on plants. Some of them are resistant, especially during winter. More reproduction opportunities increase their population, which will be tough to manage.

Intrusive Saltwater

In gardening, salt accumulation is better prevented than cured. It’s substantial to religiously do plant care to stop the salt from harming the plants. For large-scale low-lying plant ecosystems, rising seawater levels are damaging.

Saltwater intrusion may lead to a decrease in freshwater supply. It will render groundwater wells useless. Its effects on humans may come in the form of expensive water bills or a lack of freshwater sources.

Ecosystem Shift

The persistent shift the plants are experiencing impacts the ecosystem’s supposed functioning. Changing climate influences temperatures that pressure ground changes. Plants need to adapt to their environment. If they cannot, they’ll try to find a new environment feasible for their growth.

Lack of Nitrogen

Nitrogen functions as one of the essential nutrients for plants’ growth. Even nitrogen levels have been affected by climate change. Nitrogen deficiency occurs when leaves become pale green to yellowish-green because it blocks chloroplast and chlorophyll production.

Without adequate nitrogen, plants cannot produce the carbohydrates and proteins necessary for their growth.

The Ecosystem Needs Immediate Attention

Climate scientists and activists have been actively calling for climate change mitigation. Scientists have researched its massive impact, including the potential harm it causes plants. Some aspects of climate change remain unclear, but one thing is sure: Plants are in critical condition.

The world is urged to listen to scientists now more than ever. Anne Wareham—British garden maker and author—has expressed it best with this line, “Plants want to grow; they’re on your side as long as you’re reasonably sensible.”

How Climate Change Weakens Plants

Image source: unsplash.com

Humans and animals need plants to survive. Oxygen and food resources come from them. They’re also the life of ecosystems, nurturing the environment.

What happens when plants, a vital source of life, lose their survivability?

As climate change worsens, its impacts are worsening too. June 2022 recorded the Earth’s sixth warmest weather to date. It is a worrying situation. All living things will be severely affected if no proactive interventions are done.

Plants are currently in a difficult situation. Understanding how climate change affects their immunity will help mitigate its harmful effects. Here is the list of how climate change impairs plants.

Increased Carbon Dioxide, Good or Bad?

It’s a little in between.

In hindsight, more carbon dioxide is suitable for plants. It drives an expansion of their ability to photosynthesize. Photosynthesis is essential for plants because it makes the food they need. They can produce oxygen that benefits humans when they get the necessary food intake.

Increased carbon dioxide can only do so much. While it may benefit plants, it’s not helpful for humans. Too much carbon dioxide can harm plants’ health too. Other factors like water and temperatures are also significantly considered.

Escalating Stressors

Constant climate change disrupts plants’ natural immunity balance, particularly when temperatures rise excessively. Global warming results in droughts, wildfires, floods, and pest outbreaks. These stressors may lead to plant extinction.

Plants Get Stressed

Plants are the fundamental source of life on Earth. Their productivity is heavily affected by extreme heat waves. When plants don’t function as they need to, it disturbs the natural balance of the environment. Food supplies, air quality, and environmental health will suffer ruthlessly, burdening all living things.

Growth of Invasive Plants

Invasive types of plants can grow in varying climate conditions. They could take up space intended for natural species. Non-invasive plants that are potentially beneficial will not have a chance to thrive when this happens.

Pest Vulnerability

Weather changes fuel pests to thrive on plants. Some of them are resistant, especially during winter. More reproduction opportunities increase their population, which will be tough to manage.

Intrusive Saltwater

In gardening, salt accumulation is better prevented than cured. It’s substantial to religiously do plant care to stop the salt from harming the plants. For large-scale low-lying plant ecosystems, rising seawater levels are damaging.

Saltwater intrusion may lead to a decrease in freshwater supply. It will render groundwater wells useless. Its effects on humans may come in the form of expensive water bills or a lack of freshwater sources.

Ecosystem Shift

The persistent shift the plants are experiencing impacts the ecosystem’s supposed functioning. Changing climate influences temperatures that pressure ground changes. Plants need to adapt to their environment. If they cannot, they’ll try to find a new environment feasible for their growth.

Lack of Nitrogen

Nitrogen functions as one of the essential nutrients for plants’ growth. Even nitrogen levels have been affected by climate change. Nitrogen deficiency occurs when leaves become pale green to yellowish-green because it blocks chloroplast and chlorophyll production.

Without adequate nitrogen, plants cannot produce the carbohydrates and proteins necessary for their growth.

The Ecosystem Needs Immediate Attention

Climate scientists and activists have been actively calling for climate change mitigation. Scientists have researched its massive impact, including the potential harm it causes plants. Some aspects of climate change remain unclear, but one thing is sure: Plants are in critical condition.

The world is urged to listen to scientists now more than ever. Anne Wareham—British garden maker and author—has expressed it best with this line, “Plants want to grow; they’re on your side as long as you’re reasonably sensible.”