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The Role of Ecosystems in Building Climate Change Resilience and Reducing Greenhouse Gases

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Integrating Ecology and Poverty Reduction

Abstract

The fourth assessment report of the Nobel-prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provides a synthesis of hundreds of peer reviewed scientific studies and concludes that human-induced climatic change is already occurring (IPCC 2007). Observed impacts range from longer growing seasons in temperate to polar zones; changes in the timing of plant bud break, bird migrations, and egg-laying; to poleward and upward shifts in ranges in plant and animal species (IPCC 2007). Projected changes have varying degrees of associated uncertainty, but include warmer temperatures, changes in the amount and distribution and intensity of rainfall, potential changes in hurricane and cyclone frequency and intensity, fire frequency, changes in agricultural productivity, spread of temperature-related disease vectors and pests, and sea-level rise (IPCC 2007). Further evidence suggests that this climate disruption will continue for decades to centuries (Solomon et al. 2009).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Rockefeller Foundation, 420 Fifth Ave., New York, NY, 10018-2702, USA

    Cristina Rumbaitis del Rio

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  1. Cristina Rumbaitis del Rio
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Correspondence to Cristina Rumbaitis del Rio .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. International Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Society, Southern Blvd. 2300, Bronx, 10460, New York, USA

    Jane Carter Ingram

  2. CATIE, CATIE 7170, Cartago, Turrialba, Costa Rica

    Fabrice DeClerck

  3. Rockefeller Foundation, Fifth Ave. 420, New York, 10018-2702, New York, USA

    Cristina Rumbaitis del Rio

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del Rio, C.R. (2012). The Role of Ecosystems in Building Climate Change Resilience and Reducing Greenhouse Gases. In: Ingram, J., DeClerck, F., Rumbaitis del Rio, C. (eds) Integrating Ecology and Poverty Reduction. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0633-5_20

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