Yes. Any change in the climate of an area can affect the plants and animals that live there. Some animals might adapt or move elsewhere, but others could have trouble surviving. For example, if the ice in the Arctic Ocean disappears, the animals that depend on this ice won't have anywhere else to go. Climate change also alters plants' and animals' life cycles. For example, some flowers are blooming earlier in the spring, while some animals are migrating at different times

Most plants and animals live in areas with very specific climate conditions, such as temperature and rainfall patterns, that enable them to thrive. Any change in the climate of an area can affect the plants and animals living there, as well as the makeup of the entire ecosystem. Some species are already responding to a warmer climate by moving to cooler locations. For example, some North American animals and plants are moving farther north or to higher elevations to find suitable places to live. Climate change also alters the life cycles of plants and animals. For example, as temperatures get warmer, many plants are starting to grow and bloom earlier in the spring and survive longer into the fall. Some animals are waking from hibernation sooner or migrating at different times, too.

Plants and animals have adapted to changes in the environment for millions of years. However, today's changes are happening faster and on a larger scale than in the past, which makes it difficult for plants and animals to adapt. Changes in climate can affect the types of plants that can grow in an area. Animals' food supplies, water, life cycles, breeding habits, and ranges will be affected, too.

Some animals will adapt to changing conditions or move elsewhere, but others could have trouble surviving. Some unwelcome invaders (invasive species) could benefit from climate change by expanding their range or being able to survive through the winter in new places.

All these changes will affect the way ecosystems function, and changes to ecosystems affect people, too. That's because we rely on ecosystems to provide us with many services, like clean water, food, and medicines.

Learn what you can do to help plants and animals adapt to climate change:

Our climate is changing, both naturally and due to human exploitation. There is already undeniable evidence that animals, birds and plants are being affected by climate change and global warming in both their distribution and behavior. Unless greenhouse gas emissions are severely reduced, climate change could cause a quarter of land animals, birdlife and plants to become extinct.

Climate variability and change affects birdlife and animals in a number of ways; birds lay eggs earlier in the year than usual, plants bloom earlier and mammals are come out of hibernation sooner. Distribution of animals is also affected; with many species moving closer to the poles as a response to the rise in global temperatures. Birds are migrating and arriving at their nesting grounds earlier, and the nesting grounds that they are moving to are not as far away as they used to be and in some countries the birds don’t even leave anymore, as the climate is suitable all year round.