Many animal species will likely be lost as vegetation distributions change. Cold-adapted ecosystems such as boreal forests and alpine meadows are projected to become smaller, and some may be lost as they are pushed beyond their envelopes of climatic tolerance. Populations of fauna associated with these ecosystems will become increasingly fragmented and prone to extirpation and even extinction.
Basic text from: Ruggiero, Len; McKelvey, Kevin; Squires, John; Block, William. 2008. Wildlife and Climate Change. (May 20, 2008). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Climate Change Resource Center.
