Biogeographical shifts and climate change

Human influence on the climate system, through greenhouse gas emissions, is clear and climate warming unequivocal. Recent climate change has had widespread impacts on natural systems including shifts in the ranges (distributions) of land, freshwater, and marine organisms. Effects of these biogeographical shifts transcend single-species to impact on ecosystem goods and services resulting in significant social and economic costs to human communities. In this article we provide a general overview of these factors by reviewing current evidence from terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems.