*5.1.5 Wildfires*

Climate change causes more frequent wildfires. The dry, hot weather has increased the intensity and destructiveness of forest fires in several countries (e.g., Brazil, USA, and Australia) (**Figure 6**) [10, 11]. Wildfires can cause deforestation, serious property damage, exposure of large populations to prolonged periods of polluted and toxic air with potential health impacts (e.g., respiratory diseases), and death. Amazon (Brazil) has become more flammable and vulnerable to wildfires during recent droughts [10]. California (USA) has experienced devastating autumn wildfires in recent years [11]; over 100 fatalities were directly attributed to the most destructive and deadliest wildfires that occurred in 2017 and 2018.

**205**

*Impact of Climate Change on Life*

*5.1.6 Droughts*

movement.

*5.1.7 Ocean acidity*

**Figure 7.**

species [4, 13].

rainfall, weeds, and pests or microbes [14–19].

*Climate change is responsible for more frequent and severe droughts.*

**5.2 Plants**

*5.2.1 Survival*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94538*

Drought is a complex and multivariate phenomenon influenced by diverse

The ocean provides most of the life-supporting environment on planet Earth. The abundance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is causing the surface waters of the oceans to become more acidic as some carbon dioxide dissolves into ocean water forming carbonic acid [4]. Ocean acidification can alter marine ecosystems with damage to coral reefs (source of many benefits for human communities), fish, and other aquatic

Climate change impacts plant phenology. Different climate change components are involved including atmospheric carbon dioxide level, temperature, sea level,

Plant survival is affected by climate change (**Figure 8**) [14–16]. The increased land surface temperature with the resulting mild winters promoting pest proliferation (e.g., allowing more pine beetles to survive), the invasion of farmlands by salty water, the wildfires, and the droughts compromise life of plants and lead to destruction of forests and damage to human agriculture. According to some reports,

physical and biological processes. Drought is among the most expensive natural disasters. Climate change is responsible for more frequent and severe droughts (especially in subtropical regions), promoting the expansion of deserts (**Figure 7**) [4, 12]. This will lead to misery, hunger, starvation, and population

**Figure 6.** *Climate change causes more frequent wildfires.*

*Impact of Climate Change on Life DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94538*
