Can Wildlife Adapt to Climate Change?

• This resource highlights the need for humans to preserve natural habitats and the genetic diversity of wild populations in order to help plants and animals cope with climate change. 
• Students will learn about several species that are already adapting to their changing climate but not all species have the space, time, or genetic diversity to evolve. 

Positives

• This video includes engaging graphics that help bring life to the topics presented. 
• This resource highlights specific populations of species that are evolving to adapt, which helps make these concepts easier to comprehend. 

Additional Prerequisites

• It may benefit students to have some background knowledge about evolution before beginning this video. 
• Students may need a free account in order to access some features of this resource. 
• This video includes two brief ads. 

Differentiation

• Biology classes could use this resource while further discussing evolution and also why genetic diversity continues to be such an important topic for biologists. 
• Students could work in groups to research additional species that have undergone adaptive evolution. 
• After learning that not all species have the "evolutionary arsenal" to deal with climate change, students could do projects offering solutions that will benefit those species. 
• Students could also view this LabXchange video to learn about biogeography and about how biodiversity occurs.
• To connect this lesson with ethics and social studies classes for high school students, consider having them read this article about the loss of wild species, watch this video about natural climate solutions and then this video about the Anthropocene. Students can then write a reflection paper.
  
• This podcast also addresses animals' abilities to evolve in order to address climate change.

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.