Front Cover -- Climate Change: Observed Impacts on Planet Earth -- Copyright -- Contents -- Foreword -- Preface -- Contributors -- Introduction -- Part I: Possible Causes of Climate Change -- Chapter 1: The Role of Atmospheric Gases in Global Warming -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Origin of the Greenhouse Effect: 'Primary' and 'Secondary' Effects -- 3. The Physical Chemistry Properties of Greenhouse Gases -- 4. The Lifetime of a Greenhouse Gas in the Earth's Atmosphere -- 5. General Comments on Long-Lived Greenhouse Gases -- 6. Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Chapter 2: The Role of Widespread Surface Solar Radiation Trends in Climate Change: Dimming and Brightening -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Solar Radiation and its Measurement -- 3. Trends in Surface Solar Radiation or Global Dimming and Brightening -- 4. The Causes of Dimming and Brightening -- 5. The Influence of Solar Radiation Changes (Dimming and Brightening) on Climate -- 6. Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 3: The Role of Space Weather and Cosmic Ray Effects in Climate Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Solar Activity, Cosmic Rays and Climate Change -- 3. The Influence on the Earth's Climate of the Solar System Moving Around the Galactic Centre and Crossing Galaxy Arms -- 4. The Influence of Molecular-dust Galactic Clouds on the Earth's Climate -- 5. The Influence of Interplanetary Dust Sources on the Earth's Climate -- 6. Space Factors and Global Warming -- 7. The Influence of Asteroids on the Earth's Climate -- 8. The Influence of Nearby Supernova on the Earth's Climate -- 9. Discussion and Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 4: The Role of Volcanic Activity in Climate and Global Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Aerosol Loading, Spatial Distribution and Radiative Effect -- 3. Volcanoes and Climate -- 4. Summary -- Acknowledgements -- References.

Chapter 5: The Role of Variations of the Earth's Orbital Characteristics in Climate Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Astronomical Parameters -- 3. Orbital-Induced Climate Change -- 4. Conclusion -- References -- Part II: A Geological History of Climate Change -- Chapter 6: A Geological History of Climate Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Climate Models -- 3. Long-Term Climate Trends -- 4. Early Climate History -- 5. Phanerozoic Glaciations -- 6. The Mesozoic-Early Cenozoic Greenhouse -- 7. Development of the Quaternary Icehouse -- 8. Astronomical Modulation of Climate -- 9. Milankovitch Cyclicity in Quaternary (Pleistocene) Climate History -- 10. Quaternary Sub-Milankovitch Cyclicity -- 11. The Holocene -- 12. Climate of the Anthropocene -- 13. Conclusions -- Acknowledgement -- References -- Part III: Indicators of Climate and Global Change -- Chapter 7: Changes in the Atmospheric Circulation as Indicator of Climate Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. The General Circulation of the Atmosphere -- 3. The Poleward Expansion of the Tropical Circulation -- 4. The Decreasing Intensity of the Tropical Circulation -- 5. Emerging Mechanisms -- 6. Connection to Extratropical Circulation Change -- 7. Outstanding Problems and Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- Appendix: List of Abbreviations -- References -- Chapter 8: Weather Pattern Changes in the Tropics and Mid-Latitudes as an Indicator of Global Changes -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Observed Changes in Extra-Tropical Patterns -- 3. Changes in Tropical Patterns -- 4. Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 9: Bird Ecology as an Indicator of Climate and Global Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Indicators of Change -- 3. Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 10: Mammal Ecology as an Indicator of Climate Change -- 1. Introduction: A Primer on Mammal Thermoregulation and Climate Impacts.

2. Demonstrated Impacts of Climate Change on Mammals -- 3. Linking Time and Space in Mammal Climate Responses -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Chapter 11: Climate Change and Temporal and Spatial Mismatches in Insect Communities -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Direct Effects of Climate Change on Insects -- 3. Host Plant-Mediated Effects on Insects -- 4. Predator-Mediated Effects on Insect Populations -- 5. Climate Change and Insect Pests -- 6. Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Chapter 12: Sea Life (Pelagic and Planktonic Ecosystems) as an Indicator of Climate and Global Change -- 1. Pelagic and Planktonic Ecosystems -- 2. Observed Impacts on Pelagic and Planktonic Ecosystems -- 3. Conclusion and Summary of Key Indicators -- References -- Chapter 13: Changes in Coral Reef Ecosystems as an Indicator of Climate and Global Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Tropical Coral Reef Ecosystems -- 3. The Associated Fauna of Coral Reefs -- 4. Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 14: Changes in Marine Biodiversity as an Indicator of Climate Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Climate Change and the Oceans -- 3. Effects of Climate Change on Biodiversity -- 4. Cumulative Impacts and Indirect Effects of Climate Change -- 5. Biodiversity as Insurance against Climate Change Impacts -- 6. Conclusions -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Chapter 15: Intertidal Indicators of Climate and Global Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Climate Change and Biogeography -- 3. Mechanisms -- 4. Additional impacts of Global Change -- 5. Conclusions -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Chapter 16: Plant Ecology as an Indicator of Climate and Global Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Changes in Phenology -- 3. Changes in Distribution -- 4. Community Composition -- 5. Plant Growth -- 6. Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 17: The Impact of Climate and Global Change on Crop Production.

1. Introduction -- 2. Impact on Plant Growth and Reproduction -- 3. Scale of the Problems -- 4. Climate Change Models -- 5. Winners and Losers -- 6. Adaptation -- References -- Chapter 18: Rising Sea Levels as an Indicator of Global Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Is Sea Level Rising? -- 3. Why Is Sea Level Rising? -- 4. Are Contemporary Rates of Sea-Level Rise Unusual? -- 5. Conclusion -- Acknowledgement -- References -- Chapter 19: Sea Temperature Change as an Indicator of Global Change -- 1. Introduction: Role of Ocean, Mechanisms and Correction of Bias -- 2. Long-term Trends in Sea Temperature: The Historical Context -- 3. Global and Regional Patterns of Sea Temperature over the Last 100-150 Years -- 4. Conclusion: Anthropogenic Influence -- References -- Chapter 20: Ocean Current Changes as an Indicator of Global Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. The Variable Ocean -- 3. Oceanographers' Tools -- 4. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation -- 5. The AMOC's Role in Heat Transport, Oceanic Uptake of Carbon and Ventilation of the Deep Ocean -- 6. Can We Detect Changes in the AMOC? Is the AMOC Changing Already? -- 7. Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 21: Ocean Acidification as an Indicator for Climate Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Evidence from Observations -- 3. Model Predictions of Future Change -- 4. Impacts -- 5. Biogeochemical Cycling and Feedback to Climate -- 6. Adaptation, Recovery and Mitigation -- 7. Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 22: Ice Sheets: Indicators and Instruments of Climate Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Sea-Level and Ice -- 3. How Ice Sheets Work -- 4. Summary -- References -- Chapter 23: Lichens as an Indicator of Climate and Global Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Predicted Effects -- 3. Observed Effects -- 4. Uncertain Effects -- 5. Habitats with Vulnerable Lichens -- 6. Conclusion -- Acknowledgement.

References -- Chapter 24: Coastline Degradation as an Indicator of Global Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Systems -- 3. Climate Change and Global/Relative Sea-Level Rise -- 4. Increasing Human Utilisation of the Coastal Zone -- 5. Climate Change, Sea-Level Rise and Resulting Impacts -- 6. Recent Impacts of Sea-Level Rise and Climate Change -- 7. Global Warming and Coasts at Latitudinal Extremes -- 8. The Challenge to Understand Contemporary Impacts -- 9. Concluding Remarks -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Chapter 25: Plant Pathogens as Indicators of Climate Change -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Climatic Variables and Plant Disease -- 3. Evidence that Simulated Climate Change Affects Plant Disease in Experiments -- 4. Evidence that Plant Disease Patterns have Changed due to Climate Change -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Index -- Color Plate.