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Habitat Shift or Decline

Shifts in climate are changing the geographical range of many plant and animal species, forcing them uphill, poleward, and elsewhere in search of conditions better suited to their survival.

On top of range shifts, animals are being pushed to change their behavior. Many birds, for example, are having to migrate earlier to keep up with earlier springs.

There are organisms that survive and even thrive in response to regional climate change, but these are exceptions to the rule and include invasive species as well as organisms dangerous to human health — like insect disease vectors, parasites and bacteria.[2] For instance, the deer tick's range in North America has expanded, which means the risk area for Lyme disease has expanded as well.

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