Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Global Climate Change

Global Climate Change

Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global temperatures is well outside of the Earth’s cyclic norms, and evidence for human-caused global climate change is compelling. Paleoclimatology, the study of ancient climate conditions, provides ample evidence for human-caused global climate change by comparing recent conditions with those in the past.

What is Climate?

What is Climate?

Climate refers to the prevailing weather conditions in a specific area over an extended period. As the saying goes, “Climate is what you expect. Weather is what you get.” Climate is influenced by geographic factors, such as latitude, terrain, and proximity to bodies of water.

Microbes and Climate Change

Microbes and Climate Change

Microorganisms are pivotal agents in Earth's biogeochemical cycles, significantly influencing climate dynamics through their metabolic activities. These microbes modulate the levels of key greenhouse gases by both contributing to and helping mitigate climate change.Microbial Contributions to Greenhouse Gas EmissionsRising global temperatures accelerate microbial metabolism, which, in turn, speeds up the decomposition of organic matter. This process releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) through...

Natural Selection and Adaptation

Natural Selection and Adaptation

Natural selection, a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, is the mechanism by which evolution is driven, favoring organisms that are best adapted to their environments. This process enhances their chances of survival and reproduction. Adaptation, a key outcome of this process, involves genetic modifications that optimize an organism's functionality under specific environmental challenges, such as extreme cold or thinner air at high altitudes.
Beyond physical adaptations, psychological...

Genetic Drift

Genetic Drift

Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.Life is not fair. A deer grazing contentedly in a field can have her meal cut tragically short by a bolt of lightning. If the doomed doe is one of only three in the population, 1/3 of the population’s gene pool is lost. Random events like this can...

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Paleontology: A diverse biota in the shadow of a mass extinction?

Current biology : CB·2026

Same author

In Science Journals.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2025

Same author

Global cooling drove diversification and warming caused extinction among Carboniferous-Permian fusuline foraminifera.

Science advances·2025

Same author

Episodic body size variations of early Paleozoic trilobites associated with marine redox changes.

Science advances·2025

Same author

The terrestrial end-Permian mass extinction in the paleotropics postdates the marine extinction.

Science advances·2024

Same author

In Science Journals.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Field-Based Thermal Physiology Assay: Cold Shock Recovery under Ambient Conditions

Field-Based Thermal Physiology Assay: Cold Shock Recovery under Ambient Conditions

Published on: March 9, 2021

Climate as a driver of evolutionary change.

Douglas H Erwin¹

¹Department of Paleobiology, MRC-121, National Museum of Natural History, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA. erwind@si.edu

Current Biology : CB

|July 31, 2009

Summary

Climate significantly influences biodiversity by affecting energy availability, population size, and speciation rates. Warmer climates historically supported greater marine biodiversity, though demonstrating direct evolutionary responses remains challenging.

More Related Videos

Measuring O2 Consumption in Drosophila melanogaster Using Coulometric Microrespirometry

Measuring O₂ Consumption in Drosophila melanogaster Using Coulometric Microrespirometry

Published on: July 7, 2023

Using Generative Art to Convey Past and Future Climate Transitions

Using Generative Art to Convey Past and Future Climate Transitions

Published on: March 31, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Field-Based Thermal Physiology Assay: Cold Shock Recovery under Ambient Conditions

Field-Based Thermal Physiology Assay: Cold Shock Recovery under Ambient Conditions

Published on: March 9, 2021

Measuring O2 Consumption in Drosophila melanogaster Using Coulometric Microrespirometry

Measuring O₂ Consumption in Drosophila melanogaster Using Coulometric Microrespirometry

Published on: July 7, 2023

Using Generative Art to Convey Past and Future Climate Transitions

Using Generative Art to Convey Past and Future Climate Transitions

Published on: March 31, 2023

Area of Science:

Paleontology
Evolutionary Biology
Climate Science

Background:

The relationship between climate and biodiversity has been recognized since the 1800s.
Climate impacts ecological and evolutionary patterns through energy supply.
Latitudinal diversity gradients offer insights into climate-evolutionary relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the general relationship between climate and evolution.
To model the connection between Phanerozoic climate and marine evolutionary patterns.
To investigate how climate influences biodiversity over evolutionary timescales.

Main Methods:

Analysis of latitudinal diversity gradients.
Review of biotic hypotheses linking climate and biodiversity.
Integration of geologic evidence on carbon dioxide and sea levels.
Development of a first-order model for Phanerozoic climate-evolutionary patterns.

Main Results:

Warmer climates foster biodiversity by increasing population sizes, metabolic scope, and niche specialization.
Warmer climates are associated with faster speciation and/or lower extinction rates.
A model predicts highest marine diversity during warm Phanerozoic intervals with specific continental configurations.

Conclusions:

Climate is a fundamental driver of biodiversity and evolutionary patterns.
Geologic and fossil evidence supports a strong link between global warmth and marine diversity.
Further research is needed to overcome uncertainties in Phanerozoic diversity and isolate climate's precise evolutionary impact.