How does climate change primarily affect animal populations?

The impact of climate change on animal populations is primarily evident through changes in temperature and habitat. As global temperatures rise due to climate change, many animal species face alterations in their habitats, which can include shifting ecosystems, loss of suitable living conditions, and changes in food availability.

For instance, species that are adapted to specific temperature ranges may find their habitats unsuitable as temperatures exceed these ranges, leading to increased stress on the populations. Additionally, changes in precipitation patterns can affect the water sources and vegetation that animals rely on. Such environmental changes can result in changes in distribution, breeding seasons, and migratory patterns, ultimately affecting the survival and reproduction rates of various species.

The other options do not accurately reflect the primary effects of climate change. Stabilizing environmental conditions would not be consistent with the dynamic and often unpredictable nature of climate change. While genetic diversity is beneficial for populations, climate change generally poses challenges that can reduce diversity if species cannot adapt. Reproductive isolation, which can lead to speciation over time, may occur due to habitat fragmentation, but it is not a primary effect of climate change itself, rather a consequence of the environmental pressures that result from it. Therefore, changes in temperature and habitat stand out as the main drivers affecting animal populations in the context