Rising temperatures also increase the danger that agriculture will be more liable to threats from diseases and pests. Also, of course, the climate change will cause a shift in the climate zones - away from the Equator towards the North and South Poles, or towards higher locations in the mountains. Examples of the consequences include the displacement of (boreal) coniferous forests by deciduous forests, and the tropical zone will expand. The marine ecosystem will not only be influenced by the warming of the water, but also by the potential change in sea currents. One example is the possible weakening of the Gulf Stream if the temperature, salt content and therefore the density of the water in the North Atlantic change.

These changes can cause adverse or beneficial effects on species. For example, climate change could benefit certain plant or insect species by increasing their ranges. The resulting impacts, however, could be positive or negative depending on whether these species were invasive (e.g., weeds or mosquitoes) or if they were valuable to humans (e.g., food crops or pollinating insects).

The observed changes are compelling examples of how rising temperatures can affect the natural world and raise questions of how vulnerable populations will adapt to further increases in temperatures and other climatic changes. The risk of extinction could increase for many species, especially those that are already endangered or at risk due to isolation by geography or human development, low population numbers, or a narrow temperature tolerance range.