Increasing impacts of climate change upon ecosystems with increasing global mean temperature rise

Abstract In a meta-analysis we integrate peer-reviewed studies that provide quantified estimates of future projected ecosystem changes related to quantified projected local or global climate changes. In an advance on previous analyses, we reference all studies to a common pre-industrial base-line for temperature, employing up-scaling techniques where necessary, detailing how impacts have been projected on every continent, in the oceans, and for the globe, for a wide range of ecosystem types and taxa. Dramatic and substantive projected increases of climate change impacts upon ecosystems are revealed with increasing annual global mean temperature rise above the pre-industrial mean ( Tg). Substantial negative impacts are commonly projected as Tg reaches and exceeds 2◦C, especially in biodiversity hotspots. Compliance with the ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention