Don't global warming and evolution contradict?

It’s a very good and valid point you make and I can certainly appreciate why you’ve asked the question.

However, one or two things need to be put into context in order to understand what is happening and may happen in the future.

It’s quite right that species can adapt to a changing climate – or at least some of them can. The climate has varied considerably in the past and this has contributed to extinctions on a global level. The dinosaurs being a classic example, also mammoths, sabretoothed tigers, woolly rhinos, mastodons and cave lions.

Historically, species have usually had a long time in which to adapt to a changing climate – sometimes many millions of years. The above species became extinct very suddenly when the climate changed over just a few thousand years.

In the case of the dinosaurs it is now widely believed that their extinction occurred following a massive asteroid impact some 65.5 million years ago. The asteroid hit the Yucatan Peninsular with the force of a billion atomic bombs, the dust and debris it threw up blocked out the sun and caused the global temperatures to plummet in just a few weeks.

If you think about it, many plant and animal species are native to specific areas of the planet. This is the environment to which they have adapted. Adaptability is a genetic characteristic, some species simply can’t adapt, they live within specific environmental parameters. If those parameters change, such as through a change in the climate, then extinction is a possibility. Other species possess the ability to mutate, evolve, metamorphose and thus are less susceptible to a changing climate.

There are some people who say that climate change will kill us all. I think this notion is a myth dreamt up by those who would seek to discredit the theory of global warming. Such a claim has no basis in fact, no scientist has ever made such a claim or anything even remotely close.

To summarise. Some species will die out, the majority will not. Some species won’t need to adapt all that much because they can accommodate a changing climate (humans included), other species have the capacity to adapt. Global warming and evolution can be complementary or they can be opposing forces.

A similar question was asked earlier, you may find further info here http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnS74...

<<Evolution say that species can physically adapt to a changing climate through natural selection.

And the same people who say that then say that global warming/climate change is going to kill us all.So if global warming and evolution are both true, then won't everything just evolve to tolerate hotter atmosphere?>>

I suppose that you think the Theory of Evolution implies that when the Sun expands and eats up the Earth that this will not present any problem for Man.

Not all climate change events are pretty

"The Permian–Triassic (P–Tr) extinction event, informally known as the Great Dying,[1] was an extinction event that occurred 251.4 million years ago,[2][3] forming the boundary between the Permian and Triassic geologic periods. It was the Earth's most severe extinction event, with up to 96 percent of all marine species[4] and 70 percent of terrestrial vertebrate species becoming extinct; it is the only known mass extinction of insects.[5][6] Fifty-seven percent of all families and 83% of all genera were killed. Because so much biodiversity was lost, the recovery of life on earth took significantly longer than after other extinction events.[4] This event has been described as the "mother of all mass extinctions".[7]"

I guess you are hoping we are one of the species that would survive.

I am not suggesting that we are approaching anything close to this, but the point is that species do not always adapt.

Evolution is not a smooth process. For large changes it usually involve near extinction since there needs to be some type of pressure to force the change.

No, because evolution doesn't say species have an infinite capacity to adapt. Species do die off. At times in Earth history, upwards of 95% of all species have gone extinct, and that's the point. If climate change is abrupt enough, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Evolution is 'adapt or die'. If the environment alters too rapidly as in runaway climate change, a species will be unable to adapt at an equal rate. The result: extinction. Evolution in action

Your ignorance is pitiable

In the past evolution and changes in climate happened over extremely long (long in terms of human lifespan) time spans. Currently, the climate is changing quicker than most species (including humans) will be able to evolve. I don't see a contradiction.

Won't kill us but maybe there won't be as much food around as the seasons change and the areas where food can be grown changes. That will starve us.(different than killing) We don't know what "shyt" is going to happen, just that it will. And we don't like the idea of that change as we have little control.

The America's have been known as the bread basket of the world because of all the fertile soil. What if that moves to rocky lands in the NWT and Alaska? or Antartica(which is all rock) You can only grow where the weather is right.

No contradiction, just something we would rather not see happen

No. Evolution happens over a long period of time with via mutations in the genetic code to enable the creature to be more fertile or more active during breeding age. If the creature's genetic code does not allow it to survive in a particular environment and that creature perishes before they were able to breed their genetic code will not be passed on. In order for a creature to adapt it must either have that genetic marker in their DNA, such as what most likely occurred with Italian Wall Lizards, or the mutation must occur after their environment has changed yet still allow them to survive in that environment without that mutation. Basically, if it changes too fast and a creature does not have a mutation in their genetic code to withstand the increased heat, they will die.

Global warming and human behavior do not care for the environment a great relationship.

Extinction events happen under evolution. And yes, those that survive will be better adapted to a warmer planet.

However, that may mean that billions of humans miss out on survival.