What might be a long-term effect of climate change on coastal regions?

The long-term effect of climate change on coastal regions includes shifts in species distribution and habitat loss. As global temperatures rise and sea levels increase due to melting ice caps and glaciers, coastal ecosystems are significantly impacted. For example, marine species may migrate to cooler waters, altering the existing biodiversity in these regions. Terrestrial habitats, especially those like mangroves and salt marshes that provide critical ecosystem services, may be submerged or eroded, leading to a loss of both flora and fauna.

This disruption can have cascading effects on food webs, the availability of resources for human use, and the overall health of coastal environments. Such changes are critical to monitor since they can affect not only wildlife but also the livelihoods of communities that depend on these ecosystems for fishing, tourism, and protection against storms. The other options do not directly stem from climate change; they focus on unrelated factors or outcomes that would not likely be influenced by the broader environmental shifts brought on by climate change.