The effects of climate change on species distribute are both direct and indirect. Direct effects include drought, floods, and wind, while indirect effects that temperature and weather can bring on include wildfire, insects, and disease outbreaks.

In terms of vegetation, one type of notable change is in tree habitats. In recent decades, tree ranges have been shifting poleward as climate warms. Black spruce, white spruce, and Siberian pine are among the species student that show evidence of latitudinal shift.

Changes in habitat influence distribution of animal species as the necessary resources are reduced or disappear. An example of effects in cold areas is provided by the snowshoe hare, which requires the deep snow cover of boreal forests. As their habitat warms, they must move northward. The Canadian lynx, which preys on the hare, has paws that are adapted to snow-covered terrain. As its food source is forced to move, the cat is likewise displaced.

For many animals, increasing heat means that suitable habitat is no longer available within their natural range. One type of butterfly that relies on oak trees in the Western United States offers an example. The Propertius duskywing butterfly lives in oak trees in the caterpillar stage. Although they can survive and become larger in warmer northern temperatures, there is a limit to the northward extent of their movement if the oaks disappear.