What kind of effects does global warming have on cell biology?

Increasing CO2 in the atmosphere leads to increased dissolved CO2 in the oceans as the two systems are in equilibrium. Shell forming invertebrates such as corals and shellfish use calcium carbonate to make shells, but dissolved CO2 is an acid and reacts with carbonate. The result is these animals will have weaker shells, and be more vulnerable to predation.

Some reptiles use temperature dependent sex determination. Turtles lay their eggs in sand, and if temperatures are within a certain range they will produce all males and all females within a different temperature range. This is because the ambient temperature directly influences the hormones produced in the developing embryo.