Potential effects of climatic change on the distribution of Tetraclinis articulata, an endemic tree from arid Mediterranean ecosystems

South-eastern Spain is a key area for assessing the effects of climate change on biodiversity since it presents an ecotone between the Mediterranean biome and the subtropical shrublands of arid lands. The forests of Tetraclinis articulata constitutes an especially relevant case. A species distribution model has been developed, regionalised climate change scenarios for South-eastern Spain were generated and expected changes in the suitability area of this species were estimated under B2 and A2 SRES scenarios for the time slice 2020–2050. Moreover, land use in the present and future potential habitat has been analysed. The high sensitivity of T. articulata is expressed not only as effects of climate change in the near future when compared to the present-day situation but also in the remarkable differences under scenarios B2 and A2. Under scenario B2 the suitable area for T. articulata would expand six-fold whereas under A2 the potential habitat would disappear from its present-day distribution and would move to a small area in the interior mountains. Under scenario B2 the future potential habitat in the coastal location would include enough area of shrublands, the main effective habitat of the species. Moreover, the present and future potential habitat partially overlaps, which facilitates the species migration. On the contrary, in the interior potential habitat the land use is less favourable for the effective habitat, the actual and future potential habitat do not overlap and the low dispersal capabilities of the species prevents natural migration to the interior to be expected.     

Northward migration under a changing climate: a case study of blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica)

Species are predicted to shift their distribution ranges in response to climate change. Region-wide, empirically-based studies, however, are still limited to support these predictions. We used a model tree species, blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica), to study climate-induced range shift. Data collected from two separate sampling periods (1980s and 2007) by the USDA’s Forestry and Inventory Analysis (FIA) Program were used to investigate changes in abundance and dominance, and shifts in distribution, of blackgum in four ecoregions of the eastern United States. Our results indicated new recruitment of blackgum in the northern portion of its range, along with increases in both density and annual rates of change in importance value (IV). Conversely, declines in recruitment were found in the southern portion of blackgum’s range, along with decreases in density and IV. The center portion of blackgum’s range had mixed patterns of change (i.e., both increases and decreases) throughout. A northward range expansion was also detected by comparing blackgum’s historic range to where it was detected during our two more-recent sampling periods. Our findings suggest that blackgum is migrating north in response to climate change. Our study also suggests two broader implications about tree migration patterns in response to climate change: (1) species can respond to changing climate in relatively short time periods, at least for generalist species such as blackgum, and (2) climate-induced vegetation dynamic patterns can be detected at the regional level, but are inherently complex.     

Effects of climate warming on the distributions of invasive Eurasian annual grasses: a South African perspective

Threats posed by Eurasian annual grasses to ecosystem function have received little attention. Therefore, protocols for prioritising these alien annual species and likely future dimensions of their spread are urgently required. Here we modelled these grasses potential distribution and shifts in distribution ranges in South Africa under current and future climate scenarios. We applied a modelling framework (BIOMOD), which integrated a variety of parametric statistical and non-parametric rule based models to point distribution records of 29 invasive grass species. Correspondence between modelled and recorded distributions was calculated using the model accuracy criteria called the AUC (Area under the Curve). Based on this criteria 12 C₃ species were excellently modelled (AUC = 0.9–1), 11 C₃ species had good model accuracy (AUC = 0.7–0.8) and four C₃ and four C₄ species fell into the fair (AUC = 0.6–0.7) model accuracy class. Mean temperature of the coldest month was the strongest environmental parameter, for most of the alien grass distributions. Modelled distributions of the alien annual grasses projected into the future indicated range contractions in all C₃ species, except Briza minor, which were accompanied by shifts in species distribution ranges into higher altitudes. All C₄ species displayed habitat loss of relatively similar magnitude with climate warming and shifts in their distribution ranges also into higher elevations. These findings conclude that climate change will hinder the spread of European annual grasses in southern Africa. However, shifts in their distributions into pristine areas at higher elevations could pose a threat to the natural vegetation by altering fire regimes.     

Conservation and management of ecological systems in a changing California

Climate change in California is altering habitat conditions for many species and exacerbating stress from other factors such as alien invasive species, pollution, and habitat fragmentation. However, the current legal and planning framework for species protection does not explicitly take climate change into account. The regulatory framework is primarily reactive, kicking in only after species’ health is gravely threatened. Neither federal nor state regulations require forward-looking, climate-sensitive species or ecosystem protection plans. Habitat planning is poorly funded and often piecemeal. In this context, the wrong lands may be protected, with development allowed to occur in areas that would be most beneficial for species conservation in the future. A more forward-looking approach to habitat conservation is needed, one based on a statewide strategy to identify and protect critical habitat areas, including corridors to enable species migration. The approach would also require development of assessment indicators and assistance strategies not dependent on current habitat structure, and a governance structure to implement regular, periodic updates of management plans in relation to agreed-upon performance indicators. Such a strategy should integrate habitat conservation planning with other state and regional plans and objectives, such as for transportation infrastructure, urban development, and mitigation of climate change.     

Potential spread of recently naturalised plants in New Zealand under climate change

Climate change and biological invasions are major causes of biodiversity loss and may also have synergistic effects, such as range shifts of invaders due to changing climate. Bioclimatic models provide an important tool to assess how the threat of invasive species may change with altered temperature and precipitation regimes. In this study, potential distributions of three recently naturalised plant species in New Zealand are modelled (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, Psidium guajava and Schefflera actinophylla), using four different general circulation models (CCCMA-CGCM3, CSIRO-Mk3.0, GFDL-CM2.0 and UKMO-HADCM3) with two emission scenarios (A2 and B1) each. Based on a maximum entropy approach, models were trained on global data using a small set of uncorrelated predictors. The models were projected to the country of interest, using climate models that had been statistically downscaled to New Zealand, in order to obtain high resolution predictions. This study provides evidence of the potential range expansion of these species, with potentially suitable habitat increasing by as much as 169 % (A. cunninghamiana; with up to 115,805 km² of suitable habitat), 133 % (P. guajava; 164,450 km²) and 208 % (S. actinophylla; 31,257 km²) by the end of the century compared to the currently suitable habitat. The results show that while predictions vary depending on the chosen climate scenario, there is remarkable consistency amongst most climate models within the same emission scenario, with overlaps in areas of predicted presence ranging between 81 % and 99.5 % (excluding CSIRO-Mk3.0). By having a better understanding of how climate change will affect distribution of invasive plants, appropriate management measures can be taken.     

How robust are global conservation priorities to climate change?

International conservation organisations have identified priority areas for biodiversity conservation. These global-scale prioritisations affect the distribution of funds for conservation interventions. As each organisation has a different focus, each prioritisation scheme is determined by different decision criteria and the resultant priority areas vary considerably. However, little is known about how the priority areas will respond to the impacts of climate change. In this paper, we examined the robustness of eight global-scale prioritisations to climate change under various climate predictions from seven global circulation models. We developed a novel metric of the climate stability for 803 ecoregions based on a recently introduced method to estimate the overlap of climate envelopes. The relationships between the decision criteria and the robustness of the global prioritisation schemes were statistically examined. We found that decision criteria related to level of endemism and landscape fragmentation were strongly correlated with areas predicted to be robust to a changing climate. Hence, policies that prioritise intact areas due to the likely cost efficiency, and assumptions related to the potential to mitigate the impacts of climate change, require further examination. Our findings will help determine where additional management is required to enable biodiversity to adapt to the impacts of climate change.     

气候变化对滇金丝猴分布的潜在影响

分析气候变化对动物分布的影响,对气候变化影响下保护生物多样性具有重要的意义。利用CART(classification and regression tree,分类和回归树)生态位模型,采用A1、A2、B1和B2气候变化情景,模拟分析了气候变化对我国滇金丝猴分布范围及空间格局的影响趋势。结果显示：气候变化后,滇金丝猴目前适宜分布范围将减小,新适宜及总适宜范围将扩大,在1991-2020年时段较大,从1991-2020年时段到2081-2100年时段随气候变化时间段延长而逐渐缩小,其中A1情景下变化最大,B1情景下变化最小。气候变化后,滇金丝猴目前适宜分布区东北部及南部适宜范围将缩小,西部和西北及东南部适宜范围将扩大。气候变化后,滇金丝猴目前适宜、新适宜和总适宜分布区范围与我国年均气温和年降水量变化呈负相关。多元回归分析表明,滇金丝猴目前适宜、新适宜和总适宜分布范围均随我国年均气温升高和年降水量增加而减少,其中气温变化影响比降水量变化影响大。因此,气候变化后,近期将使滇金丝猴目前分布适宜分布范围减少,新适宜分布范围将扩大,随气候变化程度增强,新适宜及总适宜分布范围都将减小。     

Global Climate Change and Tropical Forest Genetic Resources

Global climate change may have a serious impact on genetic resources in tropical forest trees. Genetic diversity plays a critical role in the survival of populations in rapidly changing environments. Furthermore, most tropical plant species are known to have unique ecological niches, and therefore changes in climate may directly affect the distribution of biomes, ecosystems, and constituent species. Climate change may also indirectly affect plant genetic resources through effects on phenology, breeding systems, and plant-pollinator and plant seed disperser interactions, and may reduce genetic diversity and reproductive output. As a consequence, population densities may be reduced leading to reduction in genetic diversity through genetic drift and inbreeding. Tropical forest plants may respond to climate change through phenotypic plasticity, adaptive evolution, migration to suitable site, or extinction. However, the potential to respond is limited by a rapid pace of change and the non-availability of alternate habitats due to past and present trends of deforestation. Thus climate change may result in extinction of many populations and species. Our ability to estimate the precise response of tropical forest ecosystems to climate change is limited by lack of long-term data on parameters that might be affected by climate change. Collection of correlative data from long-term monitoring of climate as well as population and community responses at selected sites offer the most cost-effective way to understand the effects of climate change on tropical tree populations. However, mitigation strategies need to be implemented immediately. Because many effects of climate change may be similar to the effects of habitat alteration and fragmentation, protected areas and buffer zones should be enlarged, with an emphasis on connectivity among conserved landscapes. Taxa that are likely to become extinct should be identified and protected through ex situ conservation programs.     

Potential effects of climate change on a semi-permanent prairie wetland

We assessed the potential effects of a greenhouse gas-induced global climate change on the hydrology and vegetation of a semi-permanent prairie wetland using a spatially-defined, rule-based simulation model. An 11-yr simulation was run using current versus enhanced greenhouse gas climates. Projections of climatic change were from the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) general circulation model. Simulations were also run using a range of temperature (+2 and +4 °C) and precipitation change values (–20, –10, 0, +10, +20%) to determine the responsiveness of wetland vegetation and hydrology to a variety of climate scenarios.Maximum water depths were significantly less under the enhanced greenhouse gas scenario than under the current climate. The wetland dried in most years with increased temperature and changes in precipitation. Simulations also revealed a significant change in the vegetation, from a nearly balanced emergent cover to open water ratio to a completely closed basin with no open water areas. Simulations over a range of climate change scenarios showed that precipitation changes (particularly increases) had a greater impact on water levels and cover ratios when the temperature increase was moderate (+2 °C).These potential changes in wetland hydrology and vegetation could result in a dramatic decline in the quality of habitat for breeding birds, particularly waterfowl. Continued research on climate and wetland modeling is needed.     

Predicting future threats to the long-term survival of Gila trout using a high-resolution simulation of climate change

Regional climates are a major factor in determining the distribution of many species. Anthropogenic inputs of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere have been predicted to cause rapid climatic changes in the next 50–100 years. Species such as the Gila trout (Oncorhynchus gilae) that have small ranges, limited dispersal capabilities, and narrow physiological tolerances will become increasingly susceptible to extinction as their climate envelope changes. This study uses a regional climate change simulation (Leung et al., Clim Change 62:75–113, 2004) to determine changes in the climate envelope for Gila trout, which is sensitive to maximum temperature, associated with a plausible scenario for greenhouse gas increases. These regional climate changes are downscaled to derive surface temperature lapse rates using regression models. This procedure indicates that suitable, warm season habitat for Gila trout will be reduced by 70% by decreasing the size of their climate envelope. Warmer temperatures coupled with a decrease in summer precipitation would also tend to increase the intensity and frequency of forest fires that are a major threat to their survival. The climate envelope approach utilized here could be used to assess climate change threats to other rare species with limited ranges and dispersal capabilities.     

Predicting the impacts of climate change on genetic diversity in an endangered lizard species

Many endangered species persist as a series of isolated populations, with some populations more genetically diverse than others. If climate change disproportionately threatens the most diverse populations, the species’ ability to adapt (and hence its long-term viability) may be affected more severely than would be apparent by its numerical reduction. In the present study, we combine genetic data with modelling of species distributions under climate change to document this situation in an endangered lizard (Eulamprus leuraensis) from montane southeastern Australia. The species is known from only about 40 isolated swamps. Genetic diversity of lizard populations is greater in some sites than others, presumably reflecting consistently high habitat suitability over evolutionary time. Species distribution modelling suggests that the most genetically diverse populations are the ones most at risk from climate change, so that global warming will erode the species’ genetic variability faster than it curtails the species’ geographic distribution.     

Spatial and temporal variation in climate change: a bird’s eye view

Recent changes in global climate have dramatically altered worldwide temperatures and the corresponding timing of seasonal climate conditions. Recognizing the degree to which species respond to changing climates is therefore an area of increasing conservation concern as species that are unable to respond face increased risk of extinction. Here we examine spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the rate of climate change across western North America and discuss the potential for conditions to arise that may limit the ability of western migratory birds to adapt to changing climates. Based on 52 years of climate data, we show that changes in temperature and precipitation differ significantly between spring migration habitats in the desert southwest and breeding habitats throughout western North America. Such differences may ultimately increase costs to individual birds and thereby threaten the long-term population viability of many species.     

Simulating potential effects of climatic warming on altitudinal patterns of key species in Mediterranean-alpine ecosystems

In this paper we study an isolated high-mountain (Sierra Nevada, SE Iberian Peninsula) to identify the potential trends in the habitat-suitability of five key species (i.e. species that domain a given vegetation type and drive the conditions for appearance of many other species) corresponding to four vegetation types occupying different altitudinal belts, that might result from a sudden climatic shift. We used topographical variables and downscaled climate warming simulations to build a high-resolution spatial database (10 m) according to four different climate warming scenarios for the twenty-first century. The spatial changes in the suitable habitat were simulated using a species distribution model, in order to analyze altitudinal shifts and potential habitat loss of the key species. Thus, the advance and receding fronts of known occurrence locations were computed by introducing a new concept named differential suitability, and potential patterns of substitution among the key species were established. The average mean temperature trend show an increase of 4.8°C, which will induce the vertical shift of the suitable habitat for all the five key species considered at an average rate of 11.57 m/year. According to the simulations, the suitable habitat for the key species inhabiting the summit area, where most of the endemic and/or rare species are located, may disappear before the middle of the century. The other key species considered show moderate to drastic suitable habitat loss depending on the considered scenario. Climate warming should provoke a strong substitution dynamics between species, increasing spatial competition between both of them. In this study, we introduce the application of differential suitability concept into the analysis of potential impact of climate change, forest management and environmental monitoring, and discuss the limitations and uncertainties of these simulations.     

Developments in modelling of climate change-related migration

Climatic variability and change is known to influence human migration patterns. Researchers increasingly see migration as one of a range of potential means by which populations may adapt to the future impacts of climate change. Modelling of climate change-related migration is a relatively new undertaking. This article provides a brief overview of current scholarly understanding of climate change-related migration processes, identifies recent developments and current challenges in modelling, and suggests opportunities for enhancing future modelling efforts. Given the lack of reliable global datasets on environmentally related migration, regional and sub-regional modelling of climate change effects on migration is where most developments are likely to emerge in the short-run. Such models, which can draw on a range of GIS-based and statistical approaches, at present make use of fairly general assumptions about migration behavior, and therefore best serve as gauges of potential trends and migration hotspots, and not as absolute predictors of future migrant numbers. Models will become increasingly sophisticated as scholarly understanding of underlying factors influencing migration behavior, such as risk perception, social networks, and labor market connections, is improved. Obtaining reliable data for use in such models will remain a significant challenge in coming years. International policymakers seeking to expand the predictive capacity of models are encouraged to use existing mechanisms such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to develop protocols and mechanisms for collecting and sharing reliable data on climate-related population movements.     

Interactions between Habitat Loss and Climate Change: Implications for Fairy Shrimp in the Central Valley Ecoregion of California, Usa

Combinations of habitat loss and climate change can alter the distribution of environmental conditions available to organisms. The magnitude and direction of these changes may have important implications for ecological processes and species persistence. This study explored the potential impacts of projected changes in climate and land-use for five fairy shrimp species (Crustacea: Anostraca) endemic to vernal pools in the Central Valley ecoregion of California, U.S.A. Scenarios describing habitat extent and climate were developed for 2040 and 2100 and compared to a 1990s baseline. Hydrologic conditions in vernal pools were found to be sensitive to projected climate changes, and, in the absence of habitat loss, warmer temperatures and greater winter precipitation would drive vernal pools toward longer, more frequent periods of inundation. However, existing biological reserves for three of the five species are biased toward drier areas and if unprotected habitat were lost, the net change in hydrologic conditions would be reversed with remaining habitat providing shorter, less frequent inundations. Species with unbiased representation in reserves do not show this reversal, and they have predictable shifts in hydrologic conditions. These results demonstrate the importance of biologically and climatically representative reserve systems under climate change and habitat loss.     

Modeling the Influence of Topographic Barriers on Treeline Advance at the Forest-Tundra Ecotone in Northwestern Alaska

The response of terrestrial ecosystems to climate warming has important implications to potential feedbacks to climate. The interactions between topography, climate, and disturbance could alter recruitment patterns to reduce or offset current predicted positive feedbacks to warming at high latitudes. In northern Alaska the Brooks Range poses a complex environmental and ecological barrier to species migration. We use a spatially explicit model (ALFRESCO) to simulate the transient response of subarctic vegetation to climatic warming in the Kobuk/Noatak River Valley (200 × 400 km) in northwest Alaska. The model simulations showed that a significantly warmer (+6 °C) summer climate would cause expansion of forest through the Brooks Range onto the currently treeless North Slope only after a period of 3000–4000 yr. Substantial forest establishment on the North Slope didnot occur until temperatures warmed 9 °C, and only following a 2000 yr time lag. The long time lags between change in climate and change in vegetation indicate current global change predictions greatly over-estimate the response of vegetation to a warming climate in Alaska. In all the simulations warming caused a steady increase in the proportion of early successional deciduous forest. This would reduce the magnitude of the predicted decrease in regional albedo and the positive feedback to climate warming. Simulation of spruce forest refugia on the North Slope showed forest could survive with only a 4 °C warming and would greatly reduce the time lag of forest expansion under warmer climates. Planting of spruce on the North Slope by humans could increase the likelihood of large-scale colonization of currently treeless tundra. Together, the long time lag and deciduous forest dominance would delay the predicted positive regional feedback of vegetation change to climatic warming. These simulated changes indicate the Brooks Range would significantly constrain regional forest expansion under a warming climate, with similar implications for other regions possessing major east-west oriented mountain ranges.     

Using species traits to guide conservation actions under climate change

Few assessments of species vulnerability to climate change used to inform conservation management consider the intrinsic traits that shape species’ capacity to respond to climate change. This omission is problematic as it may result in management actions that are not optimised for the long-term persistence of species as climates shift. We present a tool for explicitly linking data on plant species’ life history traits and range characteristics to appropriate management actions that maximise their capacity to respond to climate change. We deliberately target data on easily measured and widely available traits (e.g. dispersal syndrome, height, longevity) and range characteristics (e.g. range size, climatic/soil niche breadth), to allow for rapid comparison across many species. We test this framework on 1237 plants, categorising species on the basis of their potential climate change risk as related to four factors affecting their response capacity: reproduction, movement capability, abiotic niche specialisation and spatial coverage. Based on these four factors, species were allocated risk scores, and these were used to test the hypothesis that the current protection status under national legislation and related management actions capture species response capacity to climate change. Our results indicate that 20% of the plant species analysed (242 species) are likely to have a low capacity to respond to climate change based on the traits assessed, and are therefore at high risk. Of the 242 high risk species, only 10% (24 species) are currently listed for protection under conservation legislation. Importantly, many management plans for these listed species fail to address the capacity of species to respond to climate change with appropriate actions: 70% of approved management plans do not include crucial actions which may improve species’ ability to adapt to climate change. We illustrate how the use of easily attainable traits associated with ecological and evolutionary responses to changing environmental conditions can inform conservation actions for plant species globally.     

Potential impacts of climate change on warmwater megafauna: the Florida manatee example (Trichechus manatus latirostris)

Most discussions of impacts of Climate Change have focused on species from temperate or polar regions. Impacts to species inhabiting warm climates are often believed to be small relative to those of species living in cooler climates. However, it is evident that some tropical/sub-tropical species, including some marine megafauna may face potentially serious consequences from a changing climate. For example, larger, warmer oceans may appear to benefit marine wildlife species like cold-sensitive Florida manatees; however, findings regarding the impact of global climate change (GCC) on estuaries and nearshore areas of Florida indicate that predicted impacts of climate change may be detrimental to endangered manatees. An examination of how projected impacts of climate change will affect threats to manatees and their habitat indicates that threats may be exacerbated. The most significant threats to the Florida manatee population, such as cold-stress, watercraft collisions, and harmful algal blooms likely will increase. Habitat is likely to be degraded under future climate scenarios. Alterations to Florida’s marine environment are ongoing, yet current manatee management plans do not consider the impacts of climate change. The ability of manatees to adapt to change will be influenced by the speed of change and the degree to which human activity impedes or alters it. To minimize impacts to species we must recognize the influence GCC may have on populations, and begin to identify and implement ways to slow or reverse negative impacts arising from it.     

What risks matter? Public views about assisted migration and other climate-adaptive reforestation strategies

The world’s forests play an important role in regulating climate change through their capacity to sequester carbon. At the same time, they are also increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In the western Canadian province of British Columbia, changes in temperature, precipitation, and disturbance regimes are already impacting forests. In response to these observed and anticipated changes, adapted reforestation practices are being developed and proposed as a means to help forest ecosystems adjust to changing climatic conditions. One such practice under consideration is assisted migration—planting species within or outside of the native historical range into areas that are anticipated to be climatically suitable in the future. We used a survey of British Columbia’s population at large (n?=?1923) to quantify levels of support for a range of potential reforestation options (including assisted migration) to adapt to climate change, and to explore what factors can help predict this support. Our findings reveal that the likely location of potential public controversy resides not with the potential implementation of assisted migration strategies per se, but rather with assisted migration strategies that involve movement of tree species beyond their native range.     

Economic drivers of migration and climate change in LDCs

Environmental migration is a topic which has given rise to widespread debate and gloomy predictions about the state of the world in 2050, but where rigorous research and empirical evidence are unfortunately in short supply. In this paper, we review the existing research on and empirical evidence of how climate change and climate variability in Less Developed Countries (LDCs) affects two main drivers of migration identified by migration models in the economic literature, namely income level differentials between origin and destination areas and income variability in origin areas, and how they in turn affect migration. We find that there are serious gaps in both the economic and the environmental literature that render it impossible to make sound and robust predictions of how climate change and increased climate variability will affect the economic migration drivers, and of how these in turn may change existing migration patterns. There are some empirical indications that income differentials may increase due to lower income levels in the origin areas of LDCs, but virtually no evidence exists of the effects of climate change or increased climate variability on income variability. Furthermore, although a negative relationship between migration and rainfall has been established by many researchers, there is only very limited evidence as to what drives it. A clearer picture of the driving force behind the link between rainfall and migration would greatly benefit policymaking in this area.