scholarly journals Expert opinion on extinction risk and climate change adaptation for biodiversity

Elem Sci Anth ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debra Javeline ◽  
Jessica J. Hellmann ◽  
Jason S. McLachlan ◽  
Dov F. Sax ◽  
Mark W. Schwartz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Adaptation Strategy ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Managed Relocation ◽  
Terrestrial Insects ◽  
Few Data ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Average Projection

Abstract Despite projections of biodiversity loss and proposed adaptations to climate change, few data exist on the feasibility and effectiveness of adaptation strategies in minimizing biodiversity loss. Given the urgent need for action, scientific experts can fill critical information gaps by providing rapid and discerning risk assessment. A survey of 2,329 biodiversity experts projects, on average, that 9.5% of species will become extinct due to climate change within the next 100 years. This average projection is low relative to previously published values but substantial in absolute terms, because it amounts to a loss of hundreds of thousands of species over the next century. The average projection increases to 21% when experts are asked to estimate the percentage of species that will become extinct within the next 100 years due to climate change in combination with other causes. More than three-quarters of respondents reported being uncertain about their extinction estimates. A majority of experts preferred protected areas or corridors to reduce extinction risk but identified ex situ conservation and no intervention as the most feasible strategies. Experts also suggest that managed relocation of species, a particular adaptation strategy, is justifiable and effective in some situations but not others. Justifiable circumstances include the prevention of species extinction and overcoming human-made barriers to dispersal, and while experts are divided on the potential effectiveness of managed relocation for most taxonomic groups, higher percentages predict it effective for woody plants, terrestrial insects, and mammals. Most experts are open to the potential benefits of managed relocation but are concerned about unintended harmful consequences, particularly putting non-target species at risk of extinction. On balance, published biodiversity scientists feel that managed relocation, despite controversy about it, can be part of the conservation adaptation portfolio.

scholarly journals Population genetic variability and distribution of the endangered Greek endemic Cicer graecum under climate change scenarios

AoB Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Efthalia Stathi ◽  
Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis ◽  
Eleni M Abraham ◽  
Panayiotis Trigas ◽  
Ioannis Ganopoulos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Genetic Variability ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Aflp Markers ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Global Circulation Models

Abstract The Mediterranean hot spot includes numerous endemic and socio-economically important plant species seriously threatened by climate change and habitat loss. In this study, the genetic diversity of five populations of Cicer graecum, an endangered endemic species from northern Peloponnisos, Greece and a wild relative of the cultivated Cicer arietinum, was investigated using inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers in order to determine levels and structure of genetic variability. Nei’s gene diversity by ISSR and AFLP markers indicated medium to high genetic diversity at the population level. Moreover, AMOVA results suggest that most of the variation exists within (93 % for AFLPs and 65 % for ISSRs), rather than among populations. Furthermore, Principal Component Analysis based on ISSRs positively correlated the genetic differentiation among the populations to the geographic distances, suggesting that the gene flow among distant populations is limited. The ecological adaptation of C. graecum populations was also investigated by correlation of their genetic diversity with certain environmental variables. Aridity arose as the dominant factor positively affecting the genetic diversity of C. graecum populations. We modelled the realized climatic niche of C. graecum in an ensemble forecasting scheme under three different global circulation models and two climate change scenarios. In all cases, a severe range contraction for C. graecum is projected, highlighting the high extinction risk that is probably going to face during the coming decades. These results could be a valuable tool towards the implementation of an integrated in situ and ex situ conservation scheme approach for activating management programmes for this endemic and threatened species.

scholarly journals Climate change contributes to widespread declines among bumble bees across continents

Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 367 (6478) ◽  
pp. 685-688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Soroye ◽  
Tim Newbold ◽  
Jeremy Kerr
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Bumble Bee ◽  
Species Extinction ◽  
Population Extinction ◽  
Colonization Dynamics ◽  
Term Data ◽  
Related Population

Climate change could increase species’ extinction risk as temperatures and precipitation begin to exceed species’ historically observed tolerances. Using long-term data for 66 bumble bee species across North America and Europe, we tested whether this mechanism altered likelihoods of bumble bee species’ extinction or colonization. Increasing frequency of hotter temperatures predicts species’ local extinction risk, chances of colonizing a new area, and changing species richness. Effects are independent of changing land uses. The method developed in this study permits spatially explicit predictions of climate change–related population extinction-colonization dynamics within species that explains observed patterns of geographical range loss and expansion across continents. Increasing frequencies of temperatures that exceed historically observed tolerances help explain widespread bumble bee species decline. This mechanism may also contribute to biodiversity loss more generally.

scholarly journals The Importance of Assessing Climate Change Vulnerability to Address Species Conservation

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 450-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen E. Bagne ◽  
Megan M. Friggens ◽  
Sharon J. Coe ◽  
Deborah M. Finch
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Species Conservation ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Small Subset ◽  
Species At Risk ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrates ◽  
Climate Change Vulnerability ◽  
Risk Of Extinction

Abstract Species conservation often prioritizes attention on a small subset of “special status” species at high risk of extinction, but actions based on current lists of special status species may not effectively moderate biodiversity loss if climate change alters threats. Assessments of climate change vulnerability may provide a method to enhance identification of species at risk of extinction. We compared climate change vulnerability and lists of special status species to examine the adequacy of current lists to represent species at risk of extinction in the coming decades. The comparison was made for terrestrial vertebrates in a regionally important management area of the southwestern United States. Many species not listed as special status were vulnerable to increased extinction risk with climate change. Overall, 74% of vulnerable species were not included in lists of special status and omissions were greatest for birds and reptiles. Most special status species were identified as additionally vulnerable to climate change impacts and there was little evidence to indicate the outlook for these species might improve with climate change, which suggests that existing conservation efforts will need to be intensified. Current special status lists encompassed climate change vulnerability best if climate change was expected to exacerbate current threats, such as the loss of wetlands, but often overlooked climate-driven threats, such as exceeding physiological thresholds.

scholarly journals Ecological risk assessment of managed relocation as a climate change adaptation strategy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aviv Karasov-Olson ◽  
Mark Schwartz ◽  
Julian Olden ◽  
Sarah Skikne ◽  
Jessica Hellmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Ecological Risk ◽  
Ecological Risk Assessment ◽  
Adaptation Strategy ◽  
Managed Relocation

scholarly journals The unrealized potential of herbaria for global change biology

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily K. Meineke ◽  
Charles C. Davis ◽  
T. Jonathan Davies
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Change ◽  
Insect Herbivory ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Global Change Research ◽  
Herbarium Data ◽  
Habitat Conversion ◽  
Few Data

AbstractPlant and fungal specimens in herbaria are becoming primary resources for investigating how plant phenology and geographic distributions shift with climate change, greatly expanding inferences across spatial, temporal, and phylogenetic dimensions. However, these specimens contain a wealth of additional data—including nutrients, defensive compounds, herbivore damage, disease lesions, and signatures of physiological processes—that capture ecological and evolutionary responses to the Anthropocene but which are less frequently utilized. Here, we outline the diversity of herbarium data, global change topics to which they have been applied, and new hypotheses they could inform. We find that herbarium data have been used extensively to study impacts of climate change and invasive species, but that such data are less commonly used to address other drivers of biodiversity loss, including habitat conversion, pollution, and overexploitation. In addition, we note that fungal specimens are under-explored relative to vascular plants. To facilitate broader application of plant and fungal specimens in global change research, we outline the limitations of these data and modern sampling and statistical tools that may be applied to surmount challenges they present. Using a case study of insect herbivory, we illustrate how novel herbarium data may be employed to test hypotheses for which few data exist, despite potentially large biases. With the goal of positioning herbaria as hubs for global change research, we suggest future research directions and curation priorities.

Managed relocation as an adaptation strategy for mitigating climate change threats to the persistence of an endangered lizard

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 2743-2755 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damien A. Fordham ◽  
Michael J. Watts ◽  
Steven Delean ◽  
Brook W. Brook ◽  
Lee M.B. Heard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Adaptation Strategy ◽  
Managed Relocation

scholarly journals Endemic Juniperus Montane Species Facing Extinction Risk under Climate Change in Southwest China: Integrative Approach for Conservation Assessment and Prioritization

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Mohammed A. Dakhil ◽  
Marwa Waseem A. Halmy ◽  
Walaa A. Hassan ◽  
Ali El-Keblawy ◽  
Kaiwen Pan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Potential Distribution ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
In Situ Conservation ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Conservation Assessment ◽  
Distribution Models ◽  
Area Of Occupancy ◽  
Annual Range ◽  
The Impact

Climate change is an important driver of biodiversity loss and extinction of endemic montane species. In China, three endemic Juniperus spp. (Juniperuspingii var. pingii, J.tibetica, and J.komarovii) are threatened and subjected to the risk of extinction. This study aimed to predict the potential distribution of these three Juniperus species under climate change and dispersal scenarios, to identify critical drivers explaining their potential distributions, to assess the extinction risk by estimating the loss percentage in their area of occupancy (AOO), and to identify priority areas for their conservation in China. We used ensemble modeling to evaluate the impact of climate change and project AOO. Our results revealed that the projected AOOs followed a similar trend in the three Juniperus species, which predicted an entire loss of their suitable habitats under both climate and dispersal scenarios. Temperature annual range and isothermality were the most critical key variables explaining the potential distribution of these three Juniperus species; they contribute by 16–56.1% and 20.4–38.3%, respectively. Accounting for the use of different thresholds provides a balanced approach for species distribution models’ applications in conservation assessment when the goal is to assess potential climatic suitability in new geographical areas. Therefore, south Sichuan and north Yunnan could be considered important priority conservation areas for in situ conservation and search for unknown populations of these three Juniperus species.

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