A group of scientists, concerned about the decline of biodiversity worldwide due to climate change, has suggested a fresh strategy for managing sensitive environments. Their focus is on areas least affected by shifting weather patterns.
A group of international scientists, concerned about the decline of biodiversity worldwide due to climate change, has proposed a fresh strategy for managing sensitive environments. Their focus is on areas least affected by shifting weather patterns.
These areas, known as climate-change refugia, offer the most favorable weather conditions for the survival of various species and could play a crucial role in preventing species extinctions, according to ecologists.
In a recent paper authored by researchers from Australia, Canada, the United States, and Hungary, the team has developed a method to identify, protect, and restore these refugia against climate change.
Published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution, the study advocates for a shift away from traditional conservation methods, which typically concentrate on establishing static protected zones.
Lead author Associate Professor Gunnar Keppel, a conservation biologist at the University of South Australia, emphasizes that the rapid pace of climate change necessitates a new strategy.
“Our planet is undergoing swift changes,” says Assoc Prof Keppel. “Events like widespread tree die-offs, mass coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef, record-breaking heatwaves, rapid glacier melt, and more frequent wildfires point to significant alterations in biodiversity and ecosystems.”
“The pace and extent of these changes challenge conventional conservation methods. For instance, traditional protected areas may not be able to protect endangered ecosystems from severe droughts,” he explains.
Instead, he believes that vulnerable ecosystems should be evaluated based on practical criteria to find locations less affected by drought stress. The authors argue that these areas will provide the best opportunity for species to withstand climate change.
“However, without proper support, species in these less impacted locations may still face survival challenges as climate change advances. Support might involve measures like providing limited water supplies to trees in a valley during severe droughts.”
“The level of management intervention needed will vary based on how resilient the refugia are against climate change impacts and how much they are affected by other disturbances. These refugia could potentially aid in preventing numerous species from going extinct.”
