Climate change and habitat conversion favour the same species
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| Authors: | Frishkoff, LO; Karp, DS; Flanders, JR; Zook, J; Hadly, EA; Daily, GC; M'Gonigle, LK |
| Year: | 2016 |
| Journal: | Ecology Letters 19: 1081-1090 Article Link (DOI) |
| Title: | Climate change and habitat conversion favour the same species |
| Abstract: | Land-use change and climate change are driving a global biodiversity crisis. Yet, how species' responses to climate change are correlated with their responses to land-use change is poorly understood. Here, we assess the linkages between climate and land-use change on birds in Neotropical forest and agriculture. Across > 300 species, we show that affiliation with drier climates is associated with an ability to persist in and colonise agriculture. Further, species shift their habitat use along a precipitation gradient: species prefer forest in drier regions, but use agriculture more in wetter zones. Finally, forest-dependent species that avoid agriculture are most likely to experience decreases in habitable range size if current drying trends in the Neotropics continue as predicted. This linkage suggests a synergy between the primary drivers of biodiversity loss. Because they favour the same species, climate and land-use change will likely homogenise biodiversity more severely than otherwise anticipated. |
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