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Climate Velocity Can Inform Conservation in a Warming World
Isaac Brito-Morales1, Jorge García Molinos2, David S Schoeman3
1School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia; Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Oceans and Atmosphere, BioSciences Precinct (QBP), St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|May 3, 2018
Summary
Climate change alters species ranges. Climate velocity, a simple metric, predicts these shifts and aids conservation planning by assessing exposure and connectivity.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Climate Science
Background:
- Global climate change is causing significant shifts in species distribution worldwide.
- Predictive metrics are needed to forecast range shifts and inform conservation strategies.
- Climate velocity offers a data-efficient approach to understanding potential species movements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the concept and applications of climate velocity in conservation research.
- To highlight the theoretical basis and assumptions of climate velocity.
- To discuss future enhancements for applying climate velocity in conservation planning.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of research applying climate velocity.
- Analysis of theoretical underpinnings and assumptions of climate velocity.
- Synthesis of diverse conservation applications of climate velocity.
Main Results:
- Climate velocity has been applied to assess climate residence time, refugia, endemism, and range shifts.
- It helps evaluate species' exposure to climate change and connectivity.
- The metric provides a foundational tool for understanding climate-driven ecological changes.
Conclusions:
- Climate velocity is a valuable, accessible tool for guiding conservation efforts amidst climate change.
- Enhancements include tailoring it for biological relevance and integrating it into protected area design.
- Further development can improve its utility for conserving biodiversity, especially in marine 3D environments.
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