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Quaternary climatic fluctuations and resulting climatically suitable areas for Eurasian owlets
Pankaj Koparde1,2,3, Prachi Mehta4, Shomita Mukherjee1
1Division of Conservation Biology Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History Coimbatore India.
Ecology and Evolution
|April 30, 2019
Summary
Quaternary climate change significantly impacted owlet distribution, creating nested ranges and influencing endemicity. This research informs conservation for species like the Forest Owlet amid current global warming.
Area of Science:
- Ornithology
- Paleoclimatology
- Biogeography
Background:
- Geographical distribution of Indian owlets (Forest Owlet, Jungle Owlet, Spotted Owlet) exhibits a nested pattern, suggesting historical climate change impacts.
- The Little Owl (Athene noctua), a Palearctic species, may have experienced range reduction during the Last Glacial Maximum followed by postglacial expansion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Quaternary climatic fluctuations in shaping the geographical ranges of four owlet species.
- To test hypotheses regarding climate change as a driver of owlet distribution patterns and endemicity gradients.
Main Methods:
- Utilized field observations, open-access data, and climatic niche modeling for four distinct time periods: Last Interglacial, Last Glacial Maximum, Mid-Holocene, and Current.
- Conducted analyses of climatic niche extent, breadth, and overlap, assessing the stability of suitable areas for owlets.
Main Results:
- Climatically suitable areas for all studied owlets fluctuated in size since the Last Interglacial, with Indian owlets showing current niche overlap.
- The Little Owl's suitable range shifted southward during the Last Glacial Maximum and expanded northward postglaciation.
- Modeled climatic niches for each owlet were found to be nested within climatically stable regions.
Conclusions:
- Quaternary climate change demonstrably shaped the present-day distribution of owlets, influencing their geographical ranges and endemicity.
- Findings are crucial for understanding current climate change impacts and developing conservation strategies for range-restricted species like the Forest Owlet.
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