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Climate-change refugia: biodiversity in the slow lane
Toni Lyn Morelli1, Cameron W Barrows2, Aaron R Ramirez3
1Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, US Geological Survey (USGS), Amherst, MA.
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
|January 11, 2021
Summary
Climate-change adaptation strategies include focusing conservation on climate-change refugia. These areas support persistence of resources and are vital for biodiversity and human welfare, moving beyond simple exposure to consider sensitivity and adaptive capacity.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Climate Science
Background:
- Anthropogenic climate change poses significant threats to biodiversity and human welfare.
- Climate-change adaptation strategies are crucial for mitigating these impacts.
- Climate-change refugia are areas that remain relatively stable, supporting persistence of resources.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight methodological and conceptual advances in refugia science.
- To improve scientific understanding and conservation efforts for climate change.
- To explore refugia as dynamic 'slow lanes' rather than static areas.
Main Methods:
- Reviewing recent advances in refugia science.
- Considering scale and ecosystem dynamics in refugia identification.
- Evaluating climate exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity.
Main Results:
- Refugia science is advancing by incorporating complex ecological factors.
- A network-based, long-term approach to refugia is proposed.
- Collaboration between researchers and resource managers is increasing.
Conclusions:
- Refugia are essential components of climate-change adaptation.
- Understanding refugia requires a multifaceted approach beyond simple climate exposure.
- Practical implementation of refugia conservation is gaining momentum.
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