Mapping climate adaptation corridors for biodiversity-A regional-scale case study in Central America

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Climate Change Science

Background:

• Climate adaptation corridors are crucial for biodiversity resilience under climate change.
• Central America, a biodiversity hotspot, lacks regional analyses of climate adaptation corridors.
• Existing protected areas need to be connected to facilitate species movement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze potential climate adaptation corridors across Central America.
• To assess the protection status and ecological characteristics of these corridors.
• To develop a corridor priority index for conservation planning.

Main Methods:

• Identified 2,375 potential corridors linking lowland protected areas (≤ 500 m) to high-elevation forests (≥ 1500 m).
• Assessed protection levels and ecological features (elevation, size, Key Biodiversity Areas) of corridors and their endpoints.
• Developed a corridor priority index based on protection status and ecological characteristics.

Main Results:

• Potential corridors were found in all Central American countries, with Panama, Belize, and Honduras showing higher protection.
• High-priority corridors (top 7%) were more protected, forested, and encompassed more Key Biodiversity Areas.
• High-elevation refugia, though spanning wider gradients, were smaller and less protected than lowland areas.

Conclusions:

• Regional assessment identifies critical climate adaptation corridors in Central America.
• High-priority corridors offer significant conservation value but require enhanced protection.
• Urgent conservation of unprotected high-elevation refugia is essential for climate adaptation and biodiversity persistence.