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Mapping Resilient Landscapes to Climate Change in a Megadiverse Country
Milena Fermina Rosenfield1, Lucas Jardim2, Marina Antongiovanni3
1The Nature Conservancy Brasil, São Paulo, Brazil.
Global Change Biology
|October 10, 2025
Summary
Identifying climate-resilient sites is crucial for biodiversity conservation amid global climate change. This study maps these key areas in Brazil, guiding conservation and restoration efforts for species persistence.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Climate Change Science
Background:
- Global climate change significantly impacts biodiversity and ecosystem functions unevenly across geographic regions.
- Identifying climate-resilient locations is vital for effective species conservation and landscape-scale restoration strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map terrestrial climate-resilient sites for biodiversity across Brazil.
- To identify locations offering suitable conditions for species persistence under regional climate change.
Main Methods:
- Combined spatial metrics of landscape heterogeneity (microclimatic variability proxy) and local connectedness (habitat connectivity measure).
- Assessed landscape resilience based on habitat heterogeneity and landscape connectivity.
Main Results:
- High resilient sites are concentrated in the Amazon (40%) and Pantanal (38%) biomes.
- Low resilience is prevalent in the Atlantic Forest (41%), Cerrado (37%), Pampa (36%), and Caatinga (34%).
Conclusions:
- Landscape resilience mapping provides a tool for guiding conservation, restoration, and sustainable use policies.
- Prioritizing high resilience sites is essential for sustaining biodiversity under climate change.
- Tailored strategies, including corridor conservation and habitat restoration, are recommended for areas with varying resilience levels.
Keywords:
biodiversityclimate adaptationclimate resilienceconnectivityconservationgeodiversityrestorationMore Related Videos
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