Biological Traits Influence Vulnerability to Climate Change in Birds, Amphibians and Corals

By Claire Asher, on 25 June 2013

Climate change is fast becoming a reality, and with temperature rises of between 0.8°C and 2.6°C predicted over the next 35 years, biodiversity will certainly be impacted, with many species set to suffer declines or potential extinction. But all species are not equal and certain traits may make species more or less vulnerable to climate change than others. A new model presented in PLOS one this month investigates the impact of biological traits, such as physiology, ecology and evolutionary history, on vulnerability to climate change for some of the most threatened groups: birds, amphibians and corals. Around 10% of species are both highly vulnerable to climate change, and already listed as threatened with extinction. The model also identifies potentially vulnerable species for future conservation priorities, giving biologists a head-start in trying to slow the inevitable loss of biodiversity that climate change will bring.

Many researchers are interested in predicting how biodiversity might respond to climate change. Biodiversity is essential to human survival – diverse, functional ecosystems provide us with food, water and medicine. However, predicting how ecosystems might respond to changes in temperature and rainfall is a complicated matter. Most previous models have considered the availability of suitable habitat for species based upon their current range and predictions of temperature changes. However, not all species are created equal – biological traits of individual species are likely to play an important role in determining species survival. For example, some species are adapted to a very specialised habitat or are poor as dispersal and so may struggle to find alternative habitats even if they are available. Other species have long generation times and produce few young, or have very limited genetic diversity in the population, making adaptation to new habitats more difficult. Species like these are likely to be more vulnerable to climate change than generalists who are good at dispersal and produce lots of offspring. Not considering the biology of a species when modelling responses to climate change can lead to under- or over-estimations of how vulnerable a species actually is.

Accounting for Biology
To address this issue, Foden and colleagues, working in collaboration with Professor Georgina Mace from CBER, developed a systematic framework for assessing species vulnerability to climate change, and applied this model to three of the best-studied, and most endangered groups of animals: birds, amphibians and corals. They considered three factors – sensitivity (whether a species can survive where it is), exposure (the predicted extent of change under climate models), and adaptive capacity (whether a species can avoid the negative impacts of climate change by moving or evolving).

Components of species
vulnerability – sensitivity, adaptive
capacity and exposure

In consultation with extinction risk specialists, they identified 90 biological, ecological, phsyiolocial and environmental traits which are likely to influence vulnerability to climate change. In particular, they identified habitat specialisation, rarity, environmental tolerance, disruption of environmental triggers and interactions with other species as key components of species sensitivity to climate change. Adaptive capacity is composed of dispersal ability, barriers to dispersal, genetic diversity, generation length and reproductive output. They assessed these traits for each of 16,857 species of bird, amphibian and coral, across the globe.

The proportion of species in a region that are sensitive or have limited adaptive capacity (blue), high exposure to climate change (yellow) or both (maroon).

Armed with these traits, they were able to determine sensitivity, adaptive capacity and exposure for each species, and generated maps of where species may be particularly vulnerable. They found that around 24% – 50% of bird species, 22% – 44% of amphibians and 15% – 32% of corals are both sensitive and exposed, and have limited capacity to adapt. They identified the Amazon region as containing many highly vulnerable birds and amphibians. Many bird species were also highly vulnerable in central Eurasia, the Congo basin, the Himalayas, Malaysia and Indonesia, with amphibians most vulnerable in north Africa, eastern Russia, and the northern Andes. The waters around Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines were hot-spots for highly vulnerable corals.

A Silver Lining
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. The study also identified some species and regions where species’ traits may make them more able to cope with climate change. Around 28% -53% of bird species, 23% – 59% of amphibians and 30% – 55% of corals may survive projected climate changes because of their inherent ability to disperse or adapt to change. In particular, southern Asia and North America may see less severe biodiversity declines than previously thought.

The interplay between climate change and biodiversity is complex, and unlikely to be uniform across taxonomic groups. It is important to consider the physiological, ecological and evolutionary traits of individual species when making predictions about the impact of climate change. This study considered the effects of temperature and rainfall changes, as well as ocean acidification and sea-level rise, on global biodiversity. However, many other factors will influence whether species survive over the long-term – habitat destruction, invasive species and pollution are also major drivers of extinction which need to be taken into account when predicting the future of a species. Taking into account the biology of a species, and it’s interaction with other species, is a major step forward in our understanding of how biodiversity will respond to the impending climate changes that are now inevitable.

Original Article:

Foden, Butchart, Mace et al (June 2013) Identifying the World’s Most Climate Vulnerable Species: A Systematic Trait-Based Assessment of all Birds, Amphibians and Corals PLOS One

This research was made possible by funding from the MacArthur Foundation.

Filed under Biodiversity and Environmental Biology, CBER, Research

Tags: Amphibian, Bird, Climate Change, Coral, Extinction

87 Responses to “Biological Traits Influence Vulnerability to Climate Change in Birds, Amphibians and Corals”

• 1
  

  Jason Kimberlin wrote on 31 March 2014:
  

  I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to construct my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. thanks|

• 2
  

  Beau Tedesco wrote on 31 March 2014:
  

  Thank you for all of the labor on this blog. My daughter enjoys managing investigations and it’s really easy to see why. A number of us know all about the powerful mode you convey efficient guidance through your web site and in addition improve contribution from website visitors on that situation and our own daughter is really discovering a great deal. Enjoy the remaining portion of the year. Your performing a splendid job.

• 3
  

  Delmar Sgammato wrote on 31 March 2014:
  

  Hello! I know this is kinda off topic however , I’d figured I’d ask. Would you be interested in exchanging links or maybe guest writing a blog article or vice-versa? My blog goes over a lot of the same topics as yours and I feel we could greatly benefit from each other. If you’re interested feel free to shoot me an email. I look forward to hearing from you! Awesome blog by the way!|

• 4
  

  Fredrick Sunn wrote on 31 March 2014:
  

  Very interesting topic , appreciate it for putting up.

• 5
  

  Youlanda Kiracofe wrote on 31 March 2014:
  

  Hello, i think that i saw you visited my website so i came to “return the favor”.I’m trying to find things to improve my website!I suppose its ok to use a few of your ideas!!

• 6
  

  Jody Gearan wrote on 31 March 2014:
  

  I am glad to be one of several visitors on this great web site (:, thanks for putting up.

• 7
  

  Spencer Archbold wrote on 1 April 2014:
  

  I am extremely inspired with your writing abilities and also with the layout in your blog. Is that this a paid subject matter or did you customize it your self? Either way keep up the nice high quality writing, it’s uncommon to see a great weblog like this one nowadays..|

• 8
  

  國際新聞 wrote on 1 April 2014:
  

  I am impressed by the quality of information on this website. There are a lot of good resources here. I am sure I will visit this place again soon.

• 9
  

  Jeremy Bohland wrote on 1 April 2014:
  

  Excellent weblog here! Additionally your site a lot up very fast! What host are you the usage of? Can I am getting your affiliate hyperlink to your host? I desire my site loaded up as quickly as yours lol

• 10
  

  Hassan Richeson wrote on 1 April 2014:
  

  Awesome things here. I am very satisfied to peer your post. Thanks a lot and I’m taking a look ahead to contact you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?|

• 11
  

  Olivia Imbrock wrote on 1 April 2014:
  

  Nice blog here! Also your site loads up fast! What web host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol

• 12
  

  Evelynn Medino wrote on 4 April 2014:
  

  I was examining some of your blog posts on this site and I believe this site is real instructive! Keep putting up.

• 13
  

  Melony President wrote on 12 May 2014:
  

  Excellent blog!. I like the your information it’s very helpful for me. I’ll bookmark your blog and check again here frequently. I will certainly digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I am sure they’ll be benefited from this web site.

• 14
  

  Pure Reiki Healing Master discount wrote on 30 May 2014:
  

  Hi there it’s me, I am also visiting this site regularly, thhis web page is genuinely pleasant andd the users are
  truly sharing pleasant thoughts.

• 15
  

  Rosalba Callar wrote on 8 June 2014:
  

  I simply want to tell you that I am just newbie to blogging and site-building and seriously loved this web site. Likely I’m planning to bookmark your website . You actually have excellent posts. Kudos for sharing your webpage.

• 16
  

  Improve Starmeter wrote on 9 June 2014:
  

  Greetings I am so thrilled I found your site, I really found you by mistake, while I was looking on Aol for something else, Regardless I am here now and would just like to say cheers for a remarkable post and a all round thrilling blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to read it all at the minute but I have bookmarked it and also added your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a lot more, Please do keep up the great job.

• 17
  

  Willie Almaraz wrote on 10 June 2014:
  

  I have a web piece of paper meant for my business and there is a link to my blog on it, it want to demonstrate the blog posts on the webpage not immediately the link and I insincerity figure absent how to do it. Any help would subsist respected.

• 18
  

  http://guilford.patch.com/ wrote on 11 June 2014:
  

  Hello, I read your blog regularly. Your writing style
  is witty, keep doing what you’re doing!

• 19
  

  Myles Medows wrote on 13 June 2014:
  

  Fantastic website. Lots of useful info here. I am sending it to some friends ans also sharing in delicious. And of course, thanks to your sweat!|

• 20
  

  Alex wrote on 13 June 2014:
  

  Love your website, is this the default theme or a custom one?

• 21
  

  Articles Wire Story wrote on 15 June 2014:
  

  Excellent posting. My partner and i learn something totally new plus challenging with websites We stumbleupon each day. It will always be helpful study content business creators and practice a little from other sites.

• 22
  

  read wrote on 4 July 2014:
  

  hi!,I really like your writing so much! proportion we keep up a correspondence more about your post on AOL? I require an expert in this house to resolve my problem. Maybe that is you! Looking forward to look you.

• 23
  

  Tracy Tolden wrote on 4 July 2014:
  

  Have you ever thought about publishing an ebook or guest authoring on other blogs? I have a blog based on the same ideas you discuss and would love to have you share some stories/information. I know my viewers would enjoy your work. If you are even remotely interested, feel free to send me an e-mail.

• 24
  

  RMT777 WH40K Power Leveling wrote on 23 July 2014:
  

  Awsome article and right to the point. I don’t know if this is really the best place to ask but do you people have any ideea where to employ some professional writers? Thanks in advance 🙂

• 25
  

  water ionizer wrote on 28 July 2014:
  

  Hello there! This post could not be written any better! Reading through this article reminds me of my previous roommate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him. Fairly certain he’s going to have a very good read. I appreciate you for sharing!

• 26
  

  alkaline water wrote on 28 July 2014:
  

  I have to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in penning this site. I’m hoping to check out the same high-grade content by you in the future as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own website now

• 27
  

  online kosmetikshop wrote on 28 July 2014:
  

  I need to to thank you for this fantastic read!! I absolutely enjoyed every bit of it. I have you bookmarked to look at new stuff you post…

• 28
  

  zakup paneli wrote on 28 July 2014:
  

  This website really has all of the information I wanted about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.

• 29
  

  Predicting Extinction Risk:The Importance of Life History and Demography | UCL GEE Research wrote on 28 July 2014:
  

  […] have previously identified the ecological and biological traits that are characteristic of threatened or declining species. However, it is not clear how well these […]

• 30
  

  cheap fut 15 coins wrote on 30 July 2014:
  

  I have not checked in here for a while because I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are great quality so I guess I will add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂

Leave a Reply