scholarly journals Evolutionary traps and range shifts in a rapidly changing world

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 20160003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Hale ◽  
John R. Morrongiello ◽  
Stephen E. Swearer
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Population Persistence ◽  
Range Shifts ◽  
Developmental Pathways ◽  
Behavioural Plasticity ◽  
Fitness Consequences ◽  
Changing World

Humans are altering the environment at an unprecedented rate. Although behavioural plasticity has allowed many species to respond by shifting their ranges to more favourable conditions, these rapid environmental changes may cause ‘evolutionary traps’, whereby animals mistakenly prefer resources that reduce their fitness. The role of evolutionary traps in influencing the fitness consequences of range shifts remains largely unexplored. Here, we review these interactions by considering how climate change may trigger maladaptive developmental pathways or increase the probability of animals encountering traps. We highlight how traps could selectively remove some phenotypes and compromise population persistence. We conclude by highlighting emerging areas of research that would improve our understanding of when interactions between evolutionary traps and range shifts are likely to be most detrimental to animals.

scholarly journals Climate change drives mountain butterflies towards the summits

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis Rödder ◽  
Thomas Schmitt ◽  
Patrick Gros ◽  
Werner Ulrich ◽  
Jan Christian Habel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Life History ◽  
Climate Warming ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Range Shifts ◽  
Solar Irradiation ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Annual Range

AbstractClimate change impacts biodiversity and is driving range shifts of species and populations across the globe. To understand the effects of climate warming on biota, long-term observations of the occurrence of species and detailed knowledge on their ecology and life-history is crucial. Mountain species particularly suffer under climate warming and often respond to environmental changes by altitudinal range shifts. We assessed long-term distribution trends of mountain butterflies across the eastern Alps and calculated species’ specific annual range shifts based on field observations and species distribution models, counterbalancing the potential drawbacks of both approaches. We also compiled details on the ecology, behaviour and life-history, and the climate niche of each species assessed. We found that the highest altitudinal maxima were observed recently in the majority of cases, while the lowest altitudes of observations were recorded before 1980. Mobile and generalist species with a broad ecological amplitude tended to move uphill more than specialist and sedentary species. As main drivers we identified climatic conditions and topographic variables, such as insolation and solar irradiation. This study provides important evidence for responses of high mountain taxa to rapid climate change. Our study underlines the advantage of combining historical surveys and museum collection data with cutting-edge analyses.

scholarly journals Diversity and species turnover on an altitudinal gradient in Western Cape, South Africa: baseline data for monitoring range shifts in response to climate change

Bothalia ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Agenbag ◽  
K. J. Elser ◽  
G. F. Midgley ◽  
C. Boucher
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Growth Form ◽  
Species Turnover ◽  
Moisture Gradient ◽  
Range Shifts ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Succulent Karoo ◽  
Species Ranges

A temperature and moisture gradient on the equator-facing slope of Jonaskop on the Riviersonderend Mountain. Westem Cape has been selected as an important gradient for monitoring the effects of climate change on fynbos and the Fynbos- Succulent Karoo ecotone. This study provides a description of plant diversity patterns, growth form composition and species turnover across the gradient and the results of four years of climate monitoring at selected points along the altitudinal gradient.The aim o f this study is to provide data for a focused monitoring strategy for the early detection of climate change-related shifts in species’ ranges, as well as gaining a better understanding of the role of climate variability in shaping species growth responses, their distributions, and other ecosystem processes.

scholarly journals Contrasting changes in space use induced by climate change in two Arctic marine mammal species

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 20180834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charmain D. Hamilton ◽  
Jade Vacquié-Garcia ◽  
Kit M. Kovacs ◽  
Rolf A. Ims ◽  
Jack Kohler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Delphinapterus Leucas ◽  
Behavioural Plasticity ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Dietary Specialization ◽  
Environmental Pressures

Global warming is inducing major environmental changes in the Arctic. These changes will differentially affect species owing to differences in climate sensitivity and behavioural plasticity. Arctic endemic marine mammals are expected to be impacted significantly by ongoing changes in their key habitats owing to their long life cycles and dependence on ice. Herein, unique biotelemetry datasets for ringed seals (RS; Pusa hispida ) and white whales (WW; Delphinapterus leucas ) from Svalbard, Norway, spanning two decades (1995–2016) are used to investigate how these species have responded to reduced sea-ice cover and increased Atlantic water influxes. Tidal glacier fronts were traditionally important foraging areas for both species. Following a period with dramatic environmental change, RS now spend significantly more time near tidal glaciers, where Arctic prey presumably still concentrate. Conversely, WW spend significantly less time near tidal glacier fronts and display spatial patterns that suggest that they are foraging on Atlantic fishes that are new to the region. Differences in levels of dietary specialization and overall behavioural plasticity are likely reasons for similar environmental pressures affecting these species differently. Climate change adjustments through behavioural plasticity will be vital for species survival in the Arctic, given the rapidity of change and limited dispersal options.

scholarly journals Understanding interactions between plasticity, adaptation and range shifts in response to marine environmental change

2019 ◽  
Vol 374 (1768) ◽  
pp. 20180186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Donelson ◽  
Jennifer M. Sunday ◽  
Will F. Figueira ◽  
Juan Diego Gaitán-Espitia ◽  
Alistair J. Hobday ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Change ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Range Shifts ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Marine Environmental ◽  
Rapid Environmental Change

Climate change is leading to shifts in species geographical distributions, but populations are also probably adapting to environmental change at different rates across their range. Owing to a lack of natural and empirical data on the influence of phenotypic adaptation on range shifts of marine species, we provide a general conceptual model for understanding population responses to climate change that incorporates plasticity and adaptation to environmental change in marine ecosystems. We use this conceptual model to help inform where within the geographical range each mechanism will probably operate most strongly and explore the supporting evidence in species. We then expand the discussion from a single-species perspective to community-level responses and use the conceptual model to visualize and guide research into the important yet poorly understood processes of plasticity and adaptation.This article is part of the theme issue ‘The role of plasticity in phenotypic adaptation to rapid environmental change’.

scholarly journals Conditions for successful range shifts under climate change: The role of species dispersal and landscape configuration

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (11) ◽  
pp. 1598-1611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonatan Årevall ◽  
Regan Early ◽  
Alba Estrada ◽  
Uno Wennergren ◽  
Anna C. Eklöf
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Range Shifts ◽  
Landscape Configuration ◽  
Species Dispersal

scholarly journals Detecting range shifts among Australian fishes in response to climate change

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (9) ◽  
pp. 1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Booth ◽  
Nick Bond ◽  
Peter Macreadie
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Range Shifts ◽  
Definitive Evidence ◽  
Key Drivers ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

One of the most obvious and expected impacts of climate change is a shift in the distributional range of organisms, which could have considerable ecological and economic consequences. Australian waters are hotspots for climate-induced environmental changes; here, we review these potential changes and their apparent and potential implications for freshwater, estuarine and marine fish. Our meta-analysis detected <300 papers globally on ‘fish’ and ‘range shifts’, with ~7% being from Australia. Of the Australian papers, only one study exhibited definitive evidence of climate-induced range shifts, with most studies focussing instead on future predictions. There was little consensus in the literature regarding the definition of ‘range’, largely because of populations having distributions that fluctuate regularly. For example, many marine populations have broad dispersal of offspring (causing vagrancy). Similarly, in freshwater and estuarine systems, regular environmental changes (e.g. seasonal, ENSO cycles – not related to climate change) cause expansion and contraction of populations, which confounds efforts to detect range ‘shifts’. We found that increases in water temperature, reduced freshwater flows and changes in ocean currents are likely to be the key drivers of climate-induced range shifts in Australian fishes. Although large-scale frequent and rigorous direct surveys of fishes across their entire distributional ranges, especially at range edges, will be essential to detect range shifts of fishes in response to climate change, we suggest careful co-opting of fisheries, museum and other regional databases as a potential, but imperfect alternative.

scholarly journals Plant phenological responses to climate change on the Tibetan Plateau: research status and challenges

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 454-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miaogen Shen ◽  
Shilong Piao ◽  
Tsechoe Dorji ◽  
Qiang Liu ◽  
Nan Cong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Ecosystem Responses ◽  
Research Issues

Abstract Phenology studies the cycle of events in nature that are initiated and driven by an annually recurring environment. Plant phenology is expected to be one of the most sensitive and easily observable natural indicators of climate change. On the Tibetan Plateau (TP), an accelerated warming since the mid-1980s has resulted in significant environmental changes. These new conditions are accompanied by phenological changes that are characterized by considerable spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Satellite remote sensing observed widespread advance in the start of the plant growing season across the plateau during the 1980s and 1990s but substantial delay over 2000–2011 in the southwest although it continued to advance in the northeast regions of the TP. Both observational studies and controlled experiments have revealed, to some extent, the positive role of higher preseason temperature and even more precipitation in advancing the leaf onset and first flowering date of the TP. However, a number of rarely visited research issues that are essential for understanding the role of phenology in ecosystem responses and feedback processes to climate change remain to be solved. Our review recommends that addressing the following questions should be a high priority. How did other phenological events change, such as flowering and fruiting phenology? What are the influences from environmental changes other than temperature and precipitation, including human activities such as grazing? What are the genetic and physiological bases of plants phenological responses? How does phenological change influence ecosystem structure and function at different scales and feedback to the climate system? Investigating these research questions requires, first of all, new data of the associated environmental variables, and consistent and reliable phenological observation using different methodologies (i.e. in situ observations and remote sensing).

Indigenous Ecological Reconstruction After Industrial Ruin in Two Iconic Sámi Catchments: Ethics of Comanagement?

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 254-275
Author(s):  
Tero Mustonen
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Ecological Restoration ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Range Shifts ◽  
Case Examples ◽  
Algae Blooms ◽  
European North ◽  
Ecological Reconstruction

The applicability of Indigenous ethics to the evaluation of ecological restoration is explored through two case examples involving the Indigenous Sámi rivers of Näätämö and Ponoi in the European North. Six key restoration approaches are described that would have been overlooked had it not been for the use of Indigenous ethics from the start of the work. The detection of rapidly proceeding climate change impacts and species range shifts, algae blooms, documentation of gendered coastal lifestyles, and ultimately the ecological restoration of salmonid habitats were recognized as critical markers of success when these approaches were practiced, lived and cherished by all members of the cogovernance community. This article asks critical questions about the role of Indigenous knowledge and rights within comanagement and environmental evaluations and makes the case for land-based lifestyles as vehicles for maintaining distinct, culturally relevant ethics processes.

Range shifts under climate change and the role of protected areas for armadillos and anteaters

2012 ◽  
Vol 152 ◽  
pp. 53-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bárbara Q.C. Zimbres ◽  
Pedro De Podestà Uchôa de Aquino ◽  
Ricardo B. Machado ◽  
Leandro Silveira ◽  
Anah T.A. Jácomo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Range Shifts

scholarly journals The CAVEheAT project: climate change, thermal niche and conservation of subterranean biodiversity

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Fernandez ◽  
Andrés Millán ◽  
Valeria Rizzo ◽  
Jordi Comas ◽  
Enric Lleopard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Thermal Tolerance ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Metabolic Cost ◽  
Behavioural Plasticity ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
Thermal Niche ◽  
Project Climate Change

One of the main challenges in disciplines such as ecology, biogeography, conservation and evolutionary biology is to understand and predict how species will respond to environmental changes, especially within a climate change context. We focus on the deep subterranean environment to minimize uncertainties in predictions, because it is one of the few ecosystems in nature whose environmental conditions are as homogeneous as those in the laboratory and their species cannot accommodate to changing conditions by behavioural plasticity, dispersal or microhabitat use (i.e., their only possibility to cope with climate change is to persist in situ). The hypotheses established for this project are based on the exciting results obtained in some of our previous studies, in which, we found that different subterranean beetle species living under different environmental conditions have identical/similar narrow thermal tolerance ranges, suggesting a lack of evolutionary adjustment to ambient temperature for these species. This could be due to the loss of some of the physiological mechanisms related to thermal tolerance, with a likely high metabolic cost, in a stable environment but with severe resource restrictions. However, the question that remains is to what extent this surprising narrow and homogeneous thermal niche is common for the whole subterranean biodiversity, and how this issue could determine the fate of subterranean biodiversity to climate change. In this project, we are testing for the generality of these exciting previous findings by studying the thermal niche (species acclimation abilities and thermal tolerances) of different lineages of cave beetles with different degrees of specialization to subterranean environments and from different geographical areas (Pyrenees and Cantabrian Mountains) (Suppl. material 1).

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document