What is it about?
No one can escape the effects of climate change. Particularly affected are those animal species whose body temperature depends directly on ambient temperature known as cold-blooded animals: amphibians and reptiles. Approximately one in every three amphibian and reptile species is currently threatened according to the International Red List. How will climate change affect these two endangered vertebrate groups? Do the impacts of climate change vary from region to region? In this study we answer these and other questions.
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Why is it important?
Two out of three of the articles analysed found that amphibians and reptiles are affected by climate change today. In total, the impact of climate change on reptiles and amphibians is negative in more than 50% of the cases analysed. Negative means: Populations decline, distribution ranges shrink, and the rate of reproduction may decrease decreases (see case studies in the column on the side). This study thus clearly shows that climate change has large negative effects today already, nut "just" in the future.
Perspectives
The results are not surprising. We know that climate change as dramatic effects and will be catastrophic for many species, including our own, if we do not act now. Urgent action is needed to avoid a much more dramatic decline in many species.
Dr. Maiken Winter
WissenLeben e.V.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Patterns and biases in climate change research on amphibians and reptiles: a systematic review, Royal Society Open Science, September 2016, Royal Society Publishing,
DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160158.
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