Differential Extinction: Understanding the Impact of Climate Change on Species
Climate change is one of the greatest contemporary threats to species populations around the world. Differential extinction is a phenomenon that occurs when species of different biological characteristics are affected to different extents by the same external pressures. This paper will discuss the phenomenon of differential extinction and its implications for species survival in the face of climate change.
Differential extinction occurs when species with different biological characteristics, such as size, mobility, and reproductive rate, are affected to differing extents by the same environmental pressures (Hoffman & Willig, 2018). For example, a species which is highly mobile may be able to survive in new areas if their existing habitat is damaged by climate change. Conversely, a species with limited mobility may have difficulty adapting to new areas, making it more susceptible to extinction. Similarly, species with higher reproductive rates may be more successful at repopulating damaged areas, while species with lower reproductive rates may struggle to keep up with the changing environment.
The phenomenon of differential extinction has important implications for species conservation in the face of climate change. Species which are less able to adapt to new environments or to repopulate damaged areas are at a greater risk of extinction. Additionally, the effects of climate change are not static; they are constantly shifting and changing, meaning species must be continually adapting to the changing environment in order to survive. This adaptation is made more difficult by the fact that species may have different biological characteristics and thus different levels of success in adapting to the changing environment.
The implications of differential extinction are of great concern; it is estimated that up to one million species are at risk of extinction due to climate change (IPBES, 2019). To combat this, conservation efforts must focus on understanding the biological characteristics of species which make them more or less vulnerable to climate change. This information can be used to guide conservation efforts and ensure the protection of species that are at greater risk of extinction. Additionally, more research is needed to better understand the implications of differential extinction on species survival in the face of climate change.
In conclusion, differential extinction is a phenomenon that occurs when species with different biological characteristics are affected to different extents by the same external pressures. This phenomenon has important implications for species conservation in the face of climate change, with estimates of up to one million species at risk of extinction. To ensure the protection of vulnerable species, conservation efforts must focus on understanding the biological characteristics of species which make them more or less vulnerable to climate change.
References
Hoffman, B.D. & Willig, M.R. (2018). Differential extinction and the conservation of biological diversity. Conservation Biology, 32(4), 902-909.
IPBES. (2019). Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Retrieved from https://www.ipbes.net/global-assessment-report.