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Projected climate change effects on Rocky Mountain and Great Plains birds: generalities of biodiversity consequences
Article first published online: 6 MAY 2003
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2486.2003.00616.x
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How to Cite
PETERSON, A. T. (2003), Projected climate change effects on Rocky Mountain and Great Plains birds: generalities of biodiversity consequences. Global Change Biology, 9: 647–655. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2486.2003.00616.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 6 MAY 2003
- Article first published online: 6 MAY 2003
- Received 12 August 2002; revised version received 30 October 2002 and accepted 9 December 2002
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Keywords:
- biodiversity consequences;
- birds;
- climate change;
- distributions;
- topography
Abstract
Climate change effects on biodiversity are already manifested, and yet no predictive knowledge characterizes the likely nature of these effects. Previous studies suggested an influence of topography on these effects, a possibility tested herein. Bird species with distributions restricted to montane (26 species) and Great Plains (19 species) regions of central and western North America were modeled, and climate change effects on their distributions compared: in general, plains species were more heavily influenced by climate change, with drastic area reductions (mode 35% of distributional area lost under assumption of no dispersal) and dramatic spatial movements (0–400 km shift of range centroid under assumption of no dispersal) of appropriate habitats. These results suggest an important generality regarding climate change effects on biodiversity, and provide useful guidelines for conservation planning.