identifying 'winner and losers' : which organisms are most vulnerable to warming?

Question 1

why do we need to identify potential winners and losers?

Answer 1

-Predicting shifts in distribution pattens
-focus conservation efforts
-identify where extinctions are likely to occur
-identify whether ecosystems are likely to maintain functionality despite shifts in species or population composition

Question 2

What does higher environmental temperature lead in in terms of thermal tolerance?

Answer 2

Higher environmental temperature results in higher thermal tolerance, but also reduced Thermal Safety margins

Question 3

Can thermal tolerance be modified through acclimation?

Answer 3

The most well-adapted congeners of porcelain crabs (tropical and temperature high shore) are disadvantaged by possessing a relatively small ability to increase thermal tolerance during acclimation

Question 4

Describe a tropical species’ thermal performance windows/climatic niches

Answer 4

Narrower thermal performance windows than their temperate counterparts

Question 5

Thermal safety margins (TSMs)

Answer 5

The difference between a species’ maximum tolerance to heat and the temperature is experienced in its environment