Lecture 14 - Climate and species

Question 1

species climate niche

Answer 1

specific range of climatic requirements

enables growth and reproduction

Question 2

bioclimate envelope models - purposes

Answer 2

• understand species climate niche across world and how they may change
• simulate species distribution under present and future conditions

Question 3

how to create BEM

Answer 3

1. collect records of locations - museums/research/field
2. map current species distribution
3. use distribution to infer environmental requirements - overlay maps of features, cross reference
4. predict distribution from requirements - statistical modelling
5. predict future distributions under changing climates - statistical models for distribution under changed conditions

Question 4

food production

Answer 4

corn markets = >29 degrees 100-160% increase growing degree days (GDD)
- develop heat tolerant strains to 32.5 degrees

Question 5

human vector borne diseases

Answer 5

warmer wetter northern areas
- mosquitoes + diseases may track their climate envelopes
- 1960-89 southern Europe conditions suitable
- 1990-99 northern Europe
eradication programs to prevent establishment

Question 6

species extinctions

Answer 6

• Australian flying foxes = 10% die after single day exposure extreme temperature
• mid range warming = 15-37% 2050 committed to extinction
• Australian tropical rainforests = 65 endemic verts

Question 7

adapting to climate change

Answer 7

all species can evolve through natural selection

- require physiological variability in thermal tolerances

Question 8

species from varied climates have broader physiological limits

Answer 8

• birds = broader tolerances when exposed to greater climate variability
• mammals = don’t
• species in climatically stable regions most at risk
• behavioural/morph adaptions may buffer physio limits

Question 9

spatial and temporal mismatch of species under physiological tolerances

Answer 9

higher degree of mismatch towards tropics

- rapid climate change driving evolution - organisms adapt to altered seasonal events