About the Research
A biodiverse area provides a home to a variety of species, but climate change and land development will greatly impact species distribution. It is important to recognize the influence of climate change and address it with conservation efforts (Rovzar et al. 2013). Global mean temperatures are expected to increase, driving species to areas higher in elevation as a result of decreasing suitable habitat, (Kelley & Goulden 2008, Riordan et al. 2014). However, the amount of warming that occurs will depend on the output of emissions into the atmosphere (Collins et al. 2013). The IPCC report shows different scenarios of temperature increase. Each will affect the availability of suitable habitat differently, in terms of habitat gain, loss, and stability (Riordan et al. 2014).
Collins, M., R. Knutti, J. Arblaster, J. L. Dufresne, T. Fichefet, P. Friedlingstein, X. Gao, W.J. Gutowski, T. Johns, G. Krinner, M. Shongwe, C. Tebaldi, A.J. Weaver and M. Wehner, 2013: Long-term Climate Change: Projections, Commitments and Irreversibility. In: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Stocker, T.F., D. Qin, G.-K. Plattner, M. Tignor, S.K. Allen, J. Boschung, A. Nauels, Y. Xia, V. Bex and P.M. Midgley (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp. 1029–1136, doi:10.1017/CBO9781107415324.024.
Kelly, A.E. & M.L. Goulden. Rapid shifts in plant distribution with recent climate change. PNAS. 105, 33. 11823-11826. (2008).
Riordan, E. C., T.W. Gillespie, L. Pitcher, S.S. Pincetl, G.D. Jenerette, D.E. Pataki. Threats of future climate change and land use to vulnerable tree species native to Southern California. Environmental Conservation. 1-12 (2014).
Rovzar, C., T.W. Gillespie, K. Kawelo, M. McCain, E.C. Riordan, S. Pau. Modelling the potential distribution of endangered, endemic Hibiscus brackenridgei on Oahu to assess the impacts of climate change and prioritize conservation efforts. Pacific Conservation Biology 19, 156–168 (2013).
Kelly, A.E. & M.L. Goulden. Rapid shifts in plant distribution with recent climate change. PNAS. 105, 33. 11823-11826. (2008).
Riordan, E. C., T.W. Gillespie, L. Pitcher, S.S. Pincetl, G.D. Jenerette, D.E. Pataki. Threats of future climate change and land use to vulnerable tree species native to Southern California. Environmental Conservation. 1-12 (2014).
Rovzar, C., T.W. Gillespie, K. Kawelo, M. McCain, E.C. Riordan, S. Pau. Modelling the potential distribution of endangered, endemic Hibiscus brackenridgei on Oahu to assess the impacts of climate change and prioritize conservation efforts. Pacific Conservation Biology 19, 156–168 (2013).