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Climate change and habitat conversion favour the same species
Author(s) -
Frishkoff Luke O.,
Karp Daniel S.,
Flanders Jon R.,
Zook Jim,
Hadly Elizabeth A.,
Daily Gretchen C.,
M'Gonigle Leithen K.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/ele.12645
Subject(s) - biodiversity , climate change , ecology , habitat , land use, land use change and forestry , range (aeronautics) , geography , global change , global biodiversity , land use , agriculture , agroforestry , environmental science , biology , materials science , composite material
Land‐use change and climate change are driving a global biodiversity crisis. Yet, how species' responses to climate change are correlated with their responses to land‐use change is poorly understood. Here, we assess the linkages between climate and land‐use change on birds in Neotropical forest and agriculture. Across > 300 species, we show that affiliation with drier climates is associated with an ability to persist in and colonise agriculture. Further, species shift their habitat use along a precipitation gradient: species prefer forest in drier regions, but use agriculture more in wetter zones. Finally, forest‐dependent species that avoid agriculture are most likely to experience decreases in habitable range size if current drying trends in the Neotropics continue as predicted. This linkage suggests a synergy between the primary drivers of biodiversity loss. Because they favour the same species, climate and land‐use change will likely homogenise biodiversity more severely than otherwise anticipated.