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Thermal biology mediates responses of amphibians and reptiles to habitat modification
Author(s) -
Nowakowski A. Justin,
Watling James I.,
Thompson Michelle E.,
Brusch George A.,
Catenazzi Alessandro,
Whitfield Steven M.,
Kurz David J.,
SuárezMayorga Ángela,
AponteGutiérrez Andrés,
Donnelly Maureen A.,
Todd Brian D.
Publication year - 2018
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.12901
Subject(s) - ecology , biology , habitat
Abstract Human activities often replace native forests with warmer, modified habitats that represent novel thermal environments for biodiversity. Reducing biodiversity loss hinges upon identifying which species are most sensitive to the environmental conditions that result from habitat modification. Drawing on case studies and a meta‐analysis, we examined whether observed and modelled thermal traits, including heat tolerances, variation in body temperatures, and evaporative water loss, explained variation in sensitivity of ectotherms to habitat modification. Low heat tolerances of lizards and amphibians and high evaporative water loss of amphibians were associated with increased sensitivity to habitat modification, often explaining more variation than non‐thermal traits. Heat tolerances alone explained 24–66% (mean = 38%) of the variation in species responses, and these trends were largely consistent across geographic locations and spatial scales. As habitat modification alters local microclimates, the thermal biology of species will likely play a key role in the reassembly of terrestrial communities.