Search

Mountains are among the natural systems most affected by climate change, and mountain mammals are considered particularly imperiled, given their high degree of specialization to narrow tolerance bands of environmental conditions. Climate change mitigation policies, such as the Paris Agreement, are essential to stem climate change impacts on natural systems. But how significant is the Paris Agreement to the survival of mountain mammals? We investigated how alternative emission scenarios may determine change in the realized climatic niche of mountain carnivores and ungulates in 2050. We based our predictions of future change in species niches based on how species have responded to past environmental changes, focusing on the probabilities of niche shrink and niche stability. We found that achieving the Paris Agreement's commitments would substantially reduce climate instability for mountain species. Specifically, limiting global warming to below 1.5°C would reduce the probability of niche shrinkage by 4% compared with a high‐emission scenario. Globally, carnivores showed greater niche shrinkage than ungulates, whereas ungulates were more likely to shift their niches (i.e., face a level of climate change that allows adaptation). Twenty‐three species threatened by climate change according to the IUCN Red List had greater niche contraction than other species we analyzed (3% higher on average). We therefore argue that climate mitigation policies must be coupled with rapid species‐specific conservation intervention and sustainable land‐use policies to avoid high risk of loss of already vulnerable species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that the conservation of subterranean ecosystems is finally gaining ground (Wynne et al., 2021), we believe it is of fundamental importance to tread lightly when considering interventions that directly affect the subterranean ecosystem (Mammola et al., 2022). However, ecosystem manipulation should follow strict guidelines to avoid unintended consequences to nontarget species (Simberloff & Stiling, 1996). Bats, climate change mitigation, conservation intervention, global warming, habitat manipulation, subterranean ecosystem Keywords: bats; climate change mitigation; conservation intervention; global warming; habitat manipulation; subterranean ecosystem EN bats climate change mitigation conservation intervention global warming habitat manipulation subterranean ecosystem 1 3 3 05/31/22 20220601 NES 220601 Global climate change is predicted to cause profound alterations in subterranean ecosystems in the next decades (Mammola, Piano, et al., 2019; Sánchez-Fernández et al., 2021). [Extracted from the article]