Tag: Extinction

The projected timing of abrupt ecological disruption from climate change

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Author: Trisos, Christopher H.; Merow, Cory; Pigot, Alex L. Description: As anthropogenic climate change continues the risks to biodiversity will increase over time, with future projections indicating that a potentially catastrophic loss of global biodiversity is on the horizon. However, our understanding of when and how abruptly this climate-driven disruption of biodiversity will occur is limited because biodiversity forecasts typically focus on individual snapshots of the future. Here we use annual projections (from 1850 to 2100) of temperature and precipitation across the ranges of more than 30,000 marine and terrestrial…

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Vertebrates on the brink as indicators of biological annihilation and the sixth mass extinction

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Author: Ceballos, Gerardo; Ehrlich, Paul R.; Raven, Peter H. Description: The ongoing sixth mass species extinction is the result of the destruction of component populations leading to eventual extirpation of entire species. Populations and species extinctions have severe implications for society through the degradation of ecosystem services. Here we assess the extinction crisis from a different perspective. We examine 29,400 species of terrestrial vertebrates, and determine which are on the brink of extinction because they have fewer than 1,000 individuals. There are 515 species on the brink (1.7% of the…

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The state of the bats in North America

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Author: Adams, Amanda M.; Trujillo, Luis A.; Campbell, C. J.; Akre, Karin L.; Arroyo-Cabrales, Joaquin; Burns, Leanne; Coleman, Jeremy T. H.; Dixon, Rita D.; Francis, Charles M.; Gamba-Rios, Melquisedec; Kuczynska, Vona; McIntire, Angie; Medelli­n, Rodrigo A.; Morris, Katrina M.; Ortega, Jorge; Reichard, Jonathan D.; Reichert, Brian; Segers, Jordi L.; Whitby, Michael D.; Frick, Winifred F. Description: The world’s rich diversity of bats supports healthy ecosystems and important ecosystem services. Maintaining healthy biological systems requires prompt identification of threats to biodiversity and immediate action to protect species, which for wide-ranging bat…

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Monarch Butterflies in Western North America: A Holistic Review of Population Trends, Ecology, Stressors, Resilience and Adaptation

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Author: James, David G. Description: Monarch butterfly populations in western North America suffered a substantial decline, from millions of butterflies overwintering in California in the 1980s to less than 400,000 at the beginning of the 21st century. The introduction of neonicotinoid insecticides in the mid-1990s and their subsequent widespread use appears to be the most likely major factor behind this sudden decline. Habitat loss and unfavorable climates (high temperatures, aridity, and winter storms) have also played important and ongoing roles. These factors kept overwintering populations stable but below 300,000 during…

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Temperature is positively associated with tree mortality in California subalpine forests containing whitebark pine

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Author: Young, Derek J. N.; Slaton, Michèle R.; Koltunov, Alexander Description: Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelm.) is a keystone high-elevation tree species occurring across much of western North America, yet it has been listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act due to rapid population declines and extensive ongoing pressures from white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola), mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae), and increasing temperature and aridity associated with climate change. Past research has shown that whitebark pine mortality is more likely in hotter and drier sites, but no…

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