2012 April | Céline Bellard#, Cleo Bertelsmeier#, Paul Leadley1, Wilfried Thuiller2, and Franck Courchamp1
The article reviews the impacts of climate change on biodiversity, highlighting that species can respond by shifting their climatic niche along three axes: time (phenology), space (range), and self (physiology). It discusses various models used to estimate future biodiversity, noting their variability and the challenges in projecting impacts. Current models suggest alarming consequences, with some scenarios leading to extinction rates comparable to the sixth mass extinction. The review emphasizes the need for improved models that account for multiple responses, co-extinctions, and synergies with other stressors. It also highlights the importance of considering different biodiversity metrics, spatial scales, and time periods. The article concludes that while climate change poses significant threats to biodiversity, there is a need for integrated approaches to manage and conserve biodiversity in the face of global change.The article reviews the impacts of climate change on biodiversity, highlighting that species can respond by shifting their climatic niche along three axes: time (phenology), space (range), and self (physiology). It discusses various models used to estimate future biodiversity, noting their variability and the challenges in projecting impacts. Current models suggest alarming consequences, with some scenarios leading to extinction rates comparable to the sixth mass extinction. The review emphasizes the need for improved models that account for multiple responses, co-extinctions, and synergies with other stressors. It also highlights the importance of considering different biodiversity metrics, spatial scales, and time periods. The article concludes that while climate change poses significant threats to biodiversity, there is a need for integrated approaches to manage and conserve biodiversity in the face of global change.