Posted: 18:54, July 21, 2022 | Updated: 18:54, 21 July 2022
Soon you may not be able to tell your pigeon from your parrot as climate change threatens to wipe out birds with more extreme physical characteristics. New research from the University of Sheffield shows they are adapting to global warming by developing large beaks and losing their distinctive features. Scientists have discovered that the world’s smallest and largest birds are likely to be most at risk of extinction. They also found that the loss of diversity could occur faster than we would expect based on species loss alone. This could lead to the extinction of birds with unique characteristics that could benefit humans. Lead author Dr Emma Hughes said: “As species disappear, you expect the traits they represent to be lost too. “But what we found was that with morphological diversity, traits were lost at a much, much, much greater rate than species loss would predict. “This is really important because it can lead to a significant loss of ecological strategies and functions.” The kingfisher stork (pictured) is found in tropical Southeast Asia, an area at risk of losing biodiversity due to climate change, study finds Scientists have discovered that the world’s smallest and largest birds are likely to be most at risk of extinction. Ostriches are the largest living bird in the world (photo)
MAMMALS CHANGE SHAPE TOO
According to researchers from Australia’s Deakin University, mammal species are also undergoing remarkable changes. While most studies of the effects of climate change on mammals have focused on overall body size, some researchers have observed changes in specific parts. For example, wood mice grow longer tails, while muskrats grow longer tails and legs. Bats have also been found to increase the size of their ears, tail, legs and wings alongside warming. Read more here The study, published today in Current Biology, describes how the team analyzed physical characteristics, such as body size, beak shape, and leg and wing length, of 8,455 bird species around the world from museum collections. They then modeled how biodiversity would change in a world where species currently classified as ‘critically endangered’, ‘endangered’ and ‘vulnerable’ disappeared, successively removing species from endangered species. They found that as species were lost, so was the diversity in their physical characteristics, and they tended to have small to medium body sizes and short beaks. Birds vary greatly in size and shape – from the giant flightless ostrich to the tiny, buzzing hummingbird. Dr Hughes said: “We find strong evidence to support the hypothesis that larger and smaller species are likely to be more at risk of extinction.” Like humans, birds are warm-blooded, so they must maintain a body temperature higher than their environment. The researchers also discovered that birds are developing longer beaks to help them maintain a constant temperature as the climate changes. Parrot bills, for example, have increased by as much as ten percent in the 150 years since the start of the industrial revolution. The results of the study revealed that species with extreme traits such as unique plumage are more likely to be lost as a result of the effects of climate change. Pictured are black-and-white warblers, living in Cambodia – an area at risk of bird biodiversity loss Some areas are more likely to be left with similar populations of bird species as their extremes are gradually eliminated. Pictured is the Siberian Blue Robin The study found that some areas are more likely to be left with similar populations of bird species as their extreme traits are gradually removed. Bird researcher Dr Hughes said: “The mountains and foothills of the Himalayas are at particular risk and the loss of trait diversity is likely to be significant. “The dry and wet forests of southern Vietnam and Cambodia are also vulnerable. “They include Siberian blue-throated robins, stork kingfisher, black and red marlin and eastern paradise. The team hopes their work will help people understand how biodiversity loss will change the world. He added: “The global extinction crisis is not just about losing species. “It means we are losing unique traits and evolutionary history, including species that could provide unique benefits to humanity that are currently unknown.”
Future warming threatens marine life in more than 70 percent of ocean’s most biodiverse areas
More than 70 percent of the most biodiverse areas of Earth’s oceans are threatened by climate change. The researchers determined where species would have to move to find habitable space among warming oceans. They used a new technique to compare past and future extremes of ocean warming, which allowed them to map global exposure to future climate change and determine the distances species would need to move to find better climates. “Our research shows that sites with exceptionally high marine biodiversity are the most exposed to future ocean warming, making them particularly vulnerable to 21st century climate change,” said lead author Dr. Stuart Brown from the University of Adelaide’s Institute of the Environment. Read more here Some of Earth’s most biodiverse ocean regions are under threat from climate change, new research reveals. Left: Caretta Caretta Right: Gray Reef Shark and Blacktip Sharks
