While global warming may be more extreme at higher latitudes, a team of scientists has found it is tropical species which will be more at risk from higher average temperatures.
Scientists have found that tropical species are more at risk from climate change. Photo: Orange-eyed tree frog. Credit: rainforest_harley/flickr
A study led by the University of Washington (UW) has found tropical species are used to living within a much smaller temperature range, in contrast to creatures living in the rest of the world, who are able to adapt to a wider range of climates on a regular basis.
"There's a strong relationship between your physiology and the climate you live in," said Joshua Tewksbury, a UW assistant professor of biology. "In the tropics many species appear to be living at or near their thermal optimum, a temperature that lets them thrive. But once temperature gets above the thermal optimum, fitness levels most likely decline quickly and there may not be much they can do about it."
In contrast, many arctic species are used to living in temperatures from subzero to a comparatively warm 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
"Many tropical species can only tolerate a narrow range of temperatures because the climate they experience is pretty constant throughout the year," said Curtis Deutsch, an assistant professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles. "Our calculations show that they will be harmed by rising temperatures more than would species in cold climates.
"Unfortunately, the tropics also hold the large majority of species on the planet," he continued.
The study consisted of analysis of daily and monthly global temperatures from 1950 to 2000 and the findings are published in the May 6 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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