一些研究人員說,,與先前預(yù)計(jì)相比,,野生動(dòng)植物正以更快速度“回應(yīng)”全球氣候變暖趨勢。
英國約克大學(xué)保護(hù)生物學(xué)教授克里斯·托馬斯領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的團(tuán)隊(duì)分析超過2000種物種的數(shù)據(jù),,從而得出上述研究結(jié)果,。成果論文8月18日刊登于美國《科學(xué)》雜志。
過去10年間,,動(dòng)植物向高海拔地區(qū)平均移動(dòng)了40英尺(約合12.2米),,向極地地帶平均移動(dòng)了10.31英里(約合16.6公里)。移動(dòng)速度分別是2003年科學(xué)家預(yù)計(jì)速度的2倍和3倍,。
不過,,托馬斯說,全球氣候變暖只是影響某一物種生活方式的一個(gè)因素,。因此,,受人類活動(dòng)、降雨等其他因素影響,,不是所有物種都向更寒冷的地帶移動(dòng),,一些物種可能因棲息地喪失而種群數(shù)量減少。
“(這份報(bào)告)最主要的發(fā)現(xiàn)是,,物種間對氣候變化反應(yīng)差別巨大,。因?yàn)椴煌锓N生存會(huì)受到不同因素的影響……當(dāng)氣候變化時(shí),,它們有可能移動(dòng)到各種可用的新棲息地。”
以英國豹紋蝶為例,,如果氣溫是影響它生存的唯一原因,,它按預(yù)計(jì)應(yīng)向北方移動(dòng)。但報(bào)告表明,,豹紋蝶數(shù)量減少是因?yàn)闂⒌貑适А6S鉤蛺蝶卻在過去20年間北遷137英里(220公里),,從英格蘭中部移動(dòng)至蘇格蘭愛丁堡,。
托馬斯說:“因?yàn)槲锓N對氣候變化的不同反應(yīng),預(yù)測單個(gè)物種的行為是困難的……要想切實(shí)保護(hù)物種,,現(xiàn)在看來還需要更多詳細(xì)信息,。”(生物谷 Bioon.com)
doi:10.1126/science.1206432
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Rapid Range Shifts of Species Associated with High Levels of Climate Warming
Chen, I-Ching; Hill, Jane K.; Ohlemüller, Ralf; Roy, David B.; Thomas, Chris D.
The distributions of many terrestrial organisms are currently shifting in latitude or elevation in response to changing climate.Using a meta-analysis, we estimated that the distributions of species have recently shifted to higher elevations at a medianrate of 11.0 meters per decade, and to higher latitudes at a median rate of 16.9 kilometers per decade. These rates are approximatelytwo and three times faster than previously reported. The distances moved by species are greatest in studies showing the highestlevels of warming, with average latitudinal shifts being generally sufficient to track temperature changes. However, individualspecies vary greatly in their rates of change, suggesting that the range shift of each species depends on multiple internalspecies traits and external drivers of change. Rapid average shifts derive from a wide diversity of responses by individualspecies.