Cited by 460Avian ecology and behaviorSpecies Distribution and Climate ChangeClimate Change and Environmental Impact

The effects of climate change on tropical birds

Şekercioğlu, Çağan H., Primack, Richard B., Wormworth, Janice·2012·Biological Conservation

Abstract

Birds are among the most widely studied organisms on earth and represent an important indicator group for learning about the effects of climate change – particularly in regard to the effects of climate change on tropical ecosystems. In this review, we assess the potential impacts of climate change on tropical birds and discuss the factors that affect species’ ability to adapt and survive the impending alterations in habitat availability. Tropical mountain birds, species without access to higher elevations, coastal forest birds, and restricted-range species are especially vulnerable. Some birds may be especially susceptible to increased rainfall seasonality and to extreme weather events, such as heat waves, cold spells, and tropical cyclones. Birds that experience limited temperature variation and have low basal metabolic rates will be the most prone to the physiological effects of warming temperatures and heat waves. Mostly unknown species’ interactions, indirect effects, and synergies of climate change with other threats, such as habitat loss, emerging diseases, invasive species, and hunting will exacerbate the effects of climate change on tropical birds. In some models habitat loss can increase bird extinctions caused by climate change by 50%. 3.5°C surface warming by the year 2100 may result in 600–900 extinctions of land bird species, 89% of which occur in the tropics. Depending on the amount of future habitat loss, each degree of surface warming could lead to approximately 100–500 additional bird extinctions. Protected areas will be more important than ever, but they need to be designed with climate change in mind. Although 92% of currently protected areas are likely to become climatically unsuitable in a century, for example only 7 or 8 priority species’ preferred climatic envelopes are projected to be entirely lost from the African Important Bird Area network. Networks of protected areas need to incorporate extensive topographical diversity, cover wide elevational ranges, have high connectivity, and integrate human-dominated landscapes into conservation schemes. Most tropical bird species vulnerable to climate change are not currently considered threatened with extinction, often due to lack of knowledge; systematically and regularly gathering information on the ecology, and current and future distributions of these species is an urgent priority. Locally based, long-term tropical bird monitoring and conservation programs based on adaptive management are essential to help protect birds against climate change.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.biocon.2011.10.019

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195 of 195 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Reductions in habitat area as species move up mountains increase extinction rates and can erode genetic diversity, further reducing fitness and response to ongoing changes in climate.

    “The reductions in habitat area as species move up mountains also increase extinction rates (87), and can erode genetic diversity, further reducing fitness and response to ongoing changes in climate (122, 123).”

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Authors
Şekercioğlu, Ç. H., Primack, R. B., & Wormworth, J.
Affiliations
Boston University (US)
Venue
Biological Conservation
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2012-04
Volume
148
Issue
1
Pages
1-18
ISSN
0006-3207 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2029065277
Cited by
460
References
195
Citations by year
2026: 25 · 2025: 48 · 2024: 62 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 36 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 6
FWCI
19.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Biological Conservation (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Avian ecology and behavior
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecological Modeling › Species Distribution and Climate Change
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Climate Change and Environmental Impact
Keywords
climate change impacts, tropical birds, range-restricted species, precipitation seasonality, heat waves, tropical cyclones, habitat loss, protected area design, climate change adaptation, adaptive management, bird monitoring, species distribution projections

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