Climate change reshuffles northern species within their niches

Laura H. Antão (), Benjamin Weigel (), Giovanni Strona, Maria Hällfors, Elina Kaarlejärvi, Tad Dallas, Øystein H. Opedal, Janne Heliölä, Heikki Henttonen, Otso Huitu, Erkki Korpimäki, Mikko Kuussaari, Aleksi Lehikoinen, Reima Leinonen, Andreas Lindén, Päivi Merilä, Hannu Pietiäinen, Juha Pöyry, Maija Salemaa, Tiina Tonteri, Kristiina Vuorio, Otso Ovaskainen, Marjo Saastamoinen, Jarno Vanhatalo, Tomas Roslin and Anna-Liisa Laine
Additional contact information
Laura H. Antão: University of Helsinki
Benjamin Weigel: University of Helsinki
Giovanni Strona: University of Helsinki
Maria Hällfors: University of Helsinki
Elina Kaarlejärvi: University of Helsinki
Tad Dallas: University of South Carolina
Øystein H. Opedal: Lund University
Janne Heliölä: Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
Heikki Henttonen: Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
Otso Huitu: Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
Erkki Korpimäki: University of Turku
Mikko Kuussaari: Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
Aleksi Lehikoinen: University of Helsinki
Reima Leinonen: Kainuu Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment
Andreas Lindén: Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
Päivi Merilä: Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
Hannu Pietiäinen: University of Helsinki
Juha Pöyry: Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
Maija Salemaa: Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
Tiina Tonteri: Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
Kristiina Vuorio: Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
Otso Ovaskainen: University of Helsinki
Marjo Saastamoinen: University of Helsinki
Jarno Vanhatalo: University of Helsinki
Tomas Roslin: University of Helsinki
Anna-Liisa Laine: University of Helsinki

Nature Climate Change, 2022, vol. 12, issue 6, 587-592

Abstract: Abstract Climate change is a pervasive threat to biodiversity. While range shifts are a known consequence of climate warming contributing to regional community change, less is known about how species’ positions shift within their climatic niches. Furthermore, whether the relative importance of different climatic variables prompting such shifts varies with changing climate remains unclear. Here we analysed four decades of data for 1,478 species of birds, mammals, butterflies, moths, plants and phytoplankton along a 1,200 km high latitudinal gradient. The relative importance of climatic drivers varied non-uniformly with progressing climate change. While species turnover among decades was limited, the relative position of species within their climatic niche shifted substantially. A greater proportion of species responded to climatic change at higher latitudes, where changes were stronger. These diverging climate imprints restructure a full biome, making it difficult to generalize biodiversity responses and raising concerns about ecosystem integrity in the face of accelerating climate change.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41558-022-01381-x

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