Potential impacts of climatic change on European breeding birds.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Climatic change is expected to lead to changes in species' geographical ranges. Adaptation strategies for biodiversity conservation require quantitative estimates of the magnitude, direction and rates of these potential changes. Such estimates are of greatest value when they are made for large ensembles of species and for extensive (sub-continental or continental) regions.

Methodology/principal findings

For six climate scenarios for 2070-99 changes have been estimated for 431 European breeding bird species using models relating species' distributions in Europe to climate. Mean range centroid potentially shifted 258-882 km in a direction between 341 degrees (NNW) and 45 degrees (NE), depending upon the climate scenario considered. Potential future range extent aver

SUBMITTER: Huntley B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2186378 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature