Tropical Ectotherms and Climate Change

Threat of Climate Change in the Tropics

Climate change is one the most pressing concerns we face as it threatens the biodiversity of both terrestrial and aquatic life. Many studies have been conducted to examine the effects of climate change on the arctic regions.

But is climate change primarily a cold region threat? Data from 1884-2020 provided by NASA would suggest so.
 

NASA imaging of global temperature difference from 2020 compared to 1884

Today I joined David Thomson, an associate researcher for Biodiversity & Development Institute, in his talk about climate change in the tropics. David obtained his zoology degree at Aberdeen university, and later his PhD from Glasgow University. 
Additionally, he has been a quantitative ecologist with the British trust for ornithology and a group research leader at Max Planck Institute in Germany.

With less than 1% of climate change research papers being written on the impact of climate change in the tropics, as shown by the IPCC synthesis report, there is a gap in knowledge.

Upper Critical Temperature

A recent study showed that species in the tropics are threatened more by temperature rise than arctic species. 

Percentage of ectotherm species lost if temperature increases by 3°C   

 A 3°C increase in temperature will have little effect on most ectotherms that live in areas under 30°C but impact rapidly increases after. This is due to ectotherms in warmer climates reaching their upper critical temperatures (UCT).

The UCT of most ectotherms lies within the 30°C-40°C range. The lowest known UCT is 4.5°C in an arctic mollusc, and none can exceed 60°C. 

This is supported by another study which found that tropical ectotherm species have a lower temperature tolerance range than species in colder northern regions.

To quote David Thomson, "Temperature increase in hot regions may be smaller but ecological impact could be greater"

These interesting research discoveries could lead to increased conservation efforts around the tropics, and offers an additional perspective on the impact climate change will have on our precious ecosystems. 

With this new information and disparity between research papers, perhaps more research will be conducted on the effects of climate change on the tropics in the future. 

Conclusion

Climate change has been a hot topic for many years, and more research is being released each year that allows us to better understand it. Referenced research shows us that tropical ectothermic species, such as lizards and snakes, are under an even greater threat than previously though as they get closer to their upper thermal limits.

Student Reflection

It is unclear how this will effect my future career, I find the impacts of climate change both fascinating and worrisome. Although uncertain, it remains a viable option. 

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