Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have mapped the globe with an eye toward areas that should be protected the most from habitat loss due to climate change. The maps reveal the ‘battlegrounds’ for conservation, pinpointing the areas where conservation investment would have the most impact for future biodiversity.
The researchers mapped regions that face the greatest habitat from climate change in relation to the amount of land protected and that region’s biodiversity. Areas with a great species diversity, such as Indonesia and Madagascar, have the fewest resources for conservation, whereas areas with networks of reserves (Austria, Germany, Switzerland) have far less biodiversity but greater resources for conservation.
“Tropical countries are currently sitting on vast tracts of forests that are substantial carbon sinks and if they can get adequate financial help to protect these habitats, both global climate change and biodiversity loss could be mitigated,†said Tien Ming Lee, a graduate student and the first author of the study.
You can read more details on the study here.
