Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Carnivora. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Conservation and climate change, what if?
Topic Started: Mar 26 2015, 03:48 AM (666 Views)
Mesopredator
Member Avatar
Disaster taxa
[ *  *  *  *  *  * ]
The following scenario:

We have species X. Species X has a limited range, add to that a limited mobility, but is not threatened. Until. BABOOM! It's climate change - deal with it. Species X former habitat is shrinking and in fact the habitat will be gone in the future. Simply moving species X a bit futher north or south, or any direction for that matter, won't do it; there's no suitable area where it can live near its former range.

So now what? What can we do to safe this species?

Moving it completely somewhere else is the only option really. But can we do this? How can we prevent it from becoming invasive? Discuss!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Inhumanum Rapax
Member Avatar
Parabola Vita
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Create a captive breeding population in a controlled biome that's similar to their home range, and return them once their native living area is habitable again. This is a very condensed version of what I have in mind but I don't have the volition to write the complete thing at the moment, I'll change it sooner or later.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
maker
Member Avatar
Apex Predator
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Mesopredator
Mar 26 2015, 03:48 AM
there's no suitable area where it can live near its former range.
There are still suitable areas outside its native range right?
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Mesopredator
Member Avatar
Disaster taxa
[ *  *  *  *  *  * ]
maker
Mar 26 2015, 06:48 AM
Mesopredator
Mar 26 2015, 03:48 AM
there's no suitable area where it can live near its former range.
There are still suitable areas outside its native range right?
Yes, exactly.

I can't think of any real examples yet, but think of a isolated environment that by climate change is turning into a desert, or anything else. There are a number of species with very specific habitat requirements, with a small range. Monito del monte, wollemia (a tree species), are examples of species with a very limited range. I do not know however if they have very specific habitat requirements and both are relic species.

Or think of island endemics. Climate change can change the flora of the island, which in turn can be unsuitable for the endemic species on it. What to do?

Quote:
 
and return them once their native living area is habitable again.
I think your idea is good to put those at risk in captivity. But wouldn't it be unlikely to place them in the original habitat? Some restoration might be possible but climate change is not reversable. As of now, we can only minimize the impact of it.
Edited by Mesopredator, Mar 26 2015, 07:14 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · Zoological Debate & Discussion · Next Topic »
Add Reply