253 / 2024-09-12 19:36:42

Incorporating multiple sources of knowledge when assessing species vulnerability to climate change

climate change,species distribution model,macroecology,range shift

Climate change represents one of the direct drivers of global biodiversity loss, and it is critical to assess species vulnerability to climate change. Species distribution models (SDMs) represent the most widely used approach to assess species vulnerability to climate change and have been successfully applied in a number of taxa. Despite its popularity, correlative SDMs heavily rely on abiotic predictors, while largely overlooking intraspecific variations, biotic interactions, and physiological information. To improve the forecast for biodiversity under climate change, multiple sources of knowledge must be incorporated into SDMs. Here, using marine organisms as case studies, we demonstrated the importance of genetic, physiology, and biotic interactions in assessing vulnerability of marine species to climate change. Our findings highlight the importance of incorporating multiple sources of knowledge when assessing species vulnerability to climate change.