Researchers at James Cook University and the Australian Tropical Herbarium made an alarming discovery about the fate of mountaintop plants in the tropics. They found out that many of the species they studied will not be able to survive in their current locations past 2080 as their high- altitude climate is changing. The Wet Tropics World Heritage Area in Queensland, Australia is predicted to almost completely lose its ability to host these native plants, growing 1000 meters or more above sea level. 19 plant species were reviewed and three climate change scenarios were modeled, ranging from conservative to extreme. The results showed that by 2040, the climatic conditions these plant species thrive in could decline anywhere between 17%- 100%. Between 2040-2060, 8-12 species will be at risk of extinction. Predictions indicate that by 2080 no suitable habitat will exist within the region for 84% of the species studied. The data indicates that the climate atop the mountain will virtually disappear. “We don’t know if these plants can adapt.”, says Dr. Coston, lead researcher. The plant species are restricted solely to this area because of the climate. Although other areas possess similar soil and substrate environments, they lack a suitable climate. A possible solution to this problem would be to grow these plants in a botanical garden under controllable conditions. Barriers to the solution could be time and funding. Building a botanical garden can be costly and time-consuming depending on the size and location. The effects of global warming are intensifying tremendously; these plants may not be able to sustain dramatic changes for another 25 years. Personally, I believe this is an important issue. Ecosystem processes and trophic relationships are being threatened by climate change.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150807110754.htm
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