Are common species endangered by climate change?, Habitat suitability projections for the royal ground snake, Liophis reginae (Serpentes, Dipsadidae)

作者：Mattos Dourado Mesquita Paulo Cesar; Pinheiro Mesquita Sherida Ferreira; Pietczak Carolina

来源：North-Western Journal of Zoology, 2013, 9(1): 51-56.

• Global warming
• reptile
• distribution
• niche model
• Maxent

Climate change may affect the distribution of many species regardless of their rareness or commonness. This scenario includes most reptiles: being ectotherms they are consequently highly dependent of some environmental conditions. Herein we present a distribution map for a common snake, widely distributed in South America, Liophis reginae, based on literature records and ecological niche models to project possible changes in its distribution caused by climate change based on ten climatic conditions projected for the present, 2020, 2050 and 2080. Our results predict increasing fragmentation and loss of suitable areas for Liophis regime despite of its commonness. We suggest that conservation efforts should consider both the maintenance of rare and imminently threatened species and the prevention of population depletion of common species, because, in comparison with rare species, common species are often more important in the structure and dynamics of communities.

• 出版日期2013-6