Tropical Birds Face Dire Threats from Escalating Heat Waves
A new study reveals a decline in tropical bird populations by approximately 25-38% since 1980, due to rising heat extremes driven by climate change. The research highlights that extreme temperatures, more frequent today, are causing mortality, reduced fertility, and changing behaviors in these sensitive species.
- Country:
- India
A recent study has sounded the alarm on the steep decline in bird populations across tropical regions, attributing the troubling 25-38% drop since 1980 to intensifying heat extremes.
Published in the journal 'Nature', the report involved experts from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, University of Queensland, and the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre. Lead researcher Maximilian Kotz noted that birds, highly sensitive to heat stress and dehydration, are seeing mortality rates spike and breeding behaviors shift.
The study uniquely distinguishes climate change impacts from human activities like deforestation, revealing the grave role of rising temperatures in pushing species out of historic ranges. This calls for enhanced conservation strategies, including potential ex-situ measures, to address the urgency of reducing emissions.
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