Innovation Anthology #626:
A recent report from the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute looked at species vulnerability to climate change.
According wildlife biologist and co-author Dr. Christopher Shank, the study focused on 173 species including plants, birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and amphibians.
He says even if animals can pick up and move as conditions change, they may not find a suitable habitat elsewhere.
DR CHRISTOPHER SHANK: We can draw a number of conclusions. One of them is that amphibians are the group that are most at risk from climate change. Birds and mammals are less because of that ability to move. The other thing is that, particularly in the southeastern part of the province, the barriers to movement which are put up by the large expanse of crops, the many roads, the urbanization, they are going to pose a barrier to dispersal of some of the southeastern species. And we really have to think about how we’re going to to overcome that to allow them to move.
Dr. Shank says the next step for the ABMI is to take a more detailed look at the species most at risk to develop management plans for them.
Thanks today to the Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation
FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY
I’M CHERYL CROUCHER
Guest
,
, , , ,
Sponsor
Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation
Program Date: 2014-07-10