Climate Change and Forest Biodiversity: Impacts and Strategies for Conservation

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Biodiversity Conservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 1196

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Institute for Ecology and Environmental Resources, Chongqing Academy of Social Sciences, Chongqing 400020, China
Interests: human–wildlife conflicts; conservation biology; protected area management; climate change; landscape ecology; ecological modeling; ecological security
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The progress of industrial civilization has facilitated the development of human society, but has also resulted in various issues related to population, environment, resources, and energy. Of particular concern is the global change characterized by climate warming, which has emerged as the most severe environmental problem that humanity will face in the 21st century, as the trend of global temperature rise is becoming increasingly evident. Global climate change is increasingly recognized as major threats to global biodiversity, with significant impacts on wildlife populations and ecosystems worldwide. Understanding how species respond to climate change is critical for increasing the effectiveness of conservation efforts and identifying habitats that are vulnerable to climate change for biodiversity conservation.

The research topic focuses on the impact of global climate change on forest biodiversity. The alterations in temperature and precipitation patterns caused by climate change have led to modified ecological conditions, which can have a severe impact on forest ecosystems and their biodiversity. As a result, forest species' distribution, abundance, and diversity, as well as their interactions with one another and their surroundings, may be affected. To mitigate these effects, it is crucial to gain an understanding of the mechanisms behind these changes and to identify potential strategies for addressing them. Through the application of various technological advances such as Ecological Niche Modeling (ENM) and 3S technology, we can more accurately monitor and evaluate forest biodiversity and their responses to climate change. Additionally, advances in genetic analysis can provide a better comprehension of forest species' genetic diversity and their adaptation to changing environmental conditions.

The scope of this research topic is broad and encompasses multiple disciplines, including ecology, climatology, genetics, and conservation biology. Contributors are encouraged to address a wide range of themes related to this topic, including:

  • The effects of climate change on biodiversity, including shifts in species distributions and changes in community dynamics.
  • The impact of climate change on wildlife habitats, how it leads to habitat changes and species migrations, thereby increasing contact between humans and wildlife. This process may exacerbate human-wildlife conflicts, affecting ecological balance and human livelihoods.
  • The role of forests in mitigating climate change, including carbon sequestration, and the impact of deforestation and forest degradation on global greenhouse gas emissions.
  • The use of advanced technologies, such as remote sensing and genetic analysis, to monitor and understand changes in forest ecosystems and their biodiversity.
  • Conservation and restoration strategies to protect biodiversity in the face of climate change, including reforestation and habitat conservation.
  • The social and economic implications of climate change and forest biodiversity loss, including impacts on human livelihoods and the provision of ecosystem services.

Dr. Yunchuan Dai
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • climate change
  • biodiversity conservation
  • forest ecosystem assessment
  • ecosystem service
  • human-wildlife conflicts

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 7659 KiB  
Article
Prediction of Climate Change Impacts on the Distribution of an Umbrella Species in Western Sichuan Province, China: Insights from the MaxEnt Model and Circuit Theory
by Xiaoyun Deng and Qiaoyun Sun
Diversity 2025, 17(1), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17010067 - 19 Jan 2025
Viewed by 852
Abstract
Climate change poses a significant threat to biodiversity. Predicting the impacts of climate change on species distribution and dispersal through computational models and big data analysis can provide valuable insights. These predictions are crucial for developing effective strategies to mitigate the threats that [...] Read more.
Climate change poses a significant threat to biodiversity. Predicting the impacts of climate change on species distribution and dispersal through computational models and big data analysis can provide valuable insights. These predictions are crucial for developing effective strategies to mitigate the threats that climate change poses to biodiversity. Our study investigated the potential impact of climate change on an umbrella species (Ursus arctos pruinosus) in Western Sichuan Province, China. We employed the MaxEnt and Circuit Theory to assess both the current and potential future shifts in the distribution and migration corridors. The results indicated that climate and environmental factors had the greatest influence on species distribution, with bioclimatic variables bio12, bio3, and elevation contributing 22.1%, 21.5%, and 19.3%, respectively. Under current climatic conditions, the total suitable habitat area for the species was 70,969.78 km2, with the largest suitable habitats located in Shiqu and Litang, accounting for 24.39% and 15.86% of the total area, respectively. However, under future climate scenarios, predictions for RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5 showed a significant reduction in suitable habitat area, ranging from 7789.26 km2 to 16,678.85 km2. The Yajiang and Xinlong counties experienced the most severe habitat reductions, with declines exceeding 50%. Additionally, the altitudinal distribution of suitable habitats shifted, with suitable habitats gradually moving to higher elevations under future climate scenarios. Our study also analyzed the species’ dispersal paths. Under current climatic conditions, the dispersal paths predominantly followed a northwest-to-southeast orientation. However, by the 2070s, under all three RCPs, dispersal resistance is projected to significantly increase, the density of dispersal paths will decrease, and the connectivity of these paths will be reduced. In the most extreme RCP 8.5 scenario, southern dispersal paths nearly disappeared, and the dispersal paths contracted towards the northwest. These findings highlight potential threats posed by climate change to the species’ habitats and dispersal corridors, emphasizing the importance of considering both current and future climate change in conservation strategies to protect this vulnerable species and its ecosystem. Full article
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