Core Topic (CT)

The contemporary status of biodiversity in West Africa and concepts for its sustainable conservation

 Topic (T)

Regional to Continental Scale

 Title

Consequences of global change for species distributions and ecosystems

 Project leader(s)

Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Barthlott & J. Henning Sommer
Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Kalko & Jakob Fahr
Prof. Dr. Mark-Oliver Rödel & Johannes Penner
Prof. Dr. Paul L. G. Vlek & Dr. Ulrike Falk

 Project description

Changing climate conditions in the context of global change will have severe impacts on species distributions and can thereby alter biodiversity patterns, ecosystem functions, and vital ecosystem goods and services. At the same time, climate change is presently considered to be one of the largest threats to sustainable development. Based on current species distributions and biodiversity patterns (bats, amphibians, plants) we model possible shifts of species ranges and hence biodiversity patterns due to future climate change and its potential consequences, e.g. on ecosystem services. Our modelling will identify hotspots of distribution shifts and habitat alterations, as well as potential refuge areas where future conditions for the persistence of biomes and species may remain suitable.

Results of this workpackage will be used in our evaluation of PAs and therefore contribute directly to the development of long-term conservation strategies (CT1-T2-WP4).