Elevation Regulates the Response of Climate Heterogeneity to Climate Change

Autor: Yanlong Guan, Junguo Liu, Wenhui Cui, Deliang Chen, Jiankai Zhang, Hongwei Lu, Eduardo Eiji Maeda, Zhenzhong Zeng, Hylke E. Beck
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Geophysical Research Letters, Vol 51, Iss 12, Pp n/a-n/a (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1944-8007
0094-8276
DOI: 10.1029/2024GL109483
Popis: Abstract Climate change represents a profound threat to the diversity and stability of global climate zones. However, the complex interplay between climate change and elevation in shaping climate heterogeneity is not yet fully understood. Here, we combine Shannon's diversity index (SHDI) with the Köppen‐Geiger climate classification to explore the altitudinal distributions of global climate heterogeneity; and their responses to climate change. The study reveals a distinctive pattern: SHDI, a proxy for climate heterogeneity tends to slow down or decline at lower elevations with increasing temperatures, while at higher elevations, it continues to rise due to continuing cold conditions. Examination of climate simulations, both with and without anthropogenic forcing, confirms that observed changes in climate heterogeneity are primarily attributable to anthropogenic climate change within these high‐elevation regions. This study underscores the importance of high‐elevation regions as not only custodians of diverse climate types but also potential refuges for species fleeing warmer climates.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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