Skip to content
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Land-use and climate risk assessment for Earth's remaining wilderness
Current Biology, Volume 32, No. 22, Year 2022
Notification
URL copied to clipboard!
Description
Earth's wilderness areas are reservoirs of genetic information and carbon storage systems, and are vital to reducing extinction risks. Retaining the conservation value of these areas is fundamental to achieving global biodiversity conservation goals; however, climate and land-use risk can undermine their ability to provide these functions. The extent to which wilderness areas are likely to be impacted by these drivers has not previously been quantified. Using climate and land-use change during baseline (1971–2005) and future (2016–2050) periods, we estimate that these stressors within wilderness areas will increase by ca. 60% and 39%, respectively, under a scenario of high emission and land-use change (SSP5-RCP8.5). Nearly half (49%) of all wilderness areas could experience substantial climate change by 2050 under this scenario, potentially limiting their capacity to shelter biodiversity. Notable climate (>5 km year−1) and land-use (>0.25 km year−1) changes are expected to occur more rapidly in the unprotected wilderness, including the edges of the Amazonian wilderness, Northern Russia, and Central Africa, which support unique assemblages of species and are critical for the preservation of biodiversity. However, an alternative scenario of sustainable development (SSP1-RCP2.6) would attenuate the projected climate velocity and land-use instability by 54% and 6%, respectively. Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and preserving the remaining intact natural ecosystems can help fortify these bastions of biodiversity. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.
Authors & Co-Authors
Asamoah, Ernest Frimpong
Australia, Sydney
Macquarie University
Di Marco, Moreno
Italy, Rome
Sapienza Università Di Roma
Watson, James E.M.
Australia, Brisbane
The University of Queensland
Beaumont, Linda J.
Australia, Sydney
Macquarie University
Venter, Oscar
Canada, Prince George
University of Northern British Columbia
Maina, Joseph M.
Australia, Sydney
Macquarie University
Statistics
Citations: 7
Authors: 6
Affiliations: 4
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.cub.2022.10.016
ISSN:
09609822
Research Areas
Environmental
Genetics And Genomics