8 Ways To Find The Best Web Design Agencies For Your…According to a new study, 91.6% of terrestrial mammal communities in the Caatinga will lose species by 2060, with 87% of them being deprived of their habitats if the temperature in the region increases by at least 2°C.
In a previous study, the same researchers had warned that 99% of plant communities in the Caatinga will lose species by 2060. Small mammal species such as the white-eared possum are expected to be highly affected by climate change in the Caatinga. Image by Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil via Wikimedia Commons .
This replacement will result in loss of ecological functions such as seed dispersal. The entire ecosystem will become less resilient. “Small species will be harmed the most and will lose most of their habitats, especially in highlands,” says Moura. “The scenario is even worse in the eastern half of the Caatinga, where habitat destruction already prevails, worsening the threats faced by animals in that area.
Moura says that, in their optimistic scenario, 87% of mammal species will lose areas that are climatically suitable for their occurrence by 2060. Twelve species could become extinct in the Caatinga, including some iconic ones such as the giant anteater . “In other words, they will lose 100% of climatically suitable areas by 2060,” he says. “In our pessimistic scenario, this number rises to 28 species.
The construction of these wind farms involves cutting down native vegetation, which can dry out nearby springs and alter the natural flow of rainwater. As a result, jaguars need to travel greater distances in search of water and food, which draws them closer to rural properties where they usually kill goats, and farmers end up killing them to protect their livestock.