Considering the hidden threats of climate change: A new approach puts overlooked species on the conservation radar

Abstract

This is a synthesis of our recent article in Biodiversity Conservation written in less technical language for wildlife managers for consideration for publication in the widely read magazine published by The Wildlife Society, "The Wildlife Professional." We introduce a new metric that we derived to batch-assess broad taxonomic groups relative to their climate sensitivity and rarity. We conducted a case study assessment of all fishes, amphibians, and reptiles with native ranges in Oregon, using our new metric. We also analyzed the data from these three taxa to see if it mattered how easily accessible locality data were compiled, by data type, by geographic scope, or by spatial resolution of how a "site" was defined. Our intent was to show how wildlife managers could easily and practically conduct large regional climate sensitivity and rarity assessments of multiple taxa using a common approach, such that cross-taxonomic comparisons could be made. Our results point out species that may have been neglected in earlier assessments of rarity alone. Results are pertinent to state wildlife resource management decisions.

Citation

Mims, Meryl C.; Olson, Deanna H.; Pilliod, David S.; Dunham, Jason B. 2019. Considering the hidden threats of climate change: A new approach puts overlooked species on the conservation radar. The Wildlife Professional. 13(3):50-52.