Multiple Dimensions of Climate Change and Their Implications for Biodiversity

摘要

Changes in Earth's climate over time can be measured in many ways. The different metrics available represent alternative dimensions of climate change, each with distinct implications for biodiversity conservation and other sectors. However, this diversity is rarely recognized. At any given locality, average temperature or precipitation can increase or decrease, extreme values can become more intense or frequent, and the timing of specific climatic events can shift. At the same time, climatic conditions are redistributed at broader spatial extents. Across sets of localities, particular climatic conditions can become more or less available and can shift closer or farther in position at different velocities. Metrics quantifying these and other dimensions of change are commonly used in basic and applied sciences. In ecological contexts, individual metrics have helped to explain the role of past climate changes in driving species diversity or extinctions and to forecast the exposure of biodiversity to future climate changes. Yet, a comparison of the many alternative metrics in use is lacking to gain understanding of their properties and guide their use in biodiversity assessments.