Trophic reorganization of animal communities under climate change
- Manuel Mendoza,
- Miguel Araujo
Abstract
Climate controls the amount of energy available for plants, which in
turn determines the quantity of resources available for animals. It
follows that when climate changes, so should trophic communities. Using
a novel modeling approach, we investigated how bird and mammal trophic
communities might disassemble and reassemble under 21st century climate
changes. We show that trophic structures are expected to undergo
profound changes globally, chiefly in the tropics and across high
latitudes in the northern hemisphere. This trophic reorganization of
communities is characterized by shifts in species richness within
trophic guilds. While species in some guilds might face population
collapses, species in other guilds are expected to find new
opportunities to maintain stable populations in previously saturated
areas. The proposed models offer a tool for projecting and understanding
the trophic ramifications of climate change, highlighting their
potential in guiding future research and conservation efforts.