Abstract
Recent changes in climate are transforming the situation of life on Earth, including impacting the conservation status of many plant and animal species. This study aims to evaluate potential impacts of climate change on a medicinal plant that is known to be heat-tolerant, Capparis spinosa L. We used ecological niche modeling to estimate current and future potential distributions for the species, considering two emissions scenarios and five climate models for two time periods (2050 and 2070). The results in terms of areal coverage at different suitability levels in the future were closely similar to its present-day distribution; indeed, only minor differences existed in highly suitable area, with increases of only 0.2–0.3% in suitable area for 2050 and 2070 under representative concentration pathway 4.5. Given that climate-mediated range shifts in the species are expected to be minor, conservation attention to this species can focus on minimizing local effects of anthropogenic activity.
Highlights
In recent years, climate change has been established as a clear and emerging global process, and adverse impacts on biological elements have been reported worldwide (Bellard et al, 2012)
How to cite this article Ashraf et al (2018), Impacts of climate change on Capparis spinosa L. based on ecological niche modeling
To estimate the area (M) that has been accessible to the species over relevant time periods (Barve et al, 2011), which should be used as the model calibration area, we applied a buffer of 1,000 km around all of the known occurrence points (Fig. 1) (Barve et al, 2011)
Summary
Climate change has been established as a clear and emerging global process, and adverse impacts on biological elements have been reported worldwide (Bellard et al, 2012). Fruits, seeds, shoots, and bark of roots were traditionally used for pharmacological purposes, especially for treating rheumatism (Jiang et al, 2007; Renfrew, 1973) This plant is widely appreciated for its medicinal properties, including curative properties for a variety of health problems, diseases of the spleen, kidney, and liver (Sakcali, Bahadir & Ozturk, 2008; Khatib et al, 2016). These properties apparently derive from compounds such as rutin, carotenoid, vitamin C, and tocopherols (Khatib et al, 2016). This plant is potentially important in combating desertification and minimizing soil erosion, thanks to its drought-resistant natural history (Sakcali, Bahadir & Ozturk, 2008)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
