Abstract
Coextinction (loss of dependent species with their host or partner species) presents a threat to untold numbers of organisms. Climate change may act synergistically to accelerate rates of coextinction. In this review, we present the first synthesis of the available literature and propose a novel schematic diagram that can be used when assessing the potential risk climate change represents for dependent species. We highlight traits that may increase the susceptibility of insect species to coextinction induced by climate change, suggest the most influential host characteristics, and identify regions where climate change may have the greatest impact on dependent species. The aim of this review was to provide a platform for future research, directing efforts toward taxa and habitats at greatest risk of species loss through coextinction accelerated by climate change.
Highlights
Anthropogenic changes to the environment including land clearing, pollution, introduced species, and climate change are precipitating a possible sixth mass extinction event (Warren et al 2011; Bellard et al 2012)
We have presented the first synthesis of the main factors likely to influence the coextinction risk of plant-dwelling insects in the face of climate change, that have been subject to research, and proposed a novel schematic diagram that can be used when assessing the potential risk climate change represents for dependent species
The factors commonly cited in the literature as most influential in directly affecting insect species are environmental tolerances, host specificity, dispersal capabilities, population fragmentation, and life cycle changes
Summary
Anthropogenic changes to the environment including land clearing, pollution, introduced species, and climate change are precipitating a possible sixth mass extinction event (Warren et al 2011; Bellard et al 2012). Taxa that are dependent on specific host species comprise a large proportion of total biodiversity. We have coined the term “cothreatened” to represent dependents that are at risk of extinction (Moir et al 2011), and their extinction is termed “coextinction”, as it occurs either through the loss of the host or via a change in the host’s population (Stork and Lyal 1993; Moir et al 2010; Colwell et al 2012). Recent modeling demonstrates that climate change will reduce the population sizes of many plant species (e.g., Fitzpatrick et al 2008; Mokany et al 2012; Warren et al 2013). Warren et al (2013) assessed rates of loss for common plants under climate change and found 57% of species will lose more than half their current range by 2080. Species that already have small geographic ranges
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