Climate Change Pushing Amphibians Beyond their Tolerance Heatwave Study Warns
A new study published in Nature has revealed that two per cent of the world’s amphibians are already experiencing temperatures beyond their tolerance limits raising alarms about the impact of global warming on these highly vulnerable species.
Researchers studied 5,203 amphibian species and found that 104 are already exposed to overheating in shaded terrestrial conditions. The study warns that if global temperatures rise by 4°C, as many as 7.5 per cent (391 species) could be pushed beyond their physiological limits, significantly increasing the risk of extinction.
Amphibians are ectothermic meaning they regulate body heat using external sources. As over 40 per cent of amphibian species are already under threat rising thermal extremes could accelerate their decline. Scientists analyzed...