Recent evidence suggests that some tropical species, which are accustomed to only small variations in climate, are especially susceptible to rapid change - in contrast to species that have learned to survive in a wide variety of conditions.
But it remains unclear which species will have the hardest time, recalls Sean McMahon of the Smithsonian Center for Environmental Research (USA). “This article explains very clearly that we should not talk about“if the climate will affect ecosystems”, but about when it will do it,” the specialist says. “It's time for scientists to start predicting specific impacts on local biodiversity.”
Mr. Williams takes the same point of view: “The work clarifies the chronology of the emergence of new climatic conditions, but to determine the chances of survival of species, you will have to look even further back in shifts.