Temperate and tropical lizards are vulnerable to climate warming due to increased water loss and heat stress

• Published in: Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences Vol. 289; no. 1980; p. 20221074
• Main Authors: Mi, Chunrong, Ma, Liang, Wang, Yang, Wu, Danyang, Du, Weiguo, Sun, Baojun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England The Royal Society 10.08.2022
• Subjects: Animals; Climate Change; Ecology; Ecosystem; Heat-Shock Response; Lizards - physiology; Temperature; Tropical Climate; Water; heat tolerance; water loss; biophysical model; latitudinal vulnerability; climate warming
• ISSN: 0962-8452; 1471-2954
• DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1074

Climate warming has imposed profound impacts on species globally. Understanding the vulnerabilities of species from different latitudinal regions to warming climates is critical for biological conservation. Using five species of lizards as a study system, we quantified physiological and life-history responses and geography range change across latitudes under climate warming. Using integrated biophysical models and hybrid species distribution models, we found: (i) thermal safety margin is larger at high latitudes and is predicted to decrease under climate warming for lizards at all latitudes; (ii) climate warming will speed up embryonic development and increase annual activity time of adult lizards, but will exacerbate water loss of adults across all latitudes; and (iii) species across latitudes are predicted to experience habitat contraction under climate warming due to different limitations-tropical and subtropical species are vulnerable due to increased extremely high temperatures, whereas temperate species are vulnerable due to both extremely high temperatures and increased water loss. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the vulnerability of species from different latitudinal regions to climate warming in ectotherms, and also highlights the importance of integrating environmental factors, behaviour, physiology and life-history responses in predicting the risk of species to climate warming.