The consequences of climate change in the Caatinga, the semi-arid shrubland and thorn forest biome in Brazil’s Northeast region, will include species loss, substitution of rare plants by more generalist vegetation, biotic homogenization (in which previously distinct plant communities become progressively more similar), increasing aridity, and even desertification in some areas.
The consequences of climate change in the Caatinga, the semi-arid shrubland and thorn forest biome in Brazil’s Northeast region, will include species loss, substitution of rare plants by more generalist vegetation, biotic homogenization (in which previously distinct plant communities become progressively more similar), increasing aridity, and even desertification in some areas.
These are some of the findings of a study reported in the Journal of Ecology by Brazilian researchers affiliated with the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) and the Federal Institute of Goiás (IFG).
The study was supported by FAPESP via two projects (22/12231-6 and 21/11840-6).
The researchers surveyed plant collections, herbariums and the scientific literature to compile a database of more than 400,000 occurrence records for some 3,000 plant species in the biome. They combined all this with data for geographic distribution, growth form, climate and soil. They then grouped the species into two categories: woody (trees, shrubs, palms, and woody vines); and non-woody (herbs, herbaceous vines, and succulents).
Read more at: Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo
Climate change is likely to transform the Caatinga’s vegetation, making it sparser and scrubbie (Photo Credit: Giancarlo Zorzin)
