Biology

Study of global primate populations reveals predictors of extinction risk

Locations of worldwide primate presence records across four geographic regions assessed: Neotropics (yellow), mainland Africa (blue), Madagascar (brown), and Asia (pink). Credit: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.1905

An international team of biologists, planetary scientists and conservationists conducted a large-scale study of non-human primate populations around the world to gauge the risk of extinction due to climate change.

In a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, the group describes how they collected and analyzed data from four major regions of primate habitat. There is. They then combined their findings with primate characteristics to develop a way to calculate extinction risk if the environment in which primates live changes over the next few years.

Previous studies have shown that as the planet warms, different regions of the planet experience different changes, with some areas getting more rain and others less, resulting in less vegetation and more food. It has been shown that changes occur in animals that rely on In this new study, the researchers linked changes in where primates live and their ability to survive.

The researchers captured and analyzed data from 22,705 primate habitats, from Madagascar to Asia, Africa, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

As part of their analysis, the researchers estimated changes in rainfall and vegetation to try to determine how quickly conditions might change. They also looked at attributes such as the primate’s body size, home range, whether it naps or sleeps at night, predators, and evolutionary traits.

The researchers found that the effects may vary by region and primate species. As an example, the researchers noted that while erratic rainfall in the Neotropics puts many species at risk, the risk to primates in Madagascar and Africa is likely to decrease.

Still, many such primates will be at risk from other causes such as deforestation, mining, and pollution. The research team discovered 33 primate species that had not previously been identified as being at high risk of extinction. They suggest that these species are at potential risk of extinction and require further evaluation.

Researchers say the study highlights the risks facing primate species around the world as global warming continues unless efforts are made to mitigate either climate change or primate habitats. I concluded that there is.

Further information: Carmen Galán-Acedo et al., Global primary predictors of extinction risk in primates, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.1905

© 2024 Science X Network

Citation: Study of global primate populations reveals predictors of extinction risk (October 5, 2024) https://phys.org/news/2024-10-global-primate-populations-reveals Retrieved October 5, 2024 from -predictors.html

This document is subject to copyright. No part may be reproduced without written permission, except in fair dealing for personal study or research purposes. Content is provided for informational purposes only.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button