This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Researchers at the University of Helsinki wanted to understand which is the dominant factor for species occurrence and abundance: the climate or habitat-related variables, such as their natural state and the share of land shaped by human activity. Solutions to mitigate biodiversity loss depend on the answer to this question.
Contrary to the researchers' expectations, habitat composition offers a better explanation than the climate for the occurrence and abundance of most animal groups. This conclusion highlights the importance of land-use planning in safeguarding biodiversity. "The habitat proved to be of special importance to butterflies, birds and small mammals.
As for large mammals and moths, the relative importance of the habitat and climate was equal," explains Emy Guilbault, lead author of the article published in Nature Communications. The study examined 503 terrestrial animal species, including changes in their occurrence, over a period of 20 years. The data covered the whole of Finland with all its climatic zones.
Analyzing more than 3 million observations required the use of advanced statistical methods. The climate is the best explanation for the observed variation in species communities from year to year as well as between more extensive geographical areas, such as southern and northern Finland. Tackling climate change is essential in order to retain the distinctive characteristics of northern and southern fauna.
In contrast, the importance of habitats increases when variation in biodiversity is examined locally and regionally. Forested areas accommodate different species communities than agricultural environments or wetlands, and species are lost if their habitats are altered. Consequently, land-use decisions greatly impact the occurrence and location of species communities.
The study also investigated the impact of what are known as functional traits of species on the results. For example, body size, reproductive cycle rate and degree of specialization affect the extent to which the climate and habitat determine species occurrence and abundance. In almost all taxonomic groups, species with slow reproductive cycles were more sensitive to climatic conditions than species with faster ones.
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