Buttermere Lake in the Lake District of north-west England. AFP
Buttermere Lake in the Lake District of north-west England. AFP
Buttermere Lake in the Lake District of north-west England. AFP
Buttermere Lake in the Lake District of north-west England. AFP

Shrinking habitats imperil wildlife as climate warms


Soraya Ebrahimi
  • English
  • Arabic

Protected areas will only help species migrating to escape a warming climate if enough of them are designed to allow for reproduction, a study of the English countryside showed on Wednesday.

With human population set to pass 9 billion by mid-century, many animals and plants on our crowded planet are severely threatened by shrinking habitat.

Carving out nature preserves is essential for their long-term survival, experts say.

But a study published by the Royal Society concludes that species in Britain adapting to climate change through migration could fail because some strategically located breeding habitats across the country are unprotected.

Study co-lead author Tom Travers says the findings apply to thousands of species of plants, animals and even bacteria.

"There's so much evidence that this movement is happening with so many species," he told AFP. "It's likely that more species are needing to move than aren't."

Researchers led by Mr Travers measured which habitats across the British countryside, even if they are not joined up, could provide crucial links for populations on the move.

As the climate warms, animals and plants are likely to adapt by migrating northwards over generations.

To determine which areas were crucial for that movement, the scientists imagined a map as if it showed an electric current flowing from south to north.

Habitats were only considered to provide "connectivity" if they consist of lands that a species' offspring could reach and settle on long enough to reproduce.

"Where would offspring produced from those patches be able to reach in the next generation?" Mr Travers asked.

Researchers modelled networks for 16 types of habitats, including deciduous woodlands, mudflats and lowland meadows.

Some habitats, such as maritime cliffs and coastal sand dunes, were too broken up or spread out to be included.

Some key areas for allowing south-north movement, the researchers found, were not adequately protected under current standards.

But the study says that if done strategically, expanding protected areas by only 10 per cent would enhance "connectivity" by more than 40 per cent.

In some cases, these critical "stepping stone" habitats were less than one square kilometre.

Increasing the size and quality of nature preserves has moved up the global agenda amid signs of a biodiversity crisis.

Nearly 30 per cent of species catalogued on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List are threatened with extinction.

A draft agreement under negotiation before a UN biodiversity summit in China next spring has called for designating 30 per cent of land and ocean surface as protected within a decade.

"Our research is quite timely because it highlights that long-distance connectivity hasn't been properly considered in past protection decisions," Mr Travers said.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street

The seven points are:

Shakhbout bin Sultan Street

Dhafeer Street

Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)

Salama bint Butti Street

Al Dhafra Street

Rabdan Street

Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)

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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees

Director: Kaouther Ben Hania

Rating: 4/5

CHELSEA'S NEXT FIVE GAMES

Mar 10: Norwich(A)

Mar 13: Newcastle(H)

Mar 16: Lille(A)

Mar 19: Middlesbrough(A)

Apr 2: Brentford(H)

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Gulf Under 19s final

Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Graduated from the American University of Sharjah

She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters

Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks

Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding

 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
​​​​​​​Penguin Press

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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

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England squads for Test and T20 series against New Zealand

Test squad: Joe Root (capt), Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Dominic Sibley, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes

T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Pat Brown, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Matt Parkinson, Adil Rashid, James Vince

Updated: August 25, 2021, 12:53 PM`