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Vulnerability of cloud forest reserves in Mexico to climate change

Nature Climate Change volume 2, pages 448–452 (2012)Cite this article

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Abstract

Tropical montane cloud forests are among the most vulnerable terrestrial ecosystems to climate change1,2,3 owing to their restricted climatic requirements and their narrow and fragmented distribution4. Although 12% of Mexican cloud forest is protected, it is not known whether reserves will ensure the persistence of the ecosystem and its endemic species under climate change. Here, we show that 68% of Mexico’s cloud forest could vanish by 2080 because of climate change and more than 90% of cloud forest that is protected at present will not be climatically suitable for that ecosystem in 2080. Moreover, if we assume unprotected forests are cleared, 99% of the entire ecosystem could be lost through a combination of climate change and habitat loss, resulting in the extinction of about 70% of endemic cloud forest vertebrate species. Immediate action is required to minimize this loss—expansion of the protected-area estate in areas of low climate vulnerability is an urgent priority. Our analysis indicates that one key area for immediate protection is the Sierra de Juárez in Oaxaca. This area supports many endemic species and is expected to retain relatively large fragments of cloud forest despite rapid climate change.

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Figure 1: Cloud forest extent and protection for 2010 and 2080.
Figure 2: Present and projected distribution of Mexican cloud forest.
Figure 3: Overlap of geographic ranges of vertebrates restricted to a single cloud forest region with the present extent of cloud forest.

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Acknowledgements

We thank M. A. Gurrola and A. González-Hernández for help compiling data. This work is financially supported by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Rufford Small Grants for Conservation, an Australian Research Council Federation Fellowship to H.P.P. and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia

    Rocío Ponce-Reyes, James E. M. Watson, Richard A. Fuller & Hugh P. Possingham

  2. Instituto de Biologı´a, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México DF, CP.04510, México

    Víctor-Hugo Reynoso-Rosales

  3. Global Conservation Programs, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York 10460, USA

    James E. M. Watson

  4. Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change Research, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia

    Jeremy VanDerWal

  5. CSIRO Climate Adaptation Flagship and CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, Queensland 4102, Australia

    Richard A. Fuller

  6. ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia

    Robert L. Pressey

  7. ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, University of Queensland, St Lucia 36, Queensland 4072, Australia

    Hugh P. Possingham

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  1. Rocío Ponce-Reyes
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Contributions

R.P-R., J.E.M.W., V-H.R., J.V., R.L.P. and H.P.P. designed the study. R.P-R. carried out the research. R.P-R. and R.A.F. analysed the data. All the authors wrote the paper.

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Correspondence to Rocío Ponce-Reyes.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Ponce-Reyes, R., Reynoso-Rosales, VH., Watson, J. et al. Vulnerability of cloud forest reserves in Mexico to climate change. Nature Clim Change 2, 448–452 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1453

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