Climate change may lead to dramatic loss of common animals and plants worldwide, a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change states.
Out of 50,000 species of animals studied, the researchers found that about one third of the animals and over half of the plants could lose around 50% of their geographic range by 2080 if greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed.
"This study ... tells us that the average plant and animal will experience significant range loss under climate change," study lead author Rachel Warren of the Tyndall Centre at University of East Anglia, United Kingdom said.
According to the study, reptiles and amphibians in particular will face the greatest threat from climate change. The species most susceptible to heavy losses will be those living in Central America, the Amazon, sub-Saharan Africa and Australia. Plants in Central Asia, South America and North Africa will be heavily impacted, according to the study.
"Coffee, chocolate, teak, sugar maple, pineapple and cotton (at least some of the major types) all show large contractions in their climatic ranges under the baseline climate change scenario," Jeff Price, a coauthor of the study and visiting fellow at the Tyndall Centre, said.
The researchers stress, however, that it is not too late to do something to address climate change. According to the study, if emissions start being reduced by 2017, then around 60 percent of losses can be averted. If emissions begin being reduced by 2030, then about 40 percent of losses could be averted.
"There will be winners and losers in the natural world as species respond to climate change," Lee Hannah, a senior fellow in climate change biology at Conservation International, who wasn't involved in the research, said. "This study shows that we can greatly reduce the losers among common, well-known species by taking action to reduce climate change."
