Madrid — Extreme weather events, such as cyclones or droughts, have doubled or even tripled in protected areas of the Caribbean and Central America so far this centuryso a study warns of the urgent need for adaptation strategies.
An investigation carried out by researchers from the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC)in Spain, and from the University of Évora, in Portugalwhich the magazine collects this Tuesday Conservation Biologyhas analyzed, using 32 parameters, the past evolution and the predicted projections of climate impacts in this region of the planet characterized by a biodiversity that is as rich as it is vulnerable.
“Half a century ago, ecosystems characteristic of the Caribbean and Central America such as mangroves or tropical dry forests not only mitigated the effect of hurricanes or heat waves, but were capable of recovering, but with an increase in their frequency and intensity, each perhaps they have it more complicated,” explains one of the authors, MNCN researcher Miguel Bastos Araújo.
“Our estimates suggest that approximately 65% of the area studied will suffer in the remainder of the century at least a more intense and prolonged drought than those suffered until now.. To this we must add the effect of other extreme events, hence the situation requires taking measures,” he continues.
Scientists have studied 32 parameters of historical extreme climate events in the Caribbean and Central America and those predicted for the remainder of the century, in total a period between 1952 and 2100) both inside and outside protected areas.
The data shows that protected areas will be more exposed to heat waves or cyclones than other areas that do not enjoy this protection, which is why researchers warn of the need to adapt conservation strategies to expected extreme climate events and try to interconnect these protected spaces to make them more resilient.
Urgent measures
“The trend of recent decades shows us that the duration and intensity of these climatic disturbances is increasing and the forecast for the future is that these events will be more intense and frequent,” says Araújo.
“Current strategies to protect biodiversity from gradual temperature rise may not be effectivesince a greater recurrence and duration of extreme phenomena may not give species enough time to recover and adapt,” explains researcher at the University of Évora, Juan David González-Trujillo.
The Caribbean is one of the most biodiverse areas on the planetwhere mangroves, ecosystems that house a unique biodiversity, make the area a unique place in addition to protecting coastal infrastructure and the human population from the impact of cyclones and hurricanes, the researchers emphasize.
“The situation is truly worrying because, in addition to the loss of biodiversity, the disappearance of these barriers endangers the population living in the area and the maintenance of a resource as important as fishing worldwide. That is why it is crucial that we take urgent measures”concludes Araújo.