PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Island biodiversity in danger of total submersion with climate change

2013-11-13
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Dr. C. Bellard
celine.bellard@u-psud.fr
33-666-813-571
Pensoft Publishers
Island biodiversity in danger of total submersion with climate change

Sea level rise caused by global warming can prove extremely destructive to island habitats, which hold about 20% of the world's biodiversity. Research by C. Bellard, C. Leclerc and F. Courchamp of the University of Paris Sud look at 3 possible scenarios, from optimistic to very pessimistic, to bring attention to the dangers in store for some of the richest biodiversity hotspots worldwide. The study was published in the open access journal Nature Conservation.

Despite climate change having received considerable attention in recent years, no global assessment of the consequences of sea rising is available for island ecosystems. Yet those are amongst the regions most vulnerable to potential sea level rise, which in their case would cause a direct reduction of habitat.

Several recent studies strongly suggest that sea levels will rise substantially until the end of the century, with estimates ranging from 0.5 m to 2.3 m increase. Worst case scenarios of ice sheet melting and sliding lead to estimates of sea-level rise of the worrying 4 to 6 m. Such increases could lead to the immersion of very large proportions of many islands with low elevation. In many cases, sea level rise may lead to their total submersion, wiping out completely self-contained ecosystems and their inhabitants .

The study uses the 1,269 islands from different areas that France harbored, out of which, New Caledonia and French Polynesia are found to be the most vulnerable to sea level rise. The French maritime domain is ranked as the second most important in the world, these islands in total holding a large proportion of the world's biodiversity. Research shows that 5% of the number of islands could be permanently inundated under an increase of sea level by 1 meter. This figure dramatically rises to 8% and 11%, in the more pessimistic scenarios, respectively, for 2 and 3 meters of sea level rise. Assuming that French islands are representative of worldwide islands, roughly 10,800 islands could be entirely lost in the 1 meter scenario, the most optimistic one.

For the New Caledonia hotspot, under the worst scenario, up to 6.8 % of the islands could be half submerged. Speaking in terms of biodiversity loss, this indicates endemic plant species that are already at risk of extinction will be the most vulnerable to sea level rise.

"Losses of insular habitats will thus be relatively important in the future, probably leading to a major impoverishment of insular biodiversity. Given the implications of these results, decision makers are required to define island conservation priorities that accounts for sea level rise following climate change."comments the lead author Dr. C. Bellard.



INFORMATION:

Additional information:

This work was funded by Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR).

Original Source:

Bellard C, Leclerc C, Courchamp F (2013) Potential impact of sea level rise on French islands worldwide. Nature Conservation 5: 75. doi: 10.3897/natureconservation.5.5533



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Compound stymies polyomaviruses in lab tests

2013-11-13
Compound stymies polyomaviruses in lab tests A team of scientists reports that a small molecule compound showed significant success in controlling the infectivity and spread of three polyomaviruses in human cell cultures. To date there has been no medicine ...

'Missing heat' discovery prompts new estimate of global warming

2013-11-13
'Missing heat' discovery prompts new estimate of global warming An interdisciplinary team of researchers say they have found 'missing heat' in the climate system, casting doubt on suggestions that global warming has slowed or stopped over the past decade. Observational ...

Menstrual cycle influences concussion outcomes

2013-11-13
Menstrual cycle influences concussion outcomes Study may reconcile recovery differences in male, female gender How well a woman recovers from a concussion may depend on that time of the month. Researchers found that women injured during ...

Carbon dioxide's new-found signalling role could be applied to blood flow, birth and deafness

2013-11-13
Carbon dioxide's new-found signalling role could be applied to blood flow, birth and deafness New research reveals exactly how the body measures carbon dioxide and suggests that far from being a metabolic waste product, it could play a key role as a biological signalling ...

Schools help kids choose carrots over candy bars

2013-11-13
Schools help kids choose carrots over candy bars When schools adopt healthful nutrition policies and practices, kids' diets improve. According to new research led by Michigan State University and published in the current issue of Childhood Obesity, when ...

Study finds few patients with newly-diagnosed hyperlipidemia receive recommended thyroid screening

2013-11-13
Study finds few patients with newly-diagnosed hyperlipidemia receive recommended thyroid screening (Boston)--Despite current guidelines that recommend newly diagnosed high-cholesterol patients have a TSH blood test done to make sure they do not have ...

CVI puts research into practice on firearms and domestic violence

2013-11-13
CVI puts research into practice on firearms and domestic violence HUNTSVILLE, TX (11/13/13) -- The Crime Victims' Institute (CVI) at Sam Houston State University initiated a new series of reports to help victim advocates translate the latest research in the field ...

Generation length for mammals: An essential reference point for conservation studies

2013-11-13
Generation length for mammals: An essential reference point for conservation studies Life history traits are the basic ecological descriptors of a species. These include physical traits, such as body mass and physiological traits, such as reproductive rate. Ecologists ...

Clues to cocaine's toxicity could lead to better tests for its detection in biofluids

2013-11-13
Clues to cocaine's toxicity could lead to better tests for its detection in biofluids A new study on cocaine, the notorious white powder illegally snorted, injected or smoked by nearly 2 million Americans, details how it may permanently damage proteins in ...

Improving detection of radioactive material in nuclear waste water

2013-11-13
Improving detection of radioactive material in nuclear waste water As the Fukushima crisis continues to remind the world of the potential dangers of nuclear disposal and unforeseen accidents, scientists are reporting progress toward a new way to detect the ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Study confirms that people with ADHD can be more creative. The reason may be that they let their mind wander

Research gives insight into effect of neurodegenerative diseases on speech rhythm

Biochar and plants join forces to clean up polluted soils and boost ecosystem recovery

Salk scientist Joseph Ecker awarded McClintock Prize for Plant Genetics and Genome Studies

ADHD: Women are diagnosed five years later than men, despite symptoms appearing at the same age.

Power plants may emit more pollution during government shutdowns

Increasing pressures for conformity de-skilling and demotivating teachers, study warns

Researchers develop smarter menstrual product with potential for wearable health monitoring

Microwaves for energy-efficient chemical reactions

MXene current collectors could reduce size, improve recyclability of Li-ion batteries

Living near toxic sites linked to aggressive breast cancer

New discovery could open door to male birth control

Wirth elected Fellow of American Physical Society

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: October 10, 2025

Destined to melt

Attitudes, not income, drive energy savings at home

The playbook for perfect polaritons

‘Disease in a dish’ study of progressive MS finds critical role for unusual type of brain cell

Solar-powered method lights the way to a ‘de-fossilized’ chemical industry

Screen time linked to lower academic achievement among Ontario elementary students

One-year outcomes after traumatic brain injury and early extracranial surgery in the TRACK-TBI Study

Enduring outcomes of COVID-19 work absences on the US labor market

Affirmative action repeal and racial and ethnic diversity in us medical school admissions

Cancer progression illuminated by new multi-omics tool

Screen time and standardized academic achievement tests in elementary school

GLP-1RA order fills and out-of-pocket costs by race, ethnicity, and indication

Study finds HEPA purifiers alone may not be enough to reduce viral exposure in schools

UVA Health developing way to ID people at risk of dangerous lung scarring even before symptoms appear

How can we know when curing cancer causes myocarditis?

Male infertility in Indian men linked to lifestyle choices and hormonal imbalances

[Press-News.org] Island biodiversity in danger of total submersion with climate change