Habitat explains Finnish animal distributions better than climate, study finds
Researchers at the University of Helsinki wanted to understand which is the dominant factor for species occurrence and abundance: the climate or habitat-related variables, such as their natural state and the share of land shaped by human activity.
Researchers at the University of Helsinki wanted to understand which is the dominant factor for species occurrence and abundance: the climate or habitat-related variables, such as their natural state and the share of land shaped by human activity.
The short version
- Solutions to mitigate biodiversity loss depend on the answer to this question.
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- Contrary to the researchers' expectations, habitat composition offers a better explanation than the climate for the occurrence and abundance of most animal groups.
What happened
This conclusion highlights the importance of land-use planning in safeguarding biodiversity. "The habitat proved to be of special importance to butterflies, birds and small mammals.
Why it matters
As for large mammals and moths, the relative importance of the habitat and climate was equal," explains Emy Guilbault, lead author of the article published in Nature Communications .
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