Impacto das mudanças climáticas sobre a conservação de morcegos nectarívoros neotropicais

Abstract

Climate change generates unfavorable environmental conditions, resulting in species displacement in search of survival. A current challenge is to predict how these conditions will affect the provision of ecosystem services, such as pollination. Projections suggest that the climate will become hotter and drier, impacting the bat community. Here, a projection of the effects of future climate change on nectar-feeding bats in the Neotropical region was conducted, anticipating changes in habitat suitability and identifying the most susceptible neotropical domains to loss of richness and potential stable refuges. The objectives were to assess the impact of climate change on nectar-feeding bat species in the Neotropical region and to analyze the representativeness of future distribution in protected areas. For this purpose, climate niche modeling methods and conservation indicators were used. Substantial declines were found in the climatic suitability of facultative nectar-feeding species, and for the endangered obligatory species Lonchophylla bokermanni and Lonchophylla dekeyseri. The Amazon region emerged as a refuge for most species, while the Andes experienced reductions. Additionally, all species have medium or high conservation priority according to the conservation analysis. Therefore, preserving these refuges may expand and connect protected areas, facilitating species adaptation to global changes.