Cryptic biodiversity loss linked to global climate change

• DOI: 10.1038/nclimate1191
• Publication Date: 2011-08-19T09:03:01Z
• Authors: M. Bálint; S. Domisch; C. H. M. Engelhardt; P. Haase; S. Lehrian; J. Sauer; K. Theissinger; S. U. Pauls; C. Nowak
• Keywords: Species distribution

Climate impacts on biodiversity are usually assessed at the morphospecies level. An analysis of the distribution and mitochondrial DNA variability of nine montane aquatic insect species in Europe suggests range contractions will be accompanied by severe loss of genetic diversity. These results imply that morphospecies-scale assessments may greatly underestimate potential biodiversity losses from climate change.