Worsening Climate Change Puts Plants at Risk Due to Decline of Seed-Spreading Species

Plants are at risk from adapting to the global heating effect of climate change. This risk emanates from the declining population of birds and other animals capable of transfering plant seeds to other places.

The declining population of these animals have been attributed to human activities amid mordernization. 

Human Activities Contribute in the Decline of Animal Population

The chance of plants to migrate and engage in seed germination to far regions; as a means to adapt to the increasing global temperatures amid climate change are at risk.

This is due to the declining population of seed-spreading birds and mammals caused by human activities. Deforestation, poaching, and urbanization are the main human activities which causes the decline of the population of these animals that can transport plant seeds, said a study published in the journal Science on January 13.

American and Dutch researchers conducted the study and estimated that the loss of birds and mammals have reduced the chance of plants to adapt and survive the increasing global temperatures by 60% across the world.

The study highlights the surprising fact that plants lost the ability to track climate change, said Alexa Fredston, a quantitative ecologist at Rutgers University. Fredston emphasized that the climate change has profoundly affected the biodiversity loss.

Climate change involves the increasing global temperatures caused by the greenhouse effect, wherein the heat from the sun's energy entering the Earth are retained due to the effects of greenhouse gases, according to a news report published by the United Nations on January 8.

Natural processes let Earth's surface absorb less than 50% of the sun's energy, while the atmosphere absorbs 23%, and the rest of the sun's energy is reflected back into space; but human activities disrupt this process, said the United Nations.

Also read: 164 Million-Year-Old Fossil Changes Everything We Know About Evolution of Plants

Study Methodology

The researchers used machine learning and data from thousands of field studies to create a geographical map, also known as seed dispersal networks, on how birds and mammals disseminate seeds throughout the globe.

In order to accurately conduct the study, the researchers compared this network affected by human-related factors, including human-induced extinction events and activities, with a network not affected by human-related factors.

The study also highlighted seed dispersal networks which have declined in an alarming rate. The decline is evident and are most severe in some regions across North America, South America, Europe, and Australia.

The study asserted that if endangered species go extinct, tropical areas in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia would be the most affected regions.

"We found regions where climate-tracking seed dispersal declined by 95%, even though they'd lost only a few percent of their mammal and bird species," said Evan Fricke, one of the authors of the study.

Proposed Solutions

For several decades, scientists have been monitoring the processes of seed transportation from plants. Specifically, they are tracking the species of birds and other animals that eat fruits and the seeds inside it.

The scientists also take into account the distance traveled by the animal carriers from the plant up to a new location where the seed would germinate. In light of the recent study, the researchers proposed potential solutions to address the problem.

One of these is strengthening the biodiversity by relocating large animals to their original habitat or interconnecting habitats with restored wildlife areas.

Related article: Soil Nutrients May Keep Plants from Slowing Down Climate Change