The Heating Earth, Even Desert Cacti Can't Survive... "Greater Extinction Risk by Mid-21st Century"

On the 15th (local time), according to AFP and The New York Times (NYT), a research team from the University of Arizona recently published a paper in the journal Nature Plants predicting that cacti, which survive in harsh environments, will face a greater risk of extinction by the mid-21st century due to climate change.
[Image source=Pixabay]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A study has found that cacti, which grow in deserts and boast strong vitality, may not be able to withstand the changing environment caused by global warming.

On the 15th (local time), according to AFP and The New York Times (NYT), a research team from the University of Arizona in the United States predicted in a paper published recently in the journal Nature Plants that cacti, which survive in harsh environments, will face a greater risk of extinction by the mid-21st century due to climate change.

The research team analyzed changes in habitat ranges under different global warming scenarios for 408 species, about one-quarter of all cactus species.

As a result, it was forecasted that 60% of the total species will experience habitat reduction due to climate change. The team particularly noted that even under limited temperature rise scenarios, habitats providing optimal conditions for cacti are decreasing. This means that even a slight increase in temperature causes a decline in many cactus species.

It might be easy to assume that a hotter and drier Earth would be more favorable for cactus survival, but the research team explained that this is not the case. They added that this is because cacti take a long time to adapt to their environment, whereas current climate change is occurring rapidly.

The only cactus species predicted to have an expanded habitat range due to climate change was the 'Shiki-Shiki' species native to Brazil.

Furthermore, the research team identified global warming as the biggest threat to cactus survival and predicted that "60 to 90% of all cactus species will be negatively affected by climate change and other human-induced processes."

Wildfires, which have increased due to climate change, also threaten cacti. According to the NYT, thousands of saguaro cacti in desert areas have burned in wildfires over recent years. In the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, the rapid spread of the drought-resistant invasive plant, foxtail cactus, has created conditions more prone to fires.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.