A new study reveals that lizards are harder hit by climate change than we have thought. There was another study made in 2010 when researchers from the University of California discovered that the temperature will rise, lizard could be an endangered species. According to the new report, they could have underestimated the risk of extinction.
- According to a new study, lizard could be an endangered species because of climate change.
- It seems that people underestimated the risk of extinction for lizards in the first study.
Researchers used a computer modeling and field tests on real lizards in the desert. These are cold-blooded animals, which means the temperature is very important for them. They discovered that animals have to move and search for shade. This makes the cooling process more difficult. The temperatures are hotter every year.
Researchers monitored the body temperatures of nine groups of lizards. There were clothes in some areas to create shade: 16 small places, four medium-sized places and one that was big. The lizards went to the area where was the biggest shade. The temperatures varied 12 percent more than in other areas. It seems that the distribution of warm areas is not so important for lizards to regulate their internal temperature.
There are some researchers who think that scientists should evaluate the spatial distribution of sunny places. Even if this thing would be harder, it would be more interesting. However, this study helps us finding more information about how these animals respond to climate change and how in danger they are.
For cold-blooded animals, like lizards, the fact that climate change is taking place, is a major threat. They are depending on the temperature and what is happening with our planet is helping them. As Mike Sears, associate professor of biology at Clemson University said: We need to think on a finer scale than we have been.”
Of course, climate change happens mostly because of humans. The problem is that we do not have time to prevent it because it is already happening. We have to find ways to keep animals safe.We should also start worrying about our future. Lizards habitat is just an example of what climate change can do to our planet.
Image source: Wikipedia
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