Species' home ranges are shifting pole wards because of climate change (IMAGE)
Caption
The Cape Floral Kingdom already finds itself at the southern-most point of Africa, with few alternatives left for low-altitude plants to escape increasing temperatures but to slowly migrate to higher altitudes. Those plants already at higher altitudes, however, may need to be helped across a valley. If there is no suitable habitat left, they will need to be protected ex situ until such time as they can be returned to the wild. This is not the best option, but far better than extinction, argues a controversial new paper on the impact of climate change on biodiversity.
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Anton Jordaan
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