The Apennine chamois is in danger of extinction by 2070 due to global warming, research has revealed.
The Apennine chamois risks extinction because of global warming. This is confirmed by a research from the University of Siena and the University of Pavia, entitled "Climatic changes and the fate of mountain herbivores", published in Climatic Change.
The study was conducted in the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise where this subspecies of chamois lives, also called Chamois of Abruzzo - (Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata), which apparently could almost totally disappear from this area by 2070.
In fact, the researchers argue, based on simulations of future spring temperatures and studying how climate change will alter the distribution and quality of high altitude vegetation, that the winter mortality of chicks will reach a peak of 95% against the current 28%. .
It will happen because spring temperatures are constantly increasing and this change contributes to reducing the grazing vegetation of the chamois in the Park area, to the detriment of the pups' winter survival. Because if there is a shortage of food available, supporting breastfeeding and weaning puppies in the summer is more complicated:
“The dynamics of the mountain herbivore population largely depend on the abundance of food to support lactation and weaning during the summer. The increase in temperature affects the seasonality and the local nutritional quality of plants: plant species adapted to a persistent snow cover and currently living at lower altitudes are destined to move towards higher altitudes, where these are available. "
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Added to this are the presence of the deer and the wooded re-colonization of the prairies.
According to the researchers, a further problem is represented by the fact that the Apennine chamois is unable to adapt rapidly to environmental changes due to a very low genetic variability.
FONTI: Climatic changes and the fate of mountain herbivores/Climatic Change
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