Warming Hits Tropical Creatures Harder

The university researchers then compared the information with data describing the link between temperature and fitness for 38 temperate and tropical insects as well as cold-blooded animals such as frogs, lizards and turtles.

While polar bears can develop thicker fur to shield them from freezing temperatures, tropical species must use other tactics to protect themselves from higher temperatures such as staying out of direct sunlight or burrowing into the soil.

But hiding from the sun could prove useless to tropical animals already living so close to their temperature comfort zone as the warmer weather could come too fast for their physiologies to adapt, the scientists said.

"Many tropical species can only tolerate a narrow range of temperatures because the climate they experience is pretty constant throughout the year," said Curtis Deutsch, an assistant professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles.

"Our calculations show that they will be harmed by rising temperatures more than would species in cold climates," he said.

"Unfortunately, the tropics also hold the large majority of species on the planet," said Deutsch, a co-author of the study who was a University of Washington postdoctoral researcher in oceanography.

Related Links:

Larry O'Hanlon's blog: Earth Impacts

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Planet Green

How Stuff Works: Tropical Rain Forests