Impacts of climate change on the endemic and threatened herpetofauna from Pampas grassland, Argentina

Abstract

Climate change is one of the main causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. However, detailed knowledge about the impacts of climate change on most species in the Neotropical region is incipient, and the herpetofauna from Pampas grassland is no exception. In this frame, we model the suitable habitats of nine endemic amphibian and reptile species that inhabit the Pampas grassland of Argentina, under current climatic conditions and future climate change scenarios, with the general objective of prioritising conservation and management strategies. To model the suitable habitat of each species we used the Maxent algorithm, while the complementary spatial analyses were carried out with DIVA-GIS. We found a significant loss in both suitable habitat surfaces and known populations in most studied species. The relationship between these two parameters provided a ranking of species for long-term conservation and monitoring. Finally, based on the conservation priorities obtained for each species, we identified and discussed the main management strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Our results were consistent with previous reports in the Neotropical region, highlighting the negative climate change impacts on herpetofauna species, and the urgent need for management strategies to mitigate it. In conclusion, our results establish the bases to develop monitoring, conservation and management strategies to face the predicted changes in the suitable habitats of the endemic and threatened herpetofauna from Pampas grassland.