Impact of climate change report shows species moving north

The science of climate change is complex and sometimes confusing...but the broad scope of the card has allowed us to identify the main trends and the implications for the future.

Species such as the bee orchid and mountain ringlet butterfly are moving north as temperatures rise because of climate change. The spread of some species is one of the things highlighted in a new report published by the Living With Environmental Change Partnership and supported by the Scottish Government.

The Terrestrial Biodiversity Climate Change Impacts Report Card is the first in a series of web-based documents that show how wildlife is responding to climate change and assesses scientific confidence in these trends using monitoring and research data.

For instance, the bee orchid and mountain ringlet butterfly have moved northwards and to higher ground as temperatures rise. The bee orchid, first discovered in the grounds of a nuclear power station in Dumfriesshire in 2010, is in now colonising other parts of Scotland and was found in Edinburgh in 2011.

The Report Card draws on hundreds of scientific studies, underpinned by a series of specially commissioned reviews involving more than 40 expert scientists from 20 research and conservation organisations.

The project reflects the consensus view of the scientific community: it has been overseen and peer-reviewed by a separate working group of senior scientists from several research bodies including the James Hutton Institute, to ensure scientific rigour.

Welcoming the publication of the Report Card, Dr Iain Brown of the James Hutton Institute, who supported the study as part of the working group said: “The key feature of the report card is it has brought together information from many aspects of the natural world.

"The science of climate change is complex and sometimes confusing, especially with our typically variable weather but the broad scope of the card has allowed us to identify the main trends and the implications for the future.”

Highlighting the importance of the study, Natural Environment Minister Richard Benyon said: “It’s essential that we improve our understanding of how the natural environment is changing, as this affects the action we need to take to conserve biodiversity. New policies are based on scientific evidence, which is why research like this is so important.”

Dr Mike Morecroft from Natural England led the development of the Report Card. He said: “When thinking about climate change it’s important to stand back, review the evidence and take a long-term view.

"The report card shows strong evidence from a large number of different scientific studies that the natural world has started to respond to climate change over the last few decades. It also shows the range and complexity of these changes: some species and habitats are much more sensitive than others.

"This is a challenge for conservation and we need to adapt our approach to reduce the risks and take advantage of any opportunities. It is also another wake-up call about the seriousness of tackling climate change.”

The Report Card is available for download at the Living With Environmental Change website.