Climate Change is a Major Problem for Biodiversity Conservation: A Systematic Review of Recent Studies in Iran

Abstract

Abstract: Climate change has been identified as one of the most important and immediate threats to biodiversity. In this study, we reviewed published papers about the impacts of climate change on Iran’s biodiversity since 2014. We found that among the 37 studied species, 30 species will lose at least some parts of their distribution ranges. However, the distribution of seven species will increase. Climate change will have negative impacts on 81 percent of the studied species thus, it is a major problem for biodiversity conservation in Iran. We suggest that determining the effectiveness of Iran’s protected areas for conservation of biodiversity, and ensuring their connectivity under current and future climatic conditions should be prioritized for future research in Iran.