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Extensive climate-induced range shifts in butterflies across the globe

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OA
AI
S
Shawan Chowdhury *
U
Upama Aich
L
Laura H. Antão
S
Stefan Pinkert
P
Perpetra Akite
G
Gilberto S. S. Almeida
T
Tatsuya Amano
A
Andras Ambrus
J
Jade A. T. Badon
S
Seung‐Yun Baek
M
Maksims Balalaikins
M
Michal Barták
V
Vijay Barve
M
Michał Bełcik
T
Timothy C. Bonebrake
S
Simona Bonelli
D
Diana E. Bowler
M
Michael F. Braby
R
Roger Caritg
S
Sei‐Woong Choi
W
Wen-Chen Chu
E
Eloisa Clain
S
Steve C. Collins
J
Johnattan Hernández‐Cumplido
L
Leonardo Dapporto
G
Gideon Gywa Deme
M
Matthias Dolek
A
Aleksandra Dolezal
F
Fahmi Idris Firdaus
M
Markus Franzén
A
André Victor Lucci Freitas
R
Richard Fuller
L
Luisa Gensch
E
Eliza Grames
E
Elia Guariento
B
Bryan T Haywood
S
Shiran Hershcovich
K
Kerstin Jantke
E
Eddie John
H
Henrik Kalivoda
A
Azadeh Karimi
R
Ryosuke Katayose
A
Akito Y. Kawahara
S
Sujan Khanal
K
Krushnamegh Kunte
L
Lionel L’Hoste
M
Magdalena Lenda
J
Jorge L. León‐Cortés
D
Da-Li Lin
Y
Yuet Fung Ling
M
Maria Lúcia Lorini
D
Dirk Maes
D
Dino J. Martins
T
Thomas Merckx
X
Xavier Mestdagh
Y
Yeray Monasterio
A
Akihiro Nakamura
R
Rachel Rui Ying Oh
L
Lars Pettersson
J
Jeffrey S. Pippen
C
Clara Pladevall
I
Ingrid L. Pollet
P
Patrice Pottier
M
Muhammad A. Rafi
D
Danielle Leal Ramos
T
Tharindu Ranasinghe
F
Fanie Rautenbach
M
Martin Reith
A
Abubakar S. Ringim
F
Federico Riva
D
David B. Roy
N
Nils Ryrholm
M
Marjo Saastamoinen
J
Josef Settele
W
William Sidemo‐Holm
P
Piotr Skórka
N
Nigel E. Stork
S
Sanej P. Suwal
G
Giedrius Švitra
A
Ann B. Swengel
S
Scott R. Swengel
N
Nicolas Titeux
R
Robert Tropek
O
Olga Tzortzakaki
C
Chris van Swaay
R
Rudi Verovnik
J
Jerome Wiedmann
M
Martin Wiemers
M
Masaya Yago
H
Hossein Yazdandad
O
Oz Ben Yehuda
K
Konstantina Zografou
A
Aletta Bonn
G
Guy Pe’er
J
Jonathan Lenoir
DOI:10.1038/s41559-026-03117-ydelete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Global changes are leading to widespread species redistribution. Comprehensive assessments of range shift dynamics and their drivers are difficult, partly due to the variation in range shift detection over space and taxa. Here we compile documented range shift records for 1,758 butterfly species from 105 countries and territories, representing ~10% of the known diversity of these insects. Most species (80%) experienced range expansions, and most range shifts (79%) were associated with climate change and extreme weather events. A substantial proportion of species in our dataset contracted their ranges (27%) or shifted along elevational gradients (22%). We report widespread horizontal range expansions and contractions across tropical countries, with less evidence for elevational range shifts. We show that a clearer picture of range shift dynamics emerged only through the combination of different types of data, with expert assessments and non-English studies alleviating potential biases. Our findings of climate-driven range shifts call for concerted efforts to improve inclusive data monitoring and conservation efforts, especially for tropical countries, where human-induced land-use changes exert additional critical pressure. Insects are increasingly pressured by climate change. Here the authors compile global evidence of range shifts in butterflies and call for more co-ordinated efforts in documenting such trends across countries.

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Nature Ecology & Evolution
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