International Journal of Molecular Evolution and Biodiversity 2024, Vol.14, No.2, 91-103 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmeb 95 Rising sea levels can submerge nesting beaches, forcing sea turtles to relocate to less optimal sites. This can result in lower hatchling success and increased vulnerability to predators (Carter and Janzen, 2021). Saltwater intrusion into estuarine habitats can alter the composition of reptile communities and affect species such as the estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). Changes in salinity levels can impact their distribution and survival (Figure 2) (Biber et al., 2023). Additionally, the loss of coastal vegetation such as mangroves, which provide critical habitat for many reptile species, exacerbates these impacts. Mangroves serve as important breeding and nursery grounds for species like the marine iguana and various sea snakes. The degradation of these habitats due to rising sea levels and increased storm surges can lead to a decline in reptile populations dependent on these environments for food and shelter. Furthermore, the physical changes to coastal landscapes can disrupt the thermoregulatory behavior of reptiles. For example, sea turtles rely on specific temperature ranges in their nesting beaches to ensure proper incubation of eggs. As suitable nesting sites become scarce or are altered by climate change, the reproductive success of these species can be significantly compromised. This, coupled with increased predation and human disturbance in new nesting areas, presents a major challenge to their conservation. Figure 2 (a) Map of projected global terrestrial reptile species richness (1995), (b) frequency of species richness by taxonomic group (lizard, snake, turtle and total), with mean values indicated by vertical lines, and (c) increase, (d) decrease, (e) net change and (f) relative change (as a percentage) in reptile species richness for all modelled reptile species (n = 6296) for the year 2080 under a medium representative concentration pathway (RCP6.0) and a medium dispersal scenario (d/8) (Adopted from Biber et al., 2023) Image caption: Results are presented as the ensemble mean across the four global circulation models (GCMs) and two model algorithms [generalized additive model (GAM) and generalized boosted regression model (GBM)] considered. All maps are based on 0.5° × 0.5° grid cells, which have been projected to the Mollweide equal-area projection (EPSG: 54009). Grey areas are regions for which no projections are available. Note that the colour scales differ among the individual panels (Adopted from Biber et al., 2023)
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