International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation 2024, Vol.14, No.2, 109-121 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmec 109 Research Insight Open Access Impact of Climate Change on Primate Populations and Habitats Jing He, Jun Li Animal Science Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding author: jun.li@cuixi.org International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2024, Vol.14, No.3 doi: 10.5376/ijmec.2024.14.0013 Received: 22 Apr., 2024 Accepted: 28 May, 2024 Published: 08 Jun., 2024 Copyright © 2024 He and Li, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: He J., and Li J., 2024, Impact of Climate Change on Primate Populations and Habitats, International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 14(3): 109-121 (doi: 10.5376/ijmec.2024.14.0013) Abstract This review explores the multifaceted impacts of climate change on primate populations and their habitats, emphasizing the complexity and wide-reaching nature of these effects. Climate change poses a significant threat to the survival of primates globally by altering temperature and precipitation patterns, causing habitat loss and fragmentation, and exacerbating competition for resources. Research indicates that many primate habitats may shrink drastically in the coming decades, leading to population isolation and a decline in genetic diversity. Although some conservation strategies have shown success, these approaches need adaptive adjustments to address the ongoing and future impacts of climate change. The review also highlights the importance of enhancing research and interdisciplinary collaboration, calling for the integration of biology, climatology, and social sciences to develop more comprehensive and flexible conservation measures that can address the complex challenges posed by climate change on primates. Keywords Climate change; Primates; Habitat loss; Population dynamics; Genetic diversity 1 Introduction Climate change is a significant global challenge, driven primarily by human activities that increase greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. These activities have led to rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and increased frequency of extreme weather events. The impacts of climate change are evident across various ecosystems, influencing biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human livelihoods. As the global climate continues to change, many species face the risk of extinction due to shifting habitats and disrupted ecological interactions. For instance, climate change is expected to cause substantial losses in primate habitats globally, which can have cascading effects on the biodiversity of tropical regions (Stewart et al., 2020). Primates are vital components of tropical ecosystems, serving as seed dispersers, pollinators, and key indicators of forest health. However, many primate species are particularly vulnerable to climate change due to their specialized habitat requirements and limited ability to migrate. The study of primates in the context of climate change is crucial not only for understanding the direct impacts on these species but also for assessing broader ecological consequences. For example, climate change, coupled with human activities, has significantly increased the extinction risk for many primate species, particularly in biodiverse regions like China and the Amazon (Sales et al., 2020; Li et al., 2023). This review aims to synthesize current knowledge on the impacts of climate change on primate populations and their habitats. To provide an overview of the current and projected effects of climate change on primate distribution and survival, to identify key factors that exacerbate primate vulnerability to climate change, and to discuss potential conservation strategies that could mitigate these impacts. By focusing on research published after 2015, this review highlights the most recent findings and conservation recommendations for primates in a rapidly changing climate. 2 Overview of Primate Diversity and Distribution 2.1 Description of primate families, genera, and species Primates are one of the most diverse orders of mammals, comprising over 500 species across 80 genera. This diversity is reflected in both morphological and behavioral adaptations, which have allowed primates to inhabit a
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