1. Predicting the Potential Distribution of Haloxylon ammodendron under Climate Change Scenarios Using Machine Learning of a Maximum Entropy Model.
- Author
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Xiao, Fengjin, Liu, Qiufeng, and Qin, Yun
- Subjects
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DESERTIFICATION , *CLIMATE change , *MACHINE learning , *GLOBAL warming , *DESERTS , *ENTROPY - Abstract
Simple Summary: Global warming has led to changes in species distribution patterns, and climate change directly impacts species' spatial and temporal distributions, disrupting Earth's ecological equilibrium. Haloxylon ammodendron is a typical desert shrub and plays a vital role in maintaining the structure and function of an arid desert ecosystem. In this study, the Maxent model was employed to predict potentially suitable areas for H. ammodendron in the 2030s, 2050s, and 2070s. We found that the suitable distribution area is expected to expand slightly under shared socioeconomic pathway scenarios in the future. Haloxylon ammodendron (H. ammodendron) is a second-class protected plant of national significance in China that is known for its growth in desert and semidesert regions, where it serves as a desert ecosystem guardian by playing a substantial role in maintaining ecosystem structure and function. The changing global climate has substantially altered the growth conditions for H. ammodendron. This study focuses on identifying the key variables influencing the distribution of H. ammodendron and determining their potential impact on future distribution. We employed the Maxent model to evaluate the current climate suitability for H. ammodendron distribution and to project its future changes across various shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) scenarios. Our findings indicate that precipitation during the warmest quarter and precipitation during the wettest month are the most influential variables affecting the potentially suitable habitats of H. ammodendron. The highly suitable habitat area for H. ammodendron currently covers approximately 489,800 km2. The Maxent model forecasts an expansion of highly suitable H. ammodendron habitat under all future SSP scenarios, with the extent of unsuitable areas increasing with greater global warming. The increased highly suitable habitats range from 40% (SSP585) to 80% (SSP126) by the 2070s (2060–2080). Furthermore, our results indicate a continued expansion of desertification areas due to global warming, highlighting the significant role of H. ammodendron in maintaining desert ecosystem stability. This study offers valuable insights into biodiversity preservation and ecological protection in the context of future climate change scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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