June 20, 2013 — The protected area network in Tanzania is playing a vital role in the survival of savannah bird species as they move west in response to climate and environmental changes, according to new research led by the University of York.
Using data on savannah birds from the Tanzanian Bird Atlas project -- which has documented Tanzanian bird distributions over recent decades -- the researchers found that they are using protected areas as stepping stones as they move to areas further west where dry seasons are getting longer, with movements of up to 300km noted.
Much debate has centred on the effectiveness of the current protected area network to protect biodiversity in the face of climate and environmental changes.
However, the new study, which is published in Ecology Letters, not only provides the first evidence of climate-driven shifts for an African bird community, but suggests that continued maintenance of existing protected areas -- which include national parks and game reserves -- remains an appropriate response to the challenge of climate and environmental changes.
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