Threatened species could be more vulnerable to climate change in tropical countries

Insects are the most speciose group of animals and play a central role in ecosystem processes and functioning, yet they are often overlooked in conservation studies. Many studies have reported a dramatic decline of insects globally, where climate change is considered a profound threat; however, how climate change is impacting tropical insects is largely unknown, given most studies are from the temperate region. Here, by considering Bangladeshi butterflies as a case study, I developed climatic suitability maps for 242 species and compared the suitability under current and future (2081-2100) climatic conditions. Overall, the projected future climate could impact 241 of 242 butterfly species (except for Spindasis elima), where 42% species could experience range contraction. Alarmingly, the impact could be significantly…