Advances and information needs related to climate change impacts on Costa Rica's biodiversity discussed

• CATIE senior researcher presented a talk on the sensitivity of tropical mountain forests to climate change

December 4, 2023. The Tropical Science Center (CCT), the National University (UNA), the International Institute for Conservation and Wildlife Management (ICOMVIS), and the National System of Conservation Areas of Costa Rica (SINAC) organized the Symposium on Biodiversity Management and Conservation in Protected Areas and Climate Change in Costa Rica on November 30.

The symposium brought together students, researchers and professors from national institutions, as well as decision-makers from the biodiversity sector and other stakeholders, with the objective of generating a space for dialogue to learn about and discuss progress and information needs related to the impacts of climate change on the country's biodiversity and the actions being implemented to counteract these impacts, mainly in protected areas.

One of the outstanding speakers at the symposium was Bryan Finegan, senior researcher at CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center). Finegan presented research entitled Multidimensional Temperature Sensitivity of Protected Tropical Mountain Forests: Prospects for the Next 50 Years.

In his presentation, Finegan addressed the global importance of tropical mountain forests and their vulnerability to climate change, as well as the lack of specific approaches to assess this vulnerability at local and landscape scales necessary for adaptation management.

The researcher shared the results of a long-term research program that has been conducted since 2012 in protected areas in Costa Rica, addressing ecological sensitivity to temperature in 11 ecosystem properties, including forest composition and diversity, thermal characteristics of forest stands, and forest structure and dynamics.

Results indicated that these 11 ecosystem properties are substantially sensitive to temperature variations, suggesting changes in their values as temperatures increase.

Finegan highlighted areas of vulnerability in protected areas, noting that montane forests appear to be in good health and less vulnerable to climate change, while lowland forests may face challenges due to degradation and biotic attrition.

This research, developed by Finegan, Diego Delgado and colleagues from CATIE's Ecology Chair and Graduate School, has the potential to influence decision-making and adaptation strategies in protected areas.

The symposium, which consisted of three sessions, allowed for a valuable dialogue between diverse sectors interested in biodiversity conservation and climate change response in Costa Rica.

If you would like to relive this symposium, you can access the full recording here.