Have you ever wondered how national park boundaries are created around the world? Along with natural beauty and economic considerations, the diversity and rarity of species play a role in defining where borders are drawn. With climate change banging on our doors, preserving habitats is more important than ever before – rising temperatures in the next century will likely put 20 to 30 percent of species at risk of extinction. As temperatures increase, habitats bloom and wither at different times and latitudes, forcing animals to adapt or perish. By identifying areas with the most genetic diversity among species, UCLA professor Thomas Smith and postdoctoral scholar Trevon Fuller from UCLA’s Center for Tropical Research are trying to improve biodiversity’s chance at survival.
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