O aquecimento global ameaça a estabilidade da sociedade e a biodiversidade em todo o mundo. Por sua vez, a temperatura afeta o metabolismo das espécies, as suas interações alimentares e a sua capacidade de persistir num determinado ambiente. Estudos recentes, sugerem que os diferentes efeitos da temperatura sobre os consumidores e os recursos podem fazer com que a biodiversidade aumente em climas frios, enquanto que em zonas tropicais diminua.

What is the overall context in which this research was developed?
This research was developed in the context of the project WarmingWebs (coordination: Catarina Vinagre) that investigated the effect of warming on coastal food webs using tidepools as model-ecosystems. It was a collaboration with the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) (Germany), using data from 124 tidepools from Mozambique, Brazil, Portugal, Madeira Island, England and Canada. Dynamic modelling was used to test whether communities from warmer regions are more sensitive to warming. 

What are the main scientific advances/opportunities that this research brings?
Results from this study imply that the expected global warming of 4 °C should increase biodiversity in arctic to temperate regions, however biodiversity in tropical regions should decrease. Simulations using synthetic networks reveal the importance of using natural food webs for predicting community responses to environmental changes.
 

You can read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-0698-z