ABSTRACT: Climate change has extensive impacts on abundance, distribution, and conservation of species and ecosystems. The purpose of this study was to investigate impacts of future climate change on the species richness of land vertebrates, and to assess critical areas that might be continuously threatened by climate change in order to maintain high species richness in South Korea. The Climate Change Severity Index (CCSI) was calculated based on representative concentration pathway (RCP) scenarios to determine the climatic space (also known as comfort zone) of species and ecosystems under historic and future climate conditions. Regions with high species richness were then identified using survey results of species abundance and distribution. Finally, we identified critical areas with high CCSI values and high levels of species richness. These are areas where species and ecosystems are threatened the most by climate change. The number of critical areas is predicted to increase towards the late 2000s, and this increase is greater under RCP 8.5 than under RCP 4.5. Furthermore, the number of critical areas will increase more in coastal and wide plain areas than in inland mountainous areas. This study provides information useful for the conservation of species and their habitats in South Korea. It also indicates opportunities for launching protection measures and actions in highly vulnerable areas.

中文翻译：

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未来气候变化对韩国陆地脊椎动物和关键地区物种丰富度的影响

摘要：气候变化对物种和生态系统的丰度，分布和保护产生了广泛的影响。这项研究的目的是调查未来气候变化对陆地脊椎动物物种丰富度的影响，并评估可能持续受到气候变化威胁的关键区域，以保持韩国的物种丰富度。根据代表浓度路径（RCP）情景计算了气候变化严重性指数（CCSI），以确定历史和未来气候条件下物种和生态系统的气候空间（也称为舒适区）。然后使用物种丰富度和分布的调查结果确定物种丰富度高的区域。最后，我们确定了具有高CCSI值和高水平物种丰富度的关键区域。在这些地区，物种和生态系统受到气候变化的威胁最大。预计到2000年代后期，关键区域的数量将增加，在RCP 8.5下，这一增加比在RCP 4.5下要大。此外，与内陆山区相比，沿海和大平原地区的关键地区数量将增加更多。这项研究提供了有益于保护韩国物种及其栖息地的信息。它还表明在高度脆弱地区采取保护措施和行动的机会。与沿海山区相比，沿海和广大平原地区的关键地区数量将增加更多。这项研究提供了有益于保护韩国物种及其栖息地的信息。它还表明在高度脆弱地区采取保护措施和行动的机会。与沿海山区相比，沿海和广大平原地区的关键地区数量将增加更多。这项研究提供了有益于保护韩国物种及其栖息地的信息。它还表明在高度脆弱地区采取保护措施和行动的机会。