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Cl\u00e9ment Falize<\/p>\n
By Talker<\/p>\n
By Stephen Beech<\/p>\n
Dragonflies<\/a> are facing extinction due to climate change<\/a>, warns new research.<\/p>\n The iconic insects survived asteroids – but wildfires and climate change may wipe them out, say scientists.<\/p>\n The study, led by scientists at the University of Colorado<\/a>, found that adaptation alone may not be fast enough to protect the species in a rapidly changing climate.<\/p>\n The research team found that global warming and intensifying wildfires are disrupting dragonfly mating patterns, threatening to push some species toward local extinction.<\/p>\n Their findings, published in the journal Nature Climate Change<\/a>, show that dragonflies with dark wing spots – traits long linked to attracting mates – are now more vulnerable in a warming world.<\/p>\n The researchers explained that dragonflies play an essential role in ecosystems as they are “major” predators of mosquitoes and serve as food for birds, fish, and amphibians.<\/p>\n They say their decline will ripple through entire food webs.<\/p>\n (Photo by Josh Hild via Pexels)<\/p>\n By Talker<\/p>\n Lead author Sarah Nalley said: “Dragonflies have survived asteroids, but now climate change and wildfires are threatening them in ways evolution can\u2019t keep up with.<\/p>\n \u201cOur findings suggest that adaptation alone may not be fast enough to protect species in a rapidly changing climate.\u201d<\/p>\n Using 40 years of publicly available data, the study found that the \u201cornamented\u201d dragonflies<\/a> are disappearing from burned habitats and hotter regions across the United States.<\/p>\n Thermal imaging revealed that the dark melanin spots on their wings absorb heat faster, causing males to overheat.<\/p>\n As a result, they spend more time resting and recovering and less time competing for mates.<\/p>\n Unlike the case of peppered moths during the Industrial Revolution, where wing colour affected survival by helping moths avoid predators, in dragonflies<\/a>, wing colouration affects reproductive success – showing that survival alone isn\u2019t the full story and that changes in mating dynamics can push populations toward extinction.<\/p>\n (Photo by Awesome Daily Vlog:<\/p>\n By Talker<\/p>\n The research team says the study highlights an “underexplored” piece of conservation biology.<\/p>\n While scientists often measure whether species can grow and survive in hotter, drier environments, the new research shows that traits linked to reproduction may be even more critical.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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