Butterfly range shifts linked to climate change

A global study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution analyzed 6,182 range-shift records for 1,758 butterfly species across 105 countries, finding that 80% of species expanded their ranges, 27% contracted, and 22% shifted elevation. Nearly 80% of documented shifts were linked to climate change and extreme weather. The research, led by Monash University with contributions from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), University of Jena, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, and others, highlighted significant geographic data gaps in Central African Republic, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and the Amazon basin. The authors emphasized the need for expanded, standardized, and multilingual biodiversity monitoring to inform conservation, particularly in tropical regions where species are most vulnerable.