Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Climate change: potential implications for Ireland’s biodiversity

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Biometeorology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A national biodiversity and climate change adaptation plan is being developed for Ireland by the Department of Communications, Climate Action, and Environment. In order to inform such a plan, it was necessary to review and synthesize some of the recent literature pertaining to the impact of climate change on biodiversity in Ireland. Published research on this topic fell within three broad categories: (i) changes in the timing of life-cycle events (phenology) of plants, birds, and insects; (ii) changes in the geographic range of some bird species; and (iii) changes in the suitable climatic zones of key habitats and species. The synthesis revealed evidence of (i) a trend towards earlier spring activity of plants, birds, and insects which may result in a change in ecosystem function; (ii) an increase in the number of bird species; and (iii) both increases and decreases in the suitable climatic area of key habitats and species, all of which are expected to impact Ireland’s future biodiversity. This process identified data gaps and limitations in available information both of which could be used to inform a focused research strategy. In addition, it raises awareness of the potential implications of climate change for biodiversity in Ireland and elsewhere and demonstrates the need for biodiversity conservation plans to factor climate change into future designs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bellard C, Bertelsmeier C, Leadley P, Thuillier W, Courchamp F (2012) Impacts of climate change on the future of biodiversity. Ecol Lett 15(4):365–377

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berry PM, Dawson TP, Harrison PA, Pearson R, Butt N (2003) The sensitivity and vulnerability of terrestrial habitats and species in Britain and Ireland to climate change. J Nat Conserv 11:12–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Both C, van Asch M, Bijksma RG, van den Burg AB, Visser ME (2009) Climate change and unequal phenological changes across four trophic levels: constraints or adaptations. J Anim Ecol 78:73–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Butchart SHM, Walpole M, Collen B, van Strien A, Scharlemann JPW, Almond REA, Baillie JEM, Bomhard B, Brown C, Bruno J, Carpenter KE, Carr GM, Chanson J, Chenery AM, Csirke J, Davidson NC, Dentener F, Foster M, Galli A, Galloway JN, Genovesi P, Gregory RD, Hockings M, Kapos V, Lamarque J-F, Leverington F, Loh J, McGeoch MA, McRae L, Minasyan A, Hernández Morcillo M, Oldfield TEE, Pauly D, Quader S, Revenga C, Sauer JR, Skolnik B, Spear D, Stanwell-Smith D, Stuart SN, Symes A, Tierney M, Tyrrell TD, Vié J-C, Watson R (2010) Global biodiversity: indicators of recent declines. Science 328:1164–1168

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caffarra A, Donnelly A, Chuine I, Jones M (2011a) Modelling the timing of Betula pubescens budburst. I. Temperature and photoperiod: a conceptual model. Clim Res 46:147–157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caffarra A, Donnelly A, Chuine I (2011b) Modelling the timing of Betula pubescens budburst. II. Integrating complex effects of photoperiod into process-based models. Clim Res 46:159–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caffarra A, Zottele F, Gleeson E, Donnelly A (2014) Spatial heterogeneity in the timing of birch bud burst in response to future climate warming in Ireland. Int J Biometeorol 58(4):509–519

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carroll E, Sparks T, Donnelly A, Cooney T (2009) Irish phenological observations from the early 20th century reveal a strong response to temperature. Biol Environ 109(B)(2):115–126

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers LE, Altwegg R, Barbraud C, Barnard P, Beaumont LJ, Crawford RJM, Durant JM, Hughes L, Keatley MR, Low M, Morellato TC, Poloczanska ES, Ruoppolo V, Vanstreels RET, Woehler EJ, Wolfaardt AC (2013) Phenological changes in the southern hemisphere. PLoS One 8(10):e75514

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen X, Hu B, Yu R (2005) Spatial and temporal variation of phenological growing season and climate change impacts in temperate eastern China. Glob Chang Biol 11(7):1118–1130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen I-C, Hill JK, Ohlemüller R, Roy DB, Thomas CD (2011) Rapid range shifts of species associated with high levels of climate warming. Science 333:1024–1026

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coll J, Bourke D, Sheehy-Skeffington M, Sweeney JC, Gormally M (2011) Developing a predictive modelling capacity for a climate change-vulnerable blanket bog habitat: assessing 1961−1990 baseline relationships. Ir Geogr 44:27–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coll J, Bourke D, Gormally M, Sheehy-Skeffington M, Sweeney J (2013) Climate change impacts on biodiversity in Ireland: projecting changes and informing adaptation measures. In: Winners and losers: climate change impacts on biodiversity in Ireland. CCRP Rep No. 19, Environmental Protection Agency, Wexford, Ireland

  • Coll J, Bourke D, Sheehy-Skeffington M, Gormally M, Sweeney J (2014) Projected loss of active blanket bogs in Ireland. Clim Res 59:103–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coll J, Bourke D, Sheehy-Skeffington M, Gormally M, Sweeney JC (2016a) Projected loss of climate space for active blanket bog in Ireland. In: Rotherham I (ed) In the bog: the ecology, landscape, archaeology and heritage of peatlands conference. Sheffield, UK, September 3–5, 2014

  • Coll J, Bourke D, Hodd RL, Sheehy-Skeffington M, Gormally M, Sweeney J (2016b) Projected climate change impacts on upland heaths in Ireland. Clim Res 69:177–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diskin E, Proctor H, Jebb M, Sparks T, Donnelly A (2012) The phenology of Rubus fructosis in Ireland: herbarium specimens provide evidence for the response of phenophases to temperature, with implications for climate warming. Int J Biometeorol 55(6):1103–1111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donald P, Bekhuis J (1993) Mediteraneann Gull Larus melanocephalus. In: Gibbons DW, Reid JW, Chapman RA (eds) The new atlas of breeding birds in Britain and Ireland 1988–1991. T &AD Poyser, London, pp 200–201

    Google Scholar 

  • Donnelly A, Yu R (2017) The rise of phenology with climate change: an evaluation of IJB publications. Int J Biometeorol 61(S29):29–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donnelly A, Jones MB, Sweeney J (2004) A review of indicators of climate change for use in Ireland. Int J Biometeorol 49:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donnelly A, Salamin N, Jones MB (2006) Changes in tree phenology: an indicator of spring warming in Ireland? Biol Environ 106B3:1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Donnelly A, Cooney T, Jennings E, Buscardo E, Jones MB (2009) Response of birds to climatic variability; evidence from the western fringe of Europe. Int J Biometeorol 53:211–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donnelly A, Caffarra A, O’Neill BF (2011) A review of climate-driven mismatches between inter-dependent phenophases in terrestrial, aquatic and agricultural ecosystems. Int J Biometeorol 55(6):805–817

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donnelly A, Crowe O, Regan E, Begley S, Caffarra A (2013) The role of citizen science in monitoring biodiversity in Ireland. Int J Biometeorol 58(6):1237–1249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donnelly A, Yu R, Liu L (2015) Trophic-level responses differ as climate warms in Ireland. Int J Biometeorol 59(8):1007–1017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donnelly A, Yu R, Geyer H (2016) Are Irish winter migrant waterbirds staying longer as temperature warms? Biol Environ 116(2):1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Emberlin J, Mullins J, Corden J, Millington W, Brooke M, Savage M, Jones S (1997) The tend to earlier birch pollen seasons in the UK: a biotic response to changes in weather conditions? Grana 36(1):29–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fox AD, Weegman MD, Bearhop S, Hilton GM, Griffin L, Stroud DA, Walsh A (2014) Climate change and contrasting plasticity in timing of a two-step migration episode of an Arctic-nesting avian herbivore. Curr Zool 60(2):233–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gleeson E, McGrath R, Treanor M (2013a) Ireland’s climate: the road ahead. Met Éireann, Dublin

    Google Scholar 

  • Gleeson E, Donnelly A, Ní Bhroin A, O’Neill BF, Semmler T, McGrath R (2013b) Assessing the influence of a range of spring meteorological parameters on tree phenology. Biol Environ 113B:1–7

    Google Scholar 

  • Grabenweger G, Hopp H, Jackel B, Balder H, Koch T, Schmolling S (2007) Impact of poor host-parasitoid synchronisation on the parasitism of Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae). Eur J Entomol 104:153–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hance T, van Baaren J, Vernon P, Boivin G (2007) Impact of extreme temperatures on parasitoids in a climate change perspective. Annu Rev Entomol 52:107–126

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hodd RL, Bourke D, Sheehy Skeffington MJ (2014) Projected range contractions of European protected oceanic montane plant communities: focus on climate change impacts is essential for their future conservation. PLoS One 9:e95147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huntley B, Green RE, Collingham YC, Willis SG (2007) A climatic atlas of European breeding birds. Durham University, The RSPB and Lynx Edicions, Barcelona

    Google Scholar 

  • Inouye DW, Barr B, Armitage KB, Inouye BD (2000) Climate change is affecting altitudinal migrants and hibernating species. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 97:1630–1633

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2007) Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. In: Parry ML, Canziani OF, Palutikof JP, van der Linden PJ, Hanson CE (eds) Contribution of working group II to the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 976 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2013) Summary for policymakers. In: Stocker TF, Qin D, Plattner G-K, Tignor M, Allen SK, Boschung J, Nauels A, Xia Y, Bex V, Midgley PM (eds) Climate change 2013: the physical science basis. Contribution of working group I to the fifth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 1–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones MB, Donnelly A, Albanito F (2006) Responses of Irish vegetation to future climate change. Biol Environ 106B(3):323–334

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr JT, Pindar A, Galpern P, Packer L, Potts SG, Roberts SM, Rasmont R, Schweiger O, Colla SR, Richardson LL, Wagner DL, Gall LF, Sikes DS, Pantoja A (2015) Climate change impacts on bumblebees converge across continents. Science 349(6244):177–180

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kudo G, Ida TY, Tani T (2008) Linkages between phenology, pollination, photosynthesis and plant reproduction in deciduous forest understory plants. Ecology 89:321–331

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lehikoinen E, Sparks TH (2010) Changes in migration. In: Møller AP, Fiedler W, Berthold P (eds) Effects of climate change on birds. Oxford University Press, UK, pp 89–112

    Google Scholar 

  • McKinney AM, Caradonna PJ, Inouye DW, Barr B, Berteisen CD, Waser NM (2012) Asynchronous changes in phenology of migrating broad-tailed hummingbirds and their early-season nectar resources. Ecology 93:1987–1993

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Menzel A, Sparks TH, Estrella N, Koch E, Aasa A, Ahas R, Alm-Kübler K, Bissolli P, Braslavská O, Briede A, Chmielewski FM, Crepinsek Z, Curnel Y, Dahl Å, Defila C, Donnelly A, Filella Y, Jatczak K, Måge F, Mestre A, Nordli Ø, Peñuelas J, Pirinen R, Remišová V, Scheifinger H, Striz M, Suskin A, van Vliet AJH, Wielgolaski FE, Zach S, Zust A (2006) European phenological response to climate change matches the warming pattern. Glob Change Biol 12:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Connor B, Dwyer N, Cawkwell F, Eklund L (2012) Spatio-temporal patterns in vegetation start of season across the island of Ireland using the MERIS Global Vegetation Index. ISPRS J Photogramm Remote Sens 68:79–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Neill B, Bond K, Tyner A, Sheppard R, Bryant T, Chapman J, Bell J, Donnelly A (2012) Climatic warming advancing phenology of moth species in Ireland. Entomol Exp Appl 143:74–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parmesan C, Yohe G (2003) A globally coherent fingerprint of climate change impacts across natural systems. Nature 421(2):37–42

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Parmesan C, Ryrholm N, Stefanescu C, Hill JK, Thomas CD, Descimon H, Huntley B, Kaila L, Kullberg J, Tammaru T, Tennent WJ, Thomas JA, Warren M (1999) Poleward shifts in geographical ranges of butterfly species associated with regional warming. Nature 399:579–583

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peñuelas J, Filella I (2001) Responses to a warming world. Science 249:793–795

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Post E, Forchhammer MC (2008) Climate change reduces reproductive success of an Arctic herbivore through trophic mismatch. Philos Trans R Soc B 363:2369–2375

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reed TE, Jenouvrier S, Visser M (2013) Phenological mismatch strongly affects individual fitness but not population demography in a woodland passerine. J Anim Ecol 82:131–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson AD, Black TA, Ciais P, Delbart N, Friedl MA, Gobron N, Hollinger DY, Kutsch WL, Longdoz B, Luyssaert S, Migliavacca M, Montagnani L, Munger JW, Moors E, Piao SL, Rebmann C, Reichstein M, Saigusa N, Tomelleri E, Vargas R, Varlagin A (2010) Influence of spring and autumn phenological transitions on forest ecosystem productivity. Philos T R Soc B 365(1555):3227–3246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Root TL, Price JT, Hall KR, Schneider SH, Rosenzweig C, Pounds JA (2003) Fingerprints of global warming on wild animals and plants. Nature 421(2):57–60

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roy DB, Sparks TH (2000) Phenology of British butterflies and climate change. Glob Chang Biol 6:407–416

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz MD, Ahas R, Aasa A (2006) Onset of spring starting earlier across the northern hemisphere. Glob Chang Biol 12:343–351

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharkey N, Jones M, Bourke D (2013) Climate change impacts on woodland species: implications for the conservation of woodland habitats in Ireland. Biol Environ 103B3:227–257

    Google Scholar 

  • Smiddy P, O’Sullivan O (1998) The status of little egret Egretta garzetta in Ireland. Irish Birds 6(2):201–206

    Google Scholar 

  • Spark TH, Jeffree EP, Jeffree CE (2000) An examination of the relationship between flowering times and temperature at the national scale using long-term phenological records from the UK. Int J Biometeorol 44:82–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stirnemann RL, O’Halloran J, Ridgway M, Donnelly A (2012) Temperature related increases in grass growth and greater competition for food drive earlier migrational departure of wintering whooper swan. Ibis 154:542–553

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomson JD (2010) Flowering phenology, fruiting success and progressive deterioration of pollination in an early-flowering genophyte. Philos R Soc B 365:3187–3199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Visser ME, van Noordwijk AJ, Tinbergen JM, Lessells CM (1998) Warmer springs lead to mistimed reproduction in great tits (Parus major). Philos R Soc B 265:1867–1870

    Google Scholar 

  • Voisin C (1991) The herons of Europe. Poyser, London

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank the numerous anonymous reviewers and field editors for their insightful comments and helpful suggestions which greatly enhanced this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, 53201, USA

    Alison Donnelly

Authors
  1. Alison Donnelly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alison Donnelly.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Donnelly, A. Climate change: potential implications for Ireland’s biodiversity. Int J Biometeorol 62, 1221–1228 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-018-1526-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-018-1526-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation