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Showy dragonflies are being driven extinct by warming and wildfire

Year of Publication
2025
Publication Type

Rising temperatures may disrupt reproduction before becoming lethal; thus mating traits could define species vulnerability to warming. Here, using >1,600 estimates of local extinction for 60 dragonfly species, we show that species with mating-associated wing ornamentation experienced more extinctions and lost more habitat under warming and following wildfire burn than non-ornamented species. By contrast, sensitivity was not affected by ecological traits, such as thermal limits, habitat specialization or body size.

Authors
Sarah E. Nalley & Michael P. Moore
Citation

Nalley, S.E., Moore, M.P. Showy dragonflies are being driven extinct by warming and wildfire. Nat. Clim. Chang. (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-025-02417-8

Publication Keywords