In their review published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Susan Harrison, James H. Thorne, and Hugh Safford argue that California serves as a crucial test case for global biodiversity conservation amid climate change. The study examines California’s exceptional terrestrial biodiversity and the severe threats posed by climate change, including direct impacts such as shifting plant diversity hotspots, and interactive effects involving invasive species and land-use changes. The authors assess the impacts of changing fire regimes and land-based renewable energy development on biodiversity. They highlight recent policy responses, including California's ambitious 30x30 Initiative and efforts to integrate biodiversity conservation with renewable energy. The study concludes that while these initiatives mark significant progress, substantial advancements are needed in adapting fire management policies to new fire regimes to better protect California’s biodiversity.

Read the study:

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2310074121 

Read the news story:

https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news/california-botanical-and-climate-change-hot-spot