Vortragsreihe Ökologie und Umweltforschung SS 2022

Cuban biodiversity facing climate change

The biodiversity of the islands acquires a special fascination. Many islands have poor biodiversity, composed of adaptable and widely distributed species. Nevertheless, some islands and archipelagos have some of the most exclusive biotas on the planet. In particular, Cuba has twice the number of endemic plant species (more than 3 000) necessary to appear as a "hot spot" of life on the planet. “Often called the “Pearl of the Antilles”, Cuba is by far the most biologically rich and diverse island in the Caribbean an ecological treasure at the nexus of North and South America”. On the other hand, the effects of humans or natural phenomena on island systems are illuminating about what is happening or could happen to the rest of the planet. Therefore, in this talk, we will describe the Cuban biodiversity, its origin and biogeography. Thereafter, we will analyse the impacts of climate change on Cuban biodiversity. Finally, we will discuss some approaches for making inferences about the consequences of these changes.

*** invited by Prof. Dr. Anke Jentsch

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