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ABSTRACT Arising from F. He & S. P. Hubbell _Nature_ 473, 368–371 ()(2011)10.1038/nature09985. Statistical relationships between habitat area and the number of species observed

(species–area relationships, SARs) are sometimes used to assess extinction risks following habitat destruction or loss of climatic suitability. He and Hubbell1 argue that the numbers of

species confined to—rather than observed in—different areas (endemics–area relationships, EARs) should be used instead of SARs, and that SAR-based extinction estimates in the literature are

too high. We suggest that He and Hubbell’s SAR estimates are biased, that the empirical data they use are not appropriate to calculate extinction risks, and that their statements about

extinction risks from climate change2 do not take into account non-SAR-based estimates or recent observations. Species have already responded to climate change in a manner consistent with

high future extinction risks. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your

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FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS CLIMATE CHANGE RESHUFFLES NORTHERN SPECIES WITHIN THEIR NICHES Article Open access 02 June 2022 MECHANISMS, DETECTION

AND IMPACTS OF SPECIES REDISTRIBUTIONS UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE Article 18 April 2024 VULNERABILITY OF _GUBERNATRIX CRISTATA_ TO CLIMATE CHANGE, ANTHROPOGENIC PRESSURES, AND HYBRIDIZATION

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INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * *Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK., Chris D. Thomas & Mark Williamson Authors * Chris D. Thomas View

author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Mark Williamson View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

CONTRIBUTIONS C.D.T. and M.W. jointly conceived and wrote the communication. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to Chris D. Thomas. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS Declared none.

RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Thomas, C., Williamson, M. Extinction and climate change. _Nature_ 482, E4–E5 (2012).

https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10858 Download citation * Received: 14 June 2011 * Accepted: 20 December 2011 * Published: 22 February 2012 * Issue Date: 23 February 2012 * DOI:

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