As our world gets hotter due to human-caused air pollution, more and more species are being threatened by temperature changes, new weather patterns that go along with them, and losses of other species in their ecosystems. 

Conservation efforts are underway in many areas, but new research highlighted a previously unknown gap in our approach. A study revealed how the mountaintops that were once hot spots of butterfly diversity could become those species' graves, Yale University reported in an article shared on Phys.org.

What's happening?

The study was published in Nature Ecology and Evolution and co-led by Yale ecologist Walter Jetz and University of Marburg entomologist Stefan Pinkert. It examined the geographic distribution of butterfly species.

The study found that two-thirds of butterfly species are found primarily in tropical and subtropical mountain systems and that those mountains contain 3.5 times more butterfly hot spots than the lowlands surrounding them, acting like islands where unique populations of butterflies have developed.

"Co-evolved with host plants, butterflies form an integral part of an ecologically functioning web of life," said Jetz, per Yale. "Unfortunately, our first global assessment of butterfly diversity and threats finds that butterflies' fascinating diversification into higher-elevation environments might now spell their demise, with potentially thousands of species committed to extinction from global warming this century."

As the world gets hotter, those mountain habitats will no longer have the right conditions to support the delicate butterflies. Since the lowlands are warmer, there's nowhere the isolated populations can travel to escape the heat; they will simply die out.

Why are this study's findings important?

Until now, conservation efforts have largely focused on plants and animals. There is a widespread assumption that if we preserve the habitats where a few key species reside, all other important species will be protected under the same umbrella.

But these findings show that the important geographic locations for insects may be very different from those for larger animals, and there are currently no conservation efforts focused there.

"As an entomologist, I am committed to informing the public about the distribution of insect diversity and targeted ways to protect it," said Pinkert, per Yale. "Our results are insightful from an ecological point of view but unfortunately also very alarming."

What's being done about protecting butterfly species?

The best way to preserve the dazzling diversity of butterflies for the future is to stop the runaway heating of the Earth by solving our air pollution problem.

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"A reduction of carbon emissions, combined with proactive identification and preservation of key butterfly habitats and migratory corridors, will be key to ensuring that much of butterfly diversity survives to benefit future generations," Jetz said, per Yale.

Voting for pro-climate candidates is the most important step you can take, but on a smaller scale, you can switch from gas to electric at home and on the road.

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