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Abstract

       Climate change is predicted to cause species to shift their geographic distributions in response to warming temperatures, leading to the rearrangement of life on Earth. In this seminar I will discuss my research testing these predictions using empirical data in mountain systems. I will describe my field studies and meta-analyses that together show how species have responded to recent warming. In particular I will emphasize that tropical and temperate zone species are responding differently to recent warming. I will then argue that a greater understanding of species interactions can help us make better predictions for how particular species will respond to warming. I will conclude by sharing my vision for a global effort to understand how montane birds are responding to climate change, based in mountainous, biodiverse Taiwan.