can fynbos birds KEEP THEIR COOL?

For the past 10 years, record-breaking temperatures have followed one another, culminating in 2024, the first full calendar year in which the rise in global temperatures surpassed the threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

- Martiné van den Berg, Dr Shannon Conradie, Dr Susie Cunningham

This has already resulted in widespread adverse effects on biodiversity, impacting virtually every habitat on earth. Importantly, we are witnessing these rising temperatures right on our doorstep. Recent research by Williams et al. (2021) has shown that in the fynbos region, temperatures have been increasing at a staggering rate. Between 1901 and 2006, mean annual temperatures increased by three degrees Celsius - and are continuing to rise.

The fynbos biome is considered a global conservation priority due to its high levels of biodiversity and endemism. However, it is also expected to experience some of the greatest losses in biodiversity due to climate change. This may pose a risk to birds, as fynbos is home to seven endemic species (six passerines and the Fynbos Buttonquail) along with several other indigenous bird species. These birds are important not only intrinsically, but because they play a role in ecosystem functioning and in South Africa's avitourism sector, contributing to job opportunities and GDP.