What is a species? (Adapted):
Using DNA barcodes to identify species and determine insect responses to global warming
Insects that look alike might be different species - molecular taxonomy may change our view of how insects will respond to global warming.
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Tolerance to high temperatures will determine the survival of animal species under projected global warming. Let's explore how this trait differs among insects living under different temperatures, while thinking about the concept of a species.
DNA barcodes are small, standardized segments of DNA used to identify species. DNA barcodes have revealed that some insect species, once believed to live within a broad range of temperatures, actually belong to several different species, with each species uniquely adapted to a small range of temperatures. The consequence is that in a warming world, the risk of extinction increases for these species that cannot tolerate temperatures rising above their smaller range of temperatures to which they are adapted.
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