Environmental Science

This meta-analysis synthesizes data from 523 studies published between 2010-2024 to quantify the relationship between climate variables and biodiversity metrics across different ecosystems and taxonomic groups. Our analysis reveals that temperature increases of 1.5°C are associated with a 12% decline in species richness globally, with polar and tropical ecosystems showing the highest sensitivity. Marine ecosystems demonstrate faster response times compared to terrestrial systems. We identify critical thresholds beyond which ecosystem recovery becomes increasingly unlikely and propose a framework for prioritizing conservation efforts under different climate scenarios.