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Williams-Climate-change-refugia-for-terrestrial-biodiversity_0

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Finally, we assess climate <strong>change</strong> through time as well as through space. If small<br />

range-shifts can ameliorate climate <strong>change</strong>, then species will persist in these areas (by<br />

moving) despite a <strong>change</strong>d climate in their original range.<br />

3.4.2 Past: interglacial<br />

The paleological record of annual mean temperature between the current day and<br />

those of 7000, 24 000 and 120 000 years ago shows that temperature has fluctuated<br />

from a little over four degrees cooler, to just over two degrees warmer than current<br />

(Figure 2). In particular, many coastal areas had the greatest relative shift in annual<br />

mean temperature during the Last Glacial Maximum. During the Holocene <strong>Climate</strong><br />

Optimum and Last Interglacial, many of the areas that differed least from current<br />

climate were found in the east of the continent.<br />

18 <strong>Climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> <strong>refugia</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>terrestrial</strong> <strong>biodiversity</strong>

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