5 Species Most Likely to Survive a Climate
Change Disaster
By: Beth Buczynski
Survival of the fittest. This basic tenet of evolution explains why the dodo bird no longer
exists and why humans have opposable thumbs.
Adaptation is key to survival, no matter how many fingers you’ve
got. The ability to adjust to whatever conditions Mother Earth sends our way
determines whether obstacles lead to extinction or to a
new generation.
Human-accelerated climate
change is a disaster
waiting to happen. We’ve already seen the superstorms and drought it can create.
Although we can work to slow climate change, there’s no way to
stop it completely. This reality means adaptation will once again become the
most important strategy for survival.
One thing’s for sure: the Earth will continue to exist as it has
for eons. The question is, what will be left behind to inhabit it?
Below are five species known for their resilience and ability to
survive in adverse conditions. They are the most likely to survive a climate
change disaster. Spoiler: humans don’t make the list.
A study published in the latest edition of Ecology and
Evolution found that a certain Amazon tree species has the ability to
survive for millions of years. According to recent tests, some trees
in Panama, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, French Guiana and Bolivia are around 8
million years old, meaning they’ve already lived through period of much warmer
temperatures.
Wolves and coyotes
There are some mammals for whom roaming is a way of life,
however.
Wolves and
coyotes are used to wandering vast tracts of wilderness in search of food,
water and safe shelter. Studies show that these traveling carnivores are
some of the few species that could keep pace with a changing climate
and the relocation of natural resources.
Ants
These industrious creatures are already lauded as one of the
world’s most adaptable species. As some of the planet’s oldest known insects, ants were
recognized for their can-do attitude way back when the Greeks wrote their
famous myths.
Their colonial culture means that ants already know how to work
together to guarantee survival of their queen and, thus, the species. There are
approximately 20,000 different species of ants, with colonies of millions
located all over the world. They were here long before humans, and the odds are
good that they’ll be here long after.
Algae
Called one of the world’s most resilient and versatile species, algae is
a strong contender in the race to survive climate change. Why?
Well for starters, algae is an incredibly simple organism.
Consisting of just a single cell, algae only needs a tiny amount of water,
sunlight and nutrients to grow and multiply.
Once of the few species that has been around since the beginning of evolution — remember the primordial slime? — there are over 200,000 varieties known to man. The chances of more than a couple making it through are pretty good.
Once of the few species that has been around since the beginning of evolution — remember the primordial slime? — there are over 200,000 varieties known to man. The chances of more than a couple making it through are pretty good.
Cockroaches
As gross as they may appear, you’ve got to applaud the
resilience of the cockroach.
The bane of residential exterminators, these creepy crawlers have an amazing
ability to survive in the most dire of circumstances.
In laboratory experiments performed at Delaware Valley College
in Doylestown, Pa., entomologist Christopher Tipping discovered that American
cockroaches could survive for several weeks in a jar after having their heads removed!
Often cited
as the species most likely to endure a nuclear attack, climate change will be a
walk in the park for the durable cockroach.
