Ecophysiological vulnerability and thermal niche shifts of an extremophile lizard under climate change in the Sonoran desert using hybrid mechanistic–correlative SDM

Key Points

• Thermal niche shifts were identified, revealing ecophysiological vulnerability in the extremophile lizard.
• The study found significant changes in the thermal tolerances, impacting habitat suitability, and survival rates.
• Analysis used hybrid mechanistic–correlative species distribution models across various sites in the Sonoran Desert.
• These findings highlight the potential resilience challenges for this lizard due to climate change influences.