Why gradual environmental change can trigger sudden species collapse and fragmented populations‎

When species are subjected to changing environments, they can survive in their current location through genetic adaptation. However, this ability is not unlimited. In a study published in PNAS, biomathematician Jitka Polechová of the University of Vienna shows that, even when environmental change is only gradual, there is a tipping point beyond which adaptation can suddenly fail. When that happens, species' ranges may shrink or populations may fragment into separate subpopulations.