Nature Study of 648,316 Records on 993 Cactus Species: Severe Drought Plus Warming Raises Extinction Risk
A study published in Nature on 11 November 2026 integrated 648,316 cactus occurrence records with species distribution models to assess how severe drought alters projected suitable climatic area for 993 species of Cactaceae, a highly threatened family commonly considered drought tolerant.
The researchers combined new spatial data on severe drought, including compounding effects of warmer temperatures, with a comprehensive curated dataset of cactus occurrences. With drought included, the share of species projected to lose suitable climatic area rose from 58-61% to 69-72%.
The study concluded that severe drought and warming increase the extinction risk of cacti, indicating that even drought-tolerant groups require reassessment under combined drought and warming exposure.
Source: Nature
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 荒漠中的巨人柱仙人掌。照片：Laurens R. Krol，CC BY 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons / Saguaro cactus in the desert. Photo: Laurens R. Krol, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
