MaxEnt modeling for predicting impacts of climate change on the suitable habitat of Morus indica in Tamil Nadu, India

This study assesses the habitat suitability of Morus indica under current and future climate
scenarios (2050s, 2070s, and 2090s) using MaxEnt modeling. Habitat suitability was classified
into non-suitable (< 0.3), medium (0.3-0.5), and high (> 0.5) categories. Under current
conditions, medium suitability areas cover the largest extent (17,445.44 sq. km), followed by
non-suitable (5,045.22 sq. km) and high suitability (3,463.806 sq. km) areas. Future projections
indicate substantial alterations: by the 2050s, non-suitable areas increased by 36.75%, with
medium and high suitability areas decreasing by 7.54% and 15.54%, respectively. This trend
intensifies by the 2070s and 2090s, with non-suitable areas expanding dramatically and high-
suitability areas declining by up to 65%, suggesting habitat fragmentation and decreased species
viability. Challenges in this study include the complexity of modeling habitat suitability under
diverse climate scenarios and the potential for data limitations affecting accuracy. Despite these
challenges, the study contributes valuable insights into the future distribution of Morus indica
and underscores the urgent need for targeted conservation strategies to address the adverse
impacts of climate change on its habitats. Key predictors of habitat suitability include Bio 4
(Temperature Seasonality), Bio 12 (Annual Precipitation), Bio 2 (Mean Diurnal Temperature
Range), and Bio 18 (Precipitation of the Warmest Quarter).