In a new study published in Ecology Letters , scientists show that genetic diversity plays a significant role in determining whether species can shift their ranges as temperatures warm.   The study, co-authored by National CASC scientists, integrated the largest global databases of species range shifts and genetic diversity, analyzing more than 4,600 range shift estimates for nearly 1,900 species, including insects, arachnids, birds, fish, and plants. They found that the speed and direction of range shifts depended on interactions between genetic diversity, where populations are located within the species’ range, and the rate at which conditions are changing, known as climate velocity.   As change accelerates, species generally have two options: ‘persist in place’ by adjusting to new conditions, or ‘move in space’ to follow suitable conditions.…