A study projects that sea level rise could alter habitats for over 40% of land vertebrate species by 2100.

What it means

A new study projects that by 2100, sea level rise driven by climate change could alter or destroy habitats for more than 40% of terrestrial vertebrate species—mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians that live on land. The research models how coastal inundation and saltwater intrusion will shrink available land, with the Amazon River delta and Southeast Asia among the most affected regions. This is a large-scale ecological forecast, not a measurement of current loss, but it underscores the long-term threat to biodiversity from rising oceans.

Accuracy & sourcesGrounded

The claim is based on a peer-reviewed study (the primary source) and is reported by reputable secondary outlets like Phys.org and Mongabay, which closely summarize the findings. The reporting appears faithful to the study's projections, though the exact methodology and species-level details would need to be checked against the original paper. The provenance tier (reputable secondary) indicates solid but not primary-source certainty.

How new

Genuinely new: the study and its coverage were published on November 11, 2026.

Go deeper

• Mongabay — first to publish