Extended Data Fig. 3: Changes in population and habitat size over time for each of the three study islands.
From: Sea-level rise causes shorebird population collapse before habitats drown
Shown are changes under emission scenarios (a) RCP2.6, (b) RCP4.5 and (c) RCP8.5. Population size loss is calculated relative to the population size in the reference of a scenario where SLR would not have accelerated (‘no SLRA’) to determine the impact of additional SLR due to greenhouse gas emissions (for example \(\frac{{{\rm{n}}}_{{\rm{y}},{\rm{RCP}}4.5}-{{\rm{n}}}_{{\rm{y}},{\rm{noSLRA}}}}{{{\rm{n}}}_{{\rm{y}},{\rm{noSLRA}}}}\)). The double arrows highlight the amount of population loss already occurring at the point in time where habitat is first lost. Island T is the lowest island (median elevation of territories and study area is 0.35 m and 0.74 m above MHT, respectively) and therefore loses most habitat, even though island A has the lowest critical rate of SLR (Fig. 2a in main text; the median elevation of territories and study area of island A is 0.67 m and 1.21 m above MHT, respectively).
