Melbourne: A new Australian study has found that the genes of many species would not allow them to adapt to a warming climate.
The research, that was quoted by ABC on Friday, suggested biodiversity will be harder to maintain than previously thought.
Biologist and author Ary Hoffmann, of the University of Melbourne, said the study looked at the evolutionary potential of different species of vinegar fly, which live in both tropical and temperate regions of Australia.
Hoffmann said he and his team wanted to know whether all the fly species could adapt to climate changes, or if adaptability depends on where the species lives.
They looked at the flies ability to adapt to cold and dry environments to assess their evolutionary potential.
Hoffmann said compared to the other species of flies, those from tropical regions had limited ability to adapt.