Global change is causing the melting of ice masses, permafrost thawing, and the shrinking of glaciers, thereby reshaping nature's rhythms. Longer thaw phases and more frequent dry periods are transforming water-driven transitional ecosystems (e.g., glacier-fed streams) in the Polar-Alpine biome. This shift risks replacing unique, specialist species with more generalist ones, leading to "biotic homogenization"-a loss of diversity that reduces ecosystems' adaptability to change. While more species may be present at local levels, this often comes at the expense of the critical roles that specialists play. These changes disrupt nature's balance and the provision of vital ecosystem services.
Keywords: biodiversity; biotic homogenization; connectivity; freeze–thaw‐dry cycles; global change; water‐driven corridors.
© 2024 The Author(s). Global Change Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.