Extreme weather events are "annihilating" populations of wildlife around the world, according to researchers.
A study released on Friday by the University of Queensland mapped how various species have been responding to major climate events.
"The growing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as cyclones, droughts and floods is causing unpredictable and immediate changes to ecosystems and obstructing existing management efforts," School of Earth and Environmental Science researcher Dr Sean Maxwell said.
The study was released only weeks after thousands of flying foxes died as a record-breaking heatwave hit North Queensland.
"The deaths of up to one-third of Australia's spectacled flying foxes in an extreme heatwave north of Cairns in November comes in the wake of our research, and is a stark illustration of the importance of the study," Dr Maxwell said.
Flying foxes killed by extreme heat. Source: Help Save the Wildlife and Bushlands
He said there were similar examples in many other countries, including more than 100 cases of "dramatic population declines" and 31 cases of local population extinction following an extreme event.
"Populations of critically endangered bird species in Hawaii, such as the palila, have been annihilated due to drought, and populations of lizard species have been wiped out due to cyclones in the Bahamas."
The study found birds, fish, plants and reptiles were hit hardest by cyclones, while mammals and amphibians struggled the most with drought events.
Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science director Professor James Watson said, "as climate change continues to ensure extreme climate and weather events are more and more common, we now need to act to ensure species have the best chance to survive".
"Wherever possible, high quality and intact habitat areas should be retained, as these are the places where species are most resilient to increasing exposure to extreme events."
On Thursday, warned of more heatwaves and extreme fire weather around Australia as global temperatures continue to rise.
Director of the Climate Science Centre at the CSIRO Dr Helen Cleugh said CO2 levels were unprecedented.
"CO2 in the atmosphere now is at levels that we haven't seen in at least 800,000 years and if we go back to other observations, the science says we probably haven't seen these levels of CO2 concentration for maybe two million years."
