noun
- areas where relict populations of organisms survive through periods of regional climate change
Usage: biology; ecology; plural of refugium
Examples
- During the ice age, refugia in southern regions allowed many species to survive.
- Scientists study refugia to understand how climate change affects biodiversity.
- Mountain refugia provided shelter for plants during glacial periods.
- The Amazon basin contains important refugia for tropical species.
- Coastal refugia may become crucial as sea levels rise.
- These refugia served as sources for recolonization after the climate improved.