Australia's standing as the home among the gumtrees could be challenged, with increased climate stress causing extensive change to Australia's eucalypt ecosystems.

A study by the National Environmental Research Program's Environmental Decisions Hub has found that climate stress on eucalypts will mean many of Australia's 750 species will struggle to cope with climate change.

Hot times to mean bad news: A predicted rise in temperatures would see woodland become grassland. Credit:Tamara Dean

''Those that will be most affected are the Eucalyptus and Corymbia species in the central desert and open woodlands area,'' said author Nathalie Butt of the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub and the University of Queensland.

The study found that ''under the mid-range climate scenario, these species will lose 20 per cent of their climate space, and twice that under the extreme scenario''.