Articles tagged with Climate Change Effects
Scientists studied thousands of public photos to track humpback whale populations, finding they're responding to food availability changes affected by climate change. The population declined by 7,000 individuals from 2012 to 2021 due to a massive marine heatwave and reduced prey.
A new study suggests that fish are shifting their focus from less abundant prey to more abundant prey as waters become warmer, leading to a mismatch between their energetic needs and actual food intake. This flexible foraging behaviour may make communities more vulnerable to climate change, increasing the risk of extinctions.
A new study using a high-resolution global climate model found that cloud clustering causes more extreme rain in the tropics, leading to increased severity of precipitation events. The researchers also discovered that more extreme rain occurs at the cost of expansion of dry areas, further shifting towards extreme weather patterns.
A study found that large-scale forestation initiatives could reduce the CO2 removal benefits by up to a third, offsetting their positive impact on the Earth's climate. The research suggests that combining forestation with other strategies to tackle climate change is crucial for effective long-term action.
A recent Drexel University study found that high school students who experienced climate disasters had a 20% higher odds of developing mental distress. The research also discovered that the impact of climate change on mental health is strongest in the two years immediately following a disaster, with effects gradually weakening over time.
A new study reveals that even small incremental increases in tree cover on agricultural land in mountain regions can provide significant climate change mitigation benefits within a decade. Agroforestry practices can help conserve irrecoverable carbon, improve biodiversity, and enhance ecosystem services in mountain systems.
A new study finds that aerosol emissions like sulfur dioxide have offset the increase in rainfall caused by greenhouse gases. As air pollution diminishes, average and extreme rains may increase.
A new study links climate change to a 60% increase in preterm births and severe respiratory diseases. Without global action, climate-driven extremes will devastate children's health for generations, with the strongest link found between temperature extremes and increased risk of preterm birth.
A study published in Global Change Biology found that low deep-water oxygen concentrations lead to increased algae growth and further oxygen declines. This positive feedback cycle can result in frequent algal blooms, disrupting lake ecosystems and human health.
Research reveals a rich diversity of beneficial fungi living in boreal forest trees, with implications for forest health. The findings suggest that these fungi are adapted in highly specific ways to their local conditions, making them sensitive to future climate change.
A study by University of Seville researchers reveals that climate change has brought forward the flowering period in Doñana National Park by 22 days, affecting 80% of species. This shift leads to increased competition for pollinating insects and altered plant community dynamics.
A recent study published in Nature identifies potential thresholds for stressors that could cause the Amazon forest to collapse. The research highlights the importance of understanding the most significant factors affecting the rainforest environment to develop strategies for keeping it resilient.
Researchers have found a highly conserved ethylene signaling pathway that can be targeted to control the direction of root growth, creating deeper root systems that hold on to carbon and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This breakthrough could help engineer crops more resilient to climate change and drought.
An analysis by Cornell University city planning scholars found that metropolitan areas with multiple city centers and dispersed green spaces are more effective at mitigating extreme heat than those with one dominant city. Polycentric development can moderate the urban heat island effect, especially in larger urban areas.
A recent Harvard University study found that soil moisture increased across 57% of the US during summer between 2011-2020, contradicting the assumption that rising temperatures lead to drier soils. Precipitation, rather than temperature, is the primary driver of soil moisture trends.
A new study sheds light on the complex relationship between forests and the climate system, highlighting the impact of forest emissions on cloud formation and global temperatures. Researchers emphasize the need for improved climate models to accurately represent these interactions.
A new study reveals conflicting national and sectorial targets, as well as differing availability of abatement options, hinder companies' ability to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. The researchers propose introducing a carbon measurement and management process alongside a dynamic framework to align climate targets and actions.
A new web-based tool aims to increase climate awareness and action globally by highlighting messaging themes shown to be effective through experimental research. The tool was developed from a study involving nearly 250 researchers and over 59,000 participants from 63 countries.
The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology's annual meeting features a stimulating group of high-profile speakers discussing various topics including climate change, microbial communities, and RNA regulation. The conference includes plenary sessions, award lectures, and other exciting events.
A new study by Flinders University and Argentinian researchers found similarities between long-term climatic changes in South Australia and temperate agricultural areas in Argentina. The research highlights an increase in maximum and minimum temperatures, less precipitation, and more intense droughts and heatwaves.
Dust storms enhance phytoplankton tolerance to thermal and pH changes, facilitating algae growth in mountain lakes. This experimental study highlights the impact of atmospheric dust on aquatic ecosystems.
A recent study reveals a shift in global warming dynamics, with greater daytime warming since the 1990s. This has led to an increasing temperature difference between day and night, which could affect crop yields, animal well-being, and human health.
A new study warns that climate change could reduce global wheat production by 13% by 2050 due to the spread of the fungal disease wheat blast. The affected regions will include South America, southern Africa and Asia, where up to 75% of total wheat acreage could be at risk.
New research reveals permafrost's dominant role in shaping Arctic rivers and storing massive amounts of carbon. Thawing permafrost could unleash billions of tons of CO2, exacerbating climate change.
The 2019-2020 'Black Summer' bushfires in Australia resulted in a $2.8 billion loss to the tourism industry, with almost 7300 jobs disappearing nationwide. The study found that the impact of the fires was felt across the entire economy, with the Australian tourism industry being particularly vulnerable.
Researchers found that injecting aerosols into the stratosphere can reduce ice sheet loss by up to 37.6 mm sea-level rise, slowing global warming's effects. However, geoengineering addresses only symptoms, not root causes, and may delay necessary changes.
The study found that different instrumental systems in the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) complement each other and are essential for accurately monitoring ocean warming. The GOOS, which includes platforms such as free drifting instrumented floats, mooring buoys, and autonomous pinniped data, provides a comprehensive view of ocea...
Researchers found that global warming made the Corbassière glacier unusable as a climate archive, destroying reliable information about past climate and air pollution. The glacier's ice core showed flattened concentration curves and lower amounts of trace substances, likely due to meltwater washing away the deposits.
A newly published study provides a high-resolution climatic record for ancient Italy, revealing phases of climatic instability that overlap with periods of social and political crisis. The marine core record also shows a strong association between episodes of rapid climate change and epidemics of infectious disease.
Researchers found that coastal trapped waves and tidal mixing control primary production in the tropical Angolan upwelling system. Productivity peaks occur seasonally, with strong fluctuations during austral winter.
A new commentary highlights that shifting focus from energy supply to consumption can effectively reduce carbon emissions and improve wellbeing. Reducing energy demand could save households and businesses money, create employment, and reduce emissions, while also limiting global warming in line with Paris Agreement targets.
A recent study published in Allergy found that climate change has negative effects on atopic dermatitis, including increased inflammation from air pollution and stress from droughts. The researchers called for further research to address the impact of multiple climatic factors on eczema incidence and prevalence.
A recent study reveals that groundwater reserves around the world are being depleted at an unprecedented pace, with the water level in most aquifers falling drastically since 1980. The effects are particularly pronounced in arid regions, where agriculture and climate change exacerbate the crisis.
Researchers urge shift towards more sustainable forestry practices and policy to manage global growing flood risk. A probabilistic approach can better understand the effects of deforestation on floods, considering multiple factors like climate change, land use, and logging.
Researchers found that compact, faster-moving storms are more susceptible to global warming's effects, while larger, slower-moving typhoons are more resilient. This discovery could lead to improved methods for projecting typhoon strength under warming conditions.
A new compound flooding model predicts that New York City will experience historic and devastating floods every 30 years by the end of this century, a fivefold increase from the present climate. The tool helps city planners prepare and protect against future disasters by providing detailed flood forecasts.
Researchers at Oregon State University discovered that marine heat waves trigger earlier reproduction and high mortality in early life stages of Pacific cod. The study found these changes persisted in subsequent years, potentially impacting the future of Gulf of Alaska's Pacific cod population.
A recent study suggests that climate change may reduce life expectancy by approximately six months, with women and people in developing nations disproportionately affected. The study used a composite climate change index to analyze the relationship between temperature, rainfall, and life expectancy.
Researchers found that more extreme and frequent droughts could lead to a nearly five-fold increase in total area burned, from 231 sq mi in 2016 to over 17,000 sq mi by 2100. Fires would also become more frequent, returning to certain forest points every five years.
Rising temperatures caused by climate change will impact southern Africa's remaining black and white rhinoceros populations, scientists report. The region's diverse national parks will struggle to adapt to increasing heat, with some species facing extinction due to rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns.
A team of researchers led by URI Professor Brennan Phillips successfully demonstrated new technologies for capturing preserved tissue and high-resolution images of deep-sea animals in minutes, preserving them for advanced genomic study. This breakthrough enables faster species discovery and can inform extinction prevention efforts.
Research by University of Exeter scientists found that females with warmer temperatures have fewer spots, challenging long-held views on the reason for this variation. The study suggests that butterflies adapt their camouflage based on temperature, which could lead to a decrease in spotting over time.
Researchers uncover key mechanisms behind 2021's Pacific Northwest 'Heat Dome', attributing it to human-caused warming and natural systems. The study reveals the interplay between atmospheric dynamics, soil moisture, and climate change shapes extreme weather conditions.
Climate change in the South China Sea region is linked to changes in global weather patterns, including droughts and humidity shifts. The study highlights the complex interactions between ocean, land, and atmosphere, which drive climate change and impact regions worldwide.
A new analysis reveals a pronounced regional imbalance in forest productivity, with the Western U.S. experiencing a notable slowdown and the Eastern U.S. seeing slightly accelerated growth. This study highlights the urgent need for reduced global greenhouse gas emissions to restore the global carbon balance.
A new study reveals that climate change is silently eroding the ocean's ability to provide fish by reducing plankton levels, leading to significant drops in fish stocks. The research found that even small declines in phytoplankton can result in much bigger drops in fish populations due to an amplifying mechanism within the food web.
Research reveals that aquifer depletion can curb crop yields even when it appears saturated enough to continue meeting irrigation demands. As groundwater dwindles, agricultural losses escalate, especially for corn and soybean yields.
A study using infrared cameras found that high air and ground temperatures limit numbats' ability to forage in the sun, forcing them to retreat to the shade. Climate change may also make the shade too hot for numbats to survive.
The Caatinga's ecosystem is projected to lose up to 87% of its mammal species and 70% of plant assemblages due to climate change. This will result in a loss of ecological functions, such as seed dispersal, and make the ecosystem less resilient.
Researchers found that the Asian summer monsoon's strengthening played a key role in Homo sapiens' dispersal from Africa to East Asia during the last interglacial period. The study integrated paleoanthropological data with high-resolution reconstructions of the monsoon, suggesting a link between climate change and human migration.
The biological carbon pump is crucial for regulating atmospheric CO2 levels, but focusing solely on export flux neglects ocean circulation's impact. Changes in ocean circulation under climate change lead to increased storage of biologically produced CO2 in the interior ocean.
A new Dartmouth study finds that seasonal snowpacks have shrunk significantly over the past 40 years due to human-driven climate change. The sharpest global warming-related reductions are in the Southwestern and Northeastern United States, as well as in Central and Eastern Europe.
Researchers studied two coral species in Hawaii to understand their adaptability to climate change, finding that certain species can endure and recover from heat stress, while others are more vulnerable. The study highlights the importance of acclimatization and recovery patterns in coral resilience.
A study found that Spanish butterflies are better at regulating their body temperature by basking in the sunshine compared to British counterparts. However, rising global temperatures due to climate change may put Spanish butterflies at greater risk of extinction if they cannot adapt quickly enough.
A new study finds that input-efficient technologies like water-saving devices have negative net benefits for consumers, contradicting the 'win-win' narrative. The authors conclude that modest savings and uncertain long-term benefits are insufficient to overcome consumer resistance.
A global study led by Colorado State University scientists shows that extreme drought has been greatly underestimated for grasslands and shrublands. The study found that the loss of aboveground plant growth was 60% greater when short-term drought was extreme, exceeding previously reported losses.
A new study has found that evolution is influenced by a genome's evolutionary history, allowing scientists to predict gene interactions and tackle real-world issues like antibiotic resistance. This discovery opens the door to new possibilities in synthetic biology, medicine, and environmental science.
A study by Florida State University researchers finds that climate migration will sharply affect coastal populations, leading to an influx of younger people and a subsequent increase in median age. By 2100, this could result in a spike of up to 10 years in the median age of coastal communities.
Researchers found that logged forests have higher average temperatures and lower humidity, hastening the transition of bird species to higher elevations. Small bird species colonize logged forests better due to temperature tolerance, while larger species remain in primary forests.
Researchers from Fordham University partnered with Bronx schools to collect real-time air quality data through a citizen science project. The study highlighted the disproportionate impact of pollution on low-income communities and inspired students to develop an interest in science.