Climate Change – envirobites

Monday, September 25, 2023

The Clock is TICKing – Tick attachment may increase under climate change

August 4, 2023August 4, 2023 Brandi Pessman 0 Comments Climate Change, diseases, humidity, temperature, ticks

Ticks are risk-takers facing a daily dilemma: stay near the damp soil or climb the grass to find a host. Choosing one means losing access to the other. Ticks use weather conditions to inform whether to climb or stay put, but climate change may alter their behavior. Life or death for the tick has huge implications for human and animal health since ticks can transfer diseases with their bite. Click the tick to find out how hotter, more humid days will affect tick behavior.

Climate Ecosystems

Giving Them a Fighting Chance: How To Save Insects from Climate Change

July 1, 2023June 23, 2023 Andrea Valcarcel 0 Comments Climate Change, climate crisis, climate resiliency, insects

Insects, as small as they are, are even more important than you may think. Sadly, climate change and warming are slowly depleting insect populations as our urban spaces grow and the use of pesticides in rural areas increases. Actions like planting native plants and decreasing the concentration of concrete-sealed spaces could help create a world where insects are more resilient to the changing environment.

Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science

“Remembering” Past Climates May Help Trees Survive in a Changing World

December 12, 2022January 30, 2023 Julia Bebout 0 Comments Climate Change, drought, ecophysiology, plant ecology

Tree growth rate can depend on both past and present environmental conditions. With increasingly frequent and intense droughts, the importance of this environmental “memory” for growth may be changing in two-needle piñon trees.

Ecosystems Environmental Science

Wimpy or Willful Wasps? The Effect of Heat on a Parasitoid’s Survival

November 3, 2022November 2, 2022 Maria Marlin 0 Comments Climate Change, flying insects, heat wave, insects

Article: Moore, M.E., Hill, C.A. and Kingsolver, J.G., 2022. Developmental timing of extreme temperature events (heat waves) disrupts host–parasitoid interactions. Ecology

Climate

SCUBA Diving and Climate Change: How Dive Computers Can Be Used To Better Understand Changing Ocean Temperatures

November 1, 2022October 31, 2022 Andrea Valcarcel 0 Comments citizen science, Climate Change, climate crisis, dive computers, oceans, SCUBA diving, temperature increase

Dive computers are devices used to measure the elapsed time and depth during underwater diving in order to prevent accidents from rising through the water too quickly. Modern-day dive computers record water temperatures and GPS coordinates, and some even send out text messages—this is why citizen scientists with dive computers are being contacted to contribute to the larger pool of climate information. These devices could be used to more accurately study changes in ocean temperature. In the end, divers are the ones in the water day in and day out, so why not use their experience as a resource of information to fight climate change?

Animal behavior Climate

Vultures fight climate change, one carcass at a time

October 19, 2022October 19, 2022 Sam Schurkamp 0 Comments animals, carbon emissions, Climate Change

Vultures have a face only a mother could love, but their unsavory eating habits obscure a surprising benefit: lowering carbon emissions.

Animal behavior Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science Human Exposure and Public Health

Contagion: Staying Safe While Species Share Spaces

October 2, 2022October 2, 2022 Cypress Novick 0 Comments Climate Change, disease ecology, human health, infectious diseases, land use, public health, viruses, Zoonoses, Zoonotic

As climate change pushes species around the world together, cross-species viral infections become a growing concern.

Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science

Resetting the Internal Clock: Adaptable Butterflies’ Response to Climate Warming

September 7, 2022January 30, 2023 Julia Bebout 0 Comments Climate Change, evolution, insects

As the climate warms, habitats near the poles are becoming increasingly hospitable for many plants, animals, and insects. But it remains uncertain whether species’ range expansions might eventually be hindered by differences in daylength at higher latitudes. Wall brown butterflies are making the journey northwards from Europe in response to climate warming. How do differences in daylength at higher latitudes affect them, and what can they do to survive in these new conditions?

Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science

Managing soil carbon for short and long-term benefits: Have we cracked the code?

July 8, 2022July 8, 2022 Etienne Herrick 0 Comments agriculture, carbon, Climate Change, cover crops, Soil

Increasing carbon in soils has potential to help fight climate change and support crop growth, but researchers are still figuring out if and how we can do both at the same time. Read on to find out if they’ve discovered a solution!

Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science

Is the Bark Stronger Than the Bite? The Use of Models to Predict Bark Beetle-Induced Tree Mortality

June 3, 2022June 2, 2022 Maria Marlin 0 Comments beetle outbreak, Climate Change, forests, modeling

Bark beetles can cause widespread tree mortality by disrupting the flow of water and nutrients. These trees are critical in sequestering carbon from greenhouse gas emissions. By accounting for beetle phenology as well as tree physiology, modeling can help predict bark-beetle induced tree mortality that can result from climate change.

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