Impacts of climate change on Australian marine mammals

2013 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Schumann ◽  
Nick J. Gales ◽  
Robert G. Harcourt ◽  
John P. Y. Arnould
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Coastal Species ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Distributional Shifts ◽  
Water Species

Increasing evidence suggests that climate change is negatively affecting marine ecosystems and biota. However, little is known of how climate change will impact marine mammals. This review aims to identify the effects of climatic variations on Australian marine mammals and determine their potential responses to climate change. Shifts in distributions and reproductive success have been associated with climatic factors, while stranding events, drowning of seal pups, exposure to altered water conditions and disease in several marine mammal species have followed extreme weather events. Climate change may produce distributional shifts as the ranges of warm-water species expand or shift southwards, and those of cold-water species contract. Reductions in the extent of key habitats, changes in breeding success, a greater incidence of strandings in dugongs and cetaceans, and increased exposure of coastal species to pollutants and pathogens are likely. The capacity of Australian marine mammals to adapt to climate change is poorly understood, though there is evidence that several species may be able to modify their physiology or behaviour in response to warming temperatures. To increase the resilience of marine mammals, it is necessary to address non-climatic threats, such as ensuring that key habitats are protected in Australia.

scholarly journals Consequences of Climate Change Impacts and Incidences of Extreme Weather Events in Relation to Crop Production in Bhutan

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 4319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ngawang Chhogyel ◽  
Lalit Kumar ◽  
Yadunath Bajgai
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Extreme Weather ◽  
Crop Damage ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Cropping Pattern ◽  
The People ◽  
Weather Events

Being a country in the Himalayas, Bhutan is highly prone to the vagaries of weather events that affect agricultural production and the subsequent livelihood of the people. To identify the main issues that affect crop production and the decisions of farmers, a survey was conducted in three different agro-ecosystems in Bhutan. Our key findings indicate that farming and the decisions of farmers were largely affected by different climatic and non-climatic factors. These were in descending order of importance: irrigation availability > farm labour > crop seasonality > crop damage (climatic) > land holding > crop damage (wildlife) > crop damage (diseases and pests). The most important consequences of climate change impacts were the drying of irrigation sources (4.35) and crop losses due to weather events (4.10), whereas land fallowing, the occurrence of flood and soil erosion, weed pressure and changes in cropping pattern (with mean ratings of 2.53–3.03) experienced lesser consequences. The extreme weather events, such as untimely rains, drought and windstorms, were rated as the ‘most common’ to ‘common’ occurrences, thus inflicting a crop loss of 1–19%. These confirm our hearsay knowledge that extreme weather events have major consequences on irrigation water, which is said to be either drying or getting smaller in comparison to the past. Therefore, Bhutan must step up its on-ground farmer-support system towards improving the country’s food production, whilst embracing climate smart farm technologies for adapting to the impacts of change.

Urban Population Knowledge of Climate Change in Costa Rica and Nicaragua

2013 ◽  
pp. 55-76
Author(s):  
Sergio A. Molina Murillo
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Costa Rica ◽  
Urban Population ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
International Policies ◽  
General Concern

Most scenarios indicate that people in developing countries are more vulnerable and less capable of adapting to climate change. Since our public understanding of risk toward climate change in developing countries is limited, this article presents results from Costa Rica and Nicaragua, two countries which are socio-economically distinct, but which are expected to suffer similar extreme weather events. From October of 2008 until May 2010, a total of 1,047 respondents were surveyed in cities of both countries. The main results indicate that climate change is a widely known concept but other notions such as “carbon footprint” are foreign to most respondents. Despite the general concern with its negative consequences, respondents’ foremost concern is linked to their socioeconomic situation, and how it will be impacted by climate change in such aspects as poverty and social security. The results presented here contribute to advance national and international policies aiming to support mitigation or adaptation strategies in developing countries.

Governing climate change for sustainable food production: A case study of emerging markets

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 64-75
Author(s):  
Robert Ddamulira
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Role Of The State ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Future Success ◽  
Governance Challenges ◽  
Change Impact ◽  
Document Review

This article addresses three research questions: How does climate change impact food production? What are the governance challenges associated with managing such impacts? What are the conditions for future success in managing the impacts of climate change on food production? To answer these questions, the researcher undertook a document review and analysis to address these various aspects with a major focus on East Africa. The study finds that climate change affects food production largely through its physical impacts on precipitation and increased the frequency of extreme weather events. Within a context of weak governance; climate change further challenges governance institutional structures and mechanisms. The study concludes that specific aspects of the prevailing climate change governance regime require major reforms (particularly the role of the state, corporations and civil society) while other climate governance mechanisms need to be completely overhauled (for example through establishment of a new World Environment Organization).

scholarly journals Global analysis reveals complex demographic responses of mammals to climate change

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Paniw ◽  
Tamora James ◽  
C. Ruth Archer ◽  
Gesa Römer ◽  
Sam Levin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Global Analysis ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Full Spectrum ◽  
Terrestrial Mammals ◽  
Demographic Rates ◽  
Global Understanding ◽  
Demographic Responses

ABSTRACTApproximately 25 % of mammals are threatened globally with extinction, a risk that is amplified under climate change1. Persistence under climate change is determined by the combined effects of climatic factors on multiple demographic rates (survival, development, reproduction), and hence, on population dynamics2. Thus, to quantify which species and places on Earth are most vulnerable to climate-driven extinction, a global understanding of how demographic rates respond to climate is needed3. We synthesise information on such responses in terrestrial mammals, where extensive demographic data are available4. Given the importance of assessing the full spectrum of responses, we focus on studies that quantitatively link climate to multiple demographic rates. We identify 106 such studies, corresponding to 86 mammal species. We reveal a strong mismatch between the locations of demographic studies and the regions and taxa currently recognised as most vulnerable to climate change5,6. Moreover, we show that the effects of climate change on mammals will operate via complex demographic mechanisms: a vast majority of mammal populations display projected increases in some demographic rates but declines in others. Assessments of population viability under climate change therefore need to account for multiple demographic responses. We advocate to prioritise coordinated actions to assess mammal demography holistically for effective conservation worldwide.

scholarly journals Affrontare il cambiamento climatico è una ‘missione possibile’

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 154-160
Author(s):  
Roberto Buizza
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Ice Melting ◽  
Greenhouse Gases Emissions ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Change Impact

Climate change is real, and we, humans, are responsible for it. Its impact is already evident, both on the Earth system (global warming, sea-level rise, sea-ice melting, more intense and frequent extreme weather events such as heat waves and fires) and on people (famines, health issues, migrations, political tensions and conflicts). We need immediate and concrete mitigation actions aiming to reduce greenhouse gases emissions, and adaptation actions to be able to cope with the increasing changing climate. We have to reach zero-net greenhouse gases emissions as soon as possible, by reducing emissions by at least 5% a year, starting from now. Otherwise the climate change impact will become more and more severe: it will induce more injustice, and it will have a major impact on people health. We have the resources and the technologies to deal with it: we must have the courage to change and transform and deal with it. Addressing climate change is not impossible: to the contrary, it is a ‘possible mission’.

scholarly journals Oxythermal habitat as a primary driver of ecological niche and genetic diversity in cisco (Coregonus artedi)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan C Grow ◽  
Kyle D Zimmer ◽  
Jennifer L Cruise ◽  
Simon K Emms ◽  
Loren M Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Dissolved Oxygen ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Isotopic Niche ◽  
Coregonus Artedi ◽  
Primary Driver ◽  
Water Species ◽  
Cold Water Species

Cisco (Coregonus artedi) are threatened by climate change and lake eutrophication, and their oxythermal habitat can be assessed with TDO3, the water temperature at which dissolved oxygen equals 3 mg L-1. We assessed the influence of TDO3 on cisco habitat use, genetic diversity, diets, and isotopic niche in 32 lakes ranging from oligotrophic to eutrophic. Results showed that as TDO3 increased cisco were captured higher in the water column, in a narrower band, with higher minimum temperatures and lower minimum dissolved oxygen. TDO3 was also negatively related to cisco allelic richness and expected heterozygosity, likely driven by summer kill events. Moreover, TDO3 influenced the isotopic niche of cisco, as fish captured deeper were more depleted in δ13C and more enriched in δ15N compared to epilimnetic baselines. Lastly, cisco in high TDO3 lakes consumed more Daphnia, had fewer empty stomachs, and achieved larger body size. Our work identifies specific characteristics of cisco populations that respond to climate change and eutrophication effects, and provides a framework for understanding responses of other cold-water species at the global scale.

scholarly journals Weather Literacy in Times of Climate Change

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 435-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine Fleischhut ◽  
Stefan M. Herzog ◽  
Ralph Hertwig
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Extreme Weather ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
The Public ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
The Future ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Weather Risks

AbstractAs climate change unfolds, extreme weather events are on the rise worldwide. According to experts, extreme weather risks already outrank those of terrorism and migration in likelihood and impact. But how well does the public understand weather risks and forecast uncertainty and thus grasp the amplified weather risks that climate change poses for the future? In a nationally representative survey (N = 1004; Germany), we tested the public’s weather literacy and awareness of climate change using 62 factual questions. Many respondents misjudged important weather risks (e.g., they were unaware that UV radiation can be higher under patchy cloud cover than on a cloudless day) and struggled to connect weather conditions to their impacts (e.g., they overestimated the distance to a thunderstorm). Most misinterpreted a probabilistic forecast deterministically, yet they strongly underestimated the uncertainty of deterministic forecasts. Respondents with higher weather literacy obtained weather information more often and spent more time outside but were not more educated. Those better informed about climate change were only slightly more weather literate. Overall, the public does not seem well equipped to anticipate weather risks in the here and now and may thus also fail to fully grasp what climate change implies for the future. These deficits in weather literacy highlight the need for impact forecasts that translate what the weather may be into what the weather may do and for transparent communication of uncertainty to the public. Boosting weather literacy may help to improve the public’s understanding of weather and climate change risks, thereby fostering informed decisions and mitigation support.

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