scholarly journals Could plasticity mediate highlands lizards’ resilience to climate change? A case study of the leopard iguana (Diplolaemus leopardinus) in central andes of Argentina

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Vicenzi ◽  
Leonardo D. Bacigalupe ◽  
Alejandro Laspiur ◽  
Nora Ibargüengoytía ◽  
Paola L. Sassi
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Thermal History ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Resting Metabolic Rate ◽  
Physiological Traits ◽  
Main Concern ◽  
Evaporative Water ◽  
Species Vulnerability ◽  
Acclimation Response ◽  
The Impact

The rising temperature predicted is of main concern for ectotherms because its direct impact on their behavior and physiology. Since physiological performance mediates a species’ resilience to warming exposure, physiological plasticity could greatly reduce the susceptibility to climate change. We studied the degree to which Diplolaemus leopardinus’ lizards are able to adjust behavioral and physiological traits in response to short periods of temperature change. We used a split cross design to measure acclimation response of preferred body temperature (Tp), and thermal performance curve of resting metabolic rate (RMR) and evaporative water loss (EWL). Our results showed that plasticity differs among traits; whereas Tp and EWL showed lower values in warm conditions, RMR increased the temperature at which its value is highest. Moreover, RMR was affected by thermal history, showing a great increase in response to cold exposure in the group initially acclimated to warm. The reduction of EWL and the increase in optimal temperature will give lizards the potential to partially mitigate the impact of rising temperatures in the energy cost and water balance. However, the decrease in Tp and the sensitivity to the warm thermal history in RMR could be detrimental to the energy net gain increasing the species vulnerability, especially considering the increase of heat waves predicted for the next fifty years. The integration of acclimation responses in behavioral and physiological traits provides a better understanding of the range of possible responses of lizards to cope with the upcoming climatic and environmental modifications expected due to climate change.

The impact of extreme climatic events on pasture-based dairy systems: a review

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (12) ◽  
pp. 1158 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Chang-Fung-Martel ◽  
M. T. Harrison ◽  
R. Rawnsley ◽  
A. P. Smith ◽  
H. Meinke
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Potential Productivity ◽  
Extreme Climatic Events ◽  
Dairy Systems ◽  
The Impact

Extreme climatic events such as heat waves, extreme rainfall and prolonged dry periods are a significant challenge to the productivity and profitability of dairy systems. Despite projections of more frequent extreme events, increasing temperatures and reduced precipitation, studies on the impact of these extreme climatic events on pasture-based dairy systems remain uncommon. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has estimated Australia to be one of the most negatively impacted regions with additional studies estimating Australian production losses of around 16% in the agricultural sector and 9–19% between the present and 2050 in the south-eastern dairy regions of Australia due to climate change. Here we review the literature on the impact of climate change on pasture-based dairy systems with particular focus on extreme climatic events. We provide an insight into current methods for assessing and quantifying heat stress highlighting the impacts on pastures and animals including the associated potential productivity losses and conclude by outlining potential adaptation strategies for improving the resilience of the whole-farm systems to climate change. Adapting milking routines, calving systems and the introduction of heat stress tolerant dairy cow breeds are some proposed strategies. Changes in pasture production would also include alternative pasture species better adapted to climate extremes such as heat waves and prolonged periods of water deficit. In order to develop effective adaptation strategies we also need to focus on issues such as water availability, animal health and associated energy costs.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal Prediction of Increasing Winter Perceived Temperature across a Sub-Tropical City for Sustainable Planning and Climate Change Mitigation

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hung Ho ◽  
Sawaid Abbas ◽  
Jinxin Yang ◽  
Rui Zhu ◽  
Man Wong
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Aerial Photographs ◽  
Sustainable Planning ◽  
Perceived Temperature ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Change Mitigation

Climate variability has been documented as being key to influencing human wellbeing across cities as it is linked to mortality and illness due to changes in the perceived weather cycle. Many studies have investigated the impact of summer temperature on human health and have proposed mitigation strategies for summer heat waves. However, sub-tropical cities are still experiencing winter temperature variations. Increasing winter perceived temperature through the decades may soon affect city wellbeing, due to a larger temperature change between normal winter days and extreme cold events, which may cause higher health risk due to lack of adaptation and self-preparedness. Therefore, winter perceived temperature should also be considered and integrated in urban sustainable planning. This study has integrated the increasing winter perceived temperature as a factor for developing spatiotemporal protocols for mitigating the adverse impact of climate change. Land surface temperature (LST) derived from satellite images and building data extracted from aerial photographs were used to simulate the adjusted wind chill equivalent temperature (AWCET) particularly for sub-tropical scenarios between 1990 and 2010 of the Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong. Compared with perceived temperature based on the representative station located at the headquarters of the Hong Kong Observatory, the temperature of half the study area in the Kowloon Peninsula has raised by 1.5 °C. The areas with less green space and less public open space in 2010 show higher relative temperatures. Socioeconomically deprived areas (e.g., areas with lower median monthly income) may suffer more from this scenario, but not all types of socioeconomic disparities are associated with poor sustainable planning. Based on our results and the “no-one left behind” guideline from the United Nations, climate change mitigation should be conducted by targeting socioeconomic neighborhoods more than just aging communities.

scholarly journals Climate change increases the likelihood of catastrophic avian mortality events during extreme heat waves

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew E. McKechnie ◽  
Blair O. Wolf
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Extreme Heat ◽  
Survival Times ◽  
Water Requirements ◽  
Evaporative Water ◽  
Change Models ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Hot Weather

Severe heat waves have occasionally led to catastrophic avian mortality in hot desert environments. Climate change models predict increases in the intensity, frequency and duration of heat waves. A model of avian evaporative water requirements and survival times during the hottest part of day reveals that the predicted increases in maximum air temperatures will result in large fractional increases in water requirements (in small birds, equivalent to 150–200 % of current values), which will severely reduce survival times during extremely hot weather. By the 2080s, desert birds will experience reduced survival times much more frequently during mid-summer, increasing the frequency of catastrophic mortality events.

scholarly journals The Impact of Climate Change on Urban Thermal Environment Dynamics

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1159
Author(s):  
Igor Žiberna ◽  
Nataša Pipenbaher ◽  
Daša Donša ◽  
Sonja Škornik ◽  
Mitja Kaligarič ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Urban Heat Island ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Urban Systems ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Heat Island ◽  
Urban Heat ◽  
Urban Thermal Environment ◽  
The Impact

The human population is increasing. The ongoing urbanization process, in conjunction with climate change, is causing larger environmental footprints. Consequently, quality of life in urban systems worldwide is under immense pressure. Here, the seasonal characteristics of Maribor’s urban thermal environment were studied from the perspectives of surface urban heat island (SUHI) and urban heat island (UHI) A remote sensing thermal imagery time series and in-situ measurements (stationary and mobile) were combined with select geospatial predictor variables to model this atmospheric phenomenon in its most intensive season (summer). Finally, CMIP6 climate change scenarios and models were considered, to predict future UHI intensity. Results indicate that Maribor’s UHI intensity maximum shifted from winter to spring and summer. The implemented generalized additive model (GAM) underestimates UHI intensity in some built-up parts of the study area and overestimates UHI intensity in green vegetated areas. However, by the end of the century, UHI magnitude could increase by more than 60% in the southern industrial part of the city. Such studies are of particular concern, in regards to the increasing frequency of heat waves due to climate change, which further increases the (already present) heat stress in cities across the globe.

The impact of global climate change on the characteristics of seasons in the Carpathian Basin

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Csenge Dian ◽  
Rita Pongrácz ◽  
Judit Bartholy ◽  
Attila Talamon
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Carpathian Basin ◽  
Data Series ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
The Impact

<p>Similarly to many other regions, warming and extreme weather conditions (e.g. related to temperature and precipitation) are expected to increase due to the effects of climate change in the Carpathian Basin during the 21st century. Consequently, as a result of the clearly detectable warming, the number of frost days in winter decreases and the summer heat waves become more frequent. The transition between winter and summer tends to become shorter and the inter-annual variability is likely to increase. The precise definition of the transition periods between the two extremes of the annual temperature course is very important for several disciplines, e.g. building energy design, where outdoor temperature is a key input to determine the beginning and end of heating and cooling periods. The aim of this research is to examine the possible transformation of the four seasons characteristics of the Carpathian Basin in details using various specific climate indexes (e.g. monthly percentiles, daily temperature fluctuation time series) based on the data of regional climate model simulations taking into account different future scenarios. For this purpose, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios are compared to historical runs, and simulated temperature data series are analyzed for the middle and end of the century.</p>

Awareness of Climate Change Adaptations Among Dutch Housing Associations

2012 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 61-71
Author(s):  
Martin Roders ◽  
Ad Straub ◽  
Henk Visscher
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Housing Associations ◽  
Adaptation Measures ◽  
Dutch Housing ◽  
The Impact

Climate change: the question is not anymore if it happens, but what the impact is of its effects such as drought, heat waves and increased precipitation on the quality of our lives in cities, offices and houses. A significant share of the Northern European housing stock is owned and maintained by large stock owners, such as housing associations. It is their responsibility to be aware of changes and risks that might challenge the quality of life of their tenants. Moreover, in order to provide housing with a good market value in the future, adaptation to climate change can no longer be overlooked. With the aim to discover the level of awareness of climate change adaptation among Dutch housing associations, a content analysis was undertaken on the policy plans and the annual reports of the 25 largest housing associations. Subsequently they were classified according to their level of awareness. The analysis returned no topics that directly referred to climate change adaptation, which implies that all housing associations are categorised as being ‘unaware’. Therefore, in order to reach higher levels of awareness and to incentivize the implementation of adaptation measures, appropriate governance strategies need to be developed. Future research will define the characteristics of these strategies in relation to the level of awareness of the housing associations. Adoption of the measures could be easier if adaptation measures are combined with maintenance activities, as this has been the case with mitigation measures.

Climate Change

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry S. Levy ◽  
Jonathan A. Patz
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Heavy Precipitation ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Health Consequences ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Adverse Health ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Impact

Environmental consequences of climate change include increases in temperature as well as frequency, severity, and/or duration of heat waves; heavy precipitation events; intensity and/or duration of drought; intense tropical cyclone activity, and sea level. Adverse health consequences of climate change include heat-related disorders, respiratory disorders, allergic disorders, vector-borne diseases, waterborne and foodborne disease, and injuries related to extreme weather events. Adverse health consequences also include indirect effects of climate change on health related to decreased agriculture yields and food shortages, distress migration, and collective violence. In addition, all of the consequences of climate change can adversely affect the mental health of individuals, communities, and entire nations. The primary ways of addressing climate change are mitigation (policies and actions to stabilize or reduce the emission of greenhouse gases) and adaptation (policies and actions to reduce the impact of climate change). Building popular and political will to address climate change is essential.

The Impacts of Climate Change in the MENA Region and the Water-Energy Nexus

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manfred A. Lange
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Large Variability ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Water Energy Nexus ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

The present paper aims to elucidate the impact of climate change on the availability and security of water and energy in the Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA Region). The region is particularly challenged by a number of factors including a large variability of bio-geographical characteristics, extreme population growth over the last few decades and substantial societal and economical transitions as well as armed conflicts in some of the countries of the region. Anticipated changes in climate conditions will exacerbate the challenges with regard to providing sufficient amounts of water and energy to the communities in the region. Impacts of climate change will materialize as an increasing number of heat waves, primarily in urban structures and the decline in water availability as a result of enhanced droughts and a growing numbers of dry spells. The interrelationships between energy and water and their mutual dependencies are addressed by the Water-Energy-Nexus concept. With regard to the challenges addressed here, Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean are a particular point in case. Mitigation and adaptation strategies include enhanced efficiency of energy and water use, integrated technology assessments regarding electricity generation and the production of potable water and electricity through concentrated solar power.

scholarly journals Measuring the Impact of Infectious Diseases on Tourists’ Willingness to Pay to Visit Island Destinations

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1117
Author(s):  
Carmelo J. León ◽  
Yen E. Lam-González ◽  
Carmen García Galindo ◽  
Matías M. González Hernández
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Choice Model ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
The Impact

The occurrence of infectious diseases may change tourists’ perceptions of a destination’s image and value. This article proposes and empirically tests a choice model to measure the effect of the risk of infectious disease outbreaks caused by climate change on tourists’ willingness to pay for holidays to island destinations. With this aim, an online survey was administrated to 2538 European frequent travellers at their country of residence. Tourists were presented with a hypothetical situation whereby they had to choose among eleven well-known European island destinations for their next holiday. The choice cards included the probability of the occurrence of infectious disease events in the context of other potential risks caused by climate change (i.e., forest fires, floods, heat waves, etc.). The results show infectious disease is the risk that more negatively affects tourists’ willingness to pay to visit islands, followed by forest fires. The results have implications for tourism policy, highlighting the importance of prevention and response strategies, and the design of climate-oriented services, which may raise opportunities to work towards the enhancement of those health and environmental conditions of tourist destinations that ensure their sustainability in the longer term.

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