Current knowledge and potential impacts of climate change on New Zealand’s biological heritage

Abstract Rhodolith beds are important marine benthic ecosystems, representing oases of high biodiversity among sedimentary seabed environments. They are found frequently and abundantly, acting as major carbonate 'factories' and playing a key role in the biogeochemical cycling of carbonates in the South Atlantic. Rhodoliths are under threat due to global change (mainly related to ocean acidification and global warming) and local stressors, such as fishing and coastal run-off. Here, we review different aspects of the biology of these organisms, highlighting the predicted effects of global change, considering the additional impact of local stressors. Ocean acidification (OA) represents a particular threat that can reduce calcification or even promote the decalcification of these bioengineers, thus increasing the eco-physiological imbalance between calcareous and fleshy algae. OA should be considered, but this together with extreme events such as heat waves and storms, as main stressors of these ecosystems at the present time, will worsen in the future, especially if possible interactions with local stressors like coastal pollution are taken into consideration. Thus, in Brazil there is a serious need for starting monitoring programs and promote innovative experimental infrastructure in order to improve our knowledge of these rich environments, optimize management efforts and enhance the needed conservation initiatives.

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The impacts of climate change on fish growth: A summary of conducted studies and current knowledge

Ecological Indicators ◽

10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.106976 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 121 ◽

pp. 106976

Author(s):

Minrui Huang ◽

Liuyong Ding ◽

Jun Wang ◽

Chengzhi Ding ◽

Juan Tao

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Fish Growth ◽

Impacts Of Climate Change

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Beyond the News: Health Risks of Climate Change

McGill Journal of Medicine ◽

10.26443/mjm.v12i1.736 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kristie L Ebi

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Human Health ◽

Health Risks ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Scientific Literacy ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Health Impacts ◽

Extreme Weather Events ◽

Potential Health ◽

Impacts Of Climate Change

Climate change is affecting the health of millions of people through altering the geographic distribution and incidence of climate-sensitive health outcomes, including through injuries, illnesses, and deaths due to extreme weather events, food-, water-, and vectorborne diseases, air pollution, aeroallergens, and malnutrition (1). The magnitude of impacts is projected to increase as the climate continues to change. The scope and scale of projected impacts mean that climate change will touch the professional and personal lives of many public health and health care professionals. Avoiding, preparing for, and effectively responding to the health risks of climate change will require broad engagement of scientists, decision-makers, and the public. Achieving this engagement means that increased scientific literacy is needed of the causes and implications of climate change for human health. There are growing numbers of assessments of the potential health impacts of climate change (1-4) and summaries for various audiences (5). Instead of summarizing current knowledge of the causes and consequences for human health of anthropogenic climate change, this paper will highlight a few issues that may help with understanding the human health impacts of climate change.

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Biodiversity impacts of climate change – the PRONAS software as educational tool

Web Ecology ◽

10.5194/we-15-49-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 49-58

Author(s):

K. Ulbrich ◽

O. Schweiger ◽

S. Klotz ◽

J. Settele

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Educational Software ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Young Generation ◽

Interacting Species ◽

Habitat Dynamics ◽

Close Cooperation ◽

Awareness Raising ◽

The Impact ◽

Impacts Of Climate Change

Abstract. Loss of biodiversity under climate change is on the top of European research agendas. However, there is a huge gap between the scientific and the educational communities: Only a small amount of current knowledge reaches the young generation. We faced the challenge of how to transfer results of biodiversity research to the reality of school classrooms – in a way that raises interest, awareness and motivation among students from the age of 12 to 19. We developed the educational software PRONAS (PROjections of NAture for Schools) to show how scientists handle questions about the impact of climate change on the habitats of many European species. About 50 European plant and animal species have been used to demonstrate habitat losses, habitat shifts, and mismatch of habitat dynamics of interacting species. The software was developed with a bottom-up approach, and a manual for applying the software in the classroom was written in close cooperation with teachers. We included specific elements of didactic approaches such as storylines describing future scenarios, projections and simulations of species' future climatic niches, as well as the combination of virtual and real excursions. PRONAS is freely accessible in German and English on http://www.ufz.de/pronas-lernsoftware. Feedback was given by about 100 teachers from German and other European schools at six teacher workshops and by 141 students from four German schools. While most teachers confirmed that the designed format of knowledge transfer is attractive and contributes to knowledge building and awareness raising, many students older than 16 felt under-challenged. Altogether, we found that "educational software" is a useful format for scientific outreach which is worth joint efforts of scientists and educators and which needs more support and incentives for scientists to go forward in this direction.

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