Antarctic Studies Show Lichens to be Excellent Biomonitors of Climate Change

Lichens have been used as biomonitors for multiple purposes. They are well-known as air pollution indicators around urban and industrial centers. More recently, several attempts have been made to use lichens as monitors of climate change especially in alpine and polar regions. In this paper, we review the value of saxicolous lichens for monitoring environmental changes in Antarctic regions. The pristine Antarctica offers a unique opportunity to study the effects of climate change along a latitudinal gradient that extends between 62° and 87° S. Both lichen species diversity and thallus growth rate seem to show significant correlations to mean annual temperature for gradients across the continent as well as to short time climate oscillation in the Antarctic Peninsula. Competition interactions appear to be small so that individual thalli develop in balance with environmental conditions and, as a result, can indicate the trends in productivity for discrete time intervals over long periods of time.

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ANTARCTIC VEGETATION, A SENTINEL TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Anales de la Real Academia Nacional de Farmacia ◽

10.53519/analesranf.2020.86.04.04 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 269-280

Author(s):

Leopoldo García Sancho

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Global Climate ◽

Light Stress ◽

Mean Annual Temperature ◽

Polar Regions ◽

Time Intervals ◽

Community Shift ◽

Temperature And Precipitation ◽

Short Time ◽

The Antarctic

Antarctica is the coldest, driest, highest and windiest continent; the lichens and mosses grow where it is more warm, wet, low and protected. Overall productivity is strongly influenced by the length of period when water is available and the plants become, therefore, increasingly confined to areas of exceptionally good microclimate. It is this strong link between microclimate, water availability and productivity/growth that makes the system so potentially useful for monitoring global climate change, especially temperature increase. Even a small increase in temperature will markedly alter the areas over which such warm periods occur and bring with it a marked community shift. It is becoming clear that there are two Antarcticas, the Peninsula and the main continent. These differ in the controls on biodiversity distribution, there is a probably water unlimited but temperature-determined biodiversity cline in the Peninsula compared to a, water controlled, temperature-independent, fragmented vegetation in the continent. The reverse diel pattern of activity with the presence of very high light stress also seems to be confined to the continent. Several attempts have been made to use lichens as monitors of climate change especially in alpine and polar regions. The pristine Antarctica offers a unique opportunity to study the effects of climate change along a latitudinal gradient that extends between 62º and 87º S. Both lichen species diversity and thallus growth rate seem to show significant correlations to mean annual temperature and precipitation for gradients across the continent as well as to short time climate oscillation in the Antarctic Peninsula. Competition interactions appear to be small so that individual thalli develop in balance with environmental conditions and, as a result, can indicate the trends in productivity for discrete time intervals over long periods of time in a climate warming scenario.

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Temperature in the Arctic and the Antarctic

Handbook of Research on International Collaboration, Economic Development, and Sustainability in the Arctic - Practice, Progress, and Proficiency in Sustainability ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-6954-1.ch019 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 416-427

Author(s):

Valentin Sapunov

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Global Warming ◽

Modern Science ◽

Global Temperature ◽

The Arctic ◽

Polar Regions ◽

Average Global Temperature ◽

Temperature Dynamics ◽

The One ◽

The Antarctic

This chapter aims at the consideration of world temperature dynamics and its prediction in the polar regions of the planet. The global warming started in the 17th century and has been progressing since then. The decline in average global temperature began in 1997. There exist various factors which affect the process, the abiotic ones being among the major in controlling the climate. The climate is also dependent on the interaction between abiotic, biotic, and social spheres. This system seems rather stable and not very much dependent on human activity. The effects of contemporary cooling are not expected to be significant for the mankind but are definitely important for the polar regions. In the Arctic, the temperature is increasing. The one in the Antarctic declines. The average global temperature thus becomes variable. Modern science is able to predict climate change, but extensive studies free of political and economic pressure have to be conducted.

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4. Polar marine biology

Marine Biology: A Very Short Introduction ◽

10.1093/actrade/9780198841715.003.0005 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 71-86

Author(s):

Philip V. Mladenov

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Food Webs ◽

Marine Biology ◽

Extreme Environments ◽

The Arctic ◽

Polar Regions ◽

Light Levels ◽

The Arctic Ocean ◽

The Antarctic ◽

The Impact

Flourishing marine biological systems are present in the extreme environments of the Arctic and Antarctic polar regions of the planet. Both these regions are characterized by constantly cold sea temperatures, ice-covered oceans, and extreme seasonal fluctuations in light levels, but ‘Polar marine biology’ explains how they have evolved strikingly different and unique marine ecosystems. The Arctic Ocean is largely landlocked while the Southern Ocean surrounds the Antarctic continental land mass and is in open contact with the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. The impact of human-induced climate change is also discussed, which will affect the Arctic and Antarctic food webs in profound ways.

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Climate Change and the New Normal for Cardiorespiratory Disease

Canadian Respiratory Journal ◽

10.1155/2015/361687 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 52-54 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Tim K Takaro ◽

Sarah B Henderson

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Seasonal Variation ◽

Global Health ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Health Impacts ◽

Fossil Energy ◽

The World ◽

Potential Link ◽

Climate Interactions

Climate change is already affecting the cardiorespiratory health of populations around the world, and these impacts are expected to increase. The present overview serves as a primer for respirologists who are concerned about how these profound environmental changes may affect their patients. The authors consider recent peer-reviewed literature with a focus on climate interactions with air pollution. They do not discuss in detail cardiorespiratory health effects for which the potential link to climate change is poorly understood. For example, pneumonia and influenza, which affect >500 million people per year, are not addressed, although clear seasonal variation suggests climate-related effects. Additionally, large global health impacts in low-resource countries, including migration precipitated by environmental change, are omitted. The major cardiorespiratory health impacts addressed are due to heat, air pollution and wildfires, shifts in allergens and infectious diseases along with respiratory impacts from flooding. Personal and societal choices about carbon use and fossil energy infrastructure should be informed by their impacts on health, and respirologists can play an important role in this discussion.

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Planning and Engineering Strategies to Mitigate Effects of Climate Change

Journal of Energy Resources Technology ◽

10.1115/1.4031454 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 138 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kaufui Vincent Wong

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Best Practices ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Heavy Rain ◽

Indigenous Populations ◽

Extreme Weather Events ◽

Polar Regions ◽

Real Property ◽

Modern Engineering ◽

The World

Extreme weather events seem to have become more frequent with climate change. These anomalies throughout the world may generally be categorized as drought, heavy rain storms, landslides, heavy snow storms, sea level rise, ice melts from the polar regions, tornadoes and hurricanes. The environmental and real property damage caused may be minimized if proper planning and best practices are engineered into place before the catastrophic events occur. The management of vulnerable areas should definitely include such plans and strategies. The purpose of the current work is to point to the best practices already being carried out in some areas, and to draw attention to some of the knowledge embodied in the indigenous populations in particular regions, which have come by this knowledge via generations of survival through adverse climate/environmental changes. The integration of this indigenous knowledge where applicable, with modern engineering tools and techniques will help the world better to face the climatic challenges ahead.

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The Effect of Climate Change and Air Pollution on Allergenic Potential of Pollens

Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca ◽

10.15835/nbha4129291 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 41 (2) ◽

pp. 646 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Doina Adina TODEA ◽

Iuliu SUATEAN ◽

Andreea Codruta COMAN ◽

Loredana Elena ROSCA

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Industrial Revolution ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Continuous Increase ◽

Allergenic Proteins ◽

Wet Condition ◽

Higher Temperature

Climate change is associated with atmospheric warming due to continuous increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentration following the industrial revolution. The urban areas are more responsible for these changes. Europe for example has experienced a progressive warming +0.9Â°C for 1901-2005. Climate change is unequivocal and represents a possible threat for patients affected by allergic conditions because it is related with an increased distribution and concentration of pollen. Higher temperature, wet condition (especially thunderstorms), wind speed, transition of cold fronts, environmental changes (allergenic pollens arrived in new areas), are mechanisms which involve changes of production, dispersion and allergen content of pollen. Prolonged and more severe pollen seasons are leading to worsened asthma and allergies. The interaction of pollen with urban air pollutants could also lead to an increased effect of aero allergens on allergic patients, with a greater likelihood of the development of an allergic respiratory disease in sensitized subjects and exacerbation of symptomatic patients. Air pollution could induce damage to airways mucosa, thus promoting sensitization of the airways; also it could increase the expression of allergenic proteins (allergen contents of pollen produce by plants is increased by higher temperature and CO2 enriched atmosphere). By increasing pollen concentration or making the airways susceptible to allergens, the climate change and air pollution have a negative impact on human health.

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Speculative listening: melting sea ice and new methods of listening with the planet

Global Discourse ◽

10.1332/204378920x16032963659726 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kaya Barry ◽

Michelle Duffy ◽

Michele Lobo

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Sea Ice ◽

Satellite Imagery ◽

Scientific Data ◽

Polar Regions ◽

New Methods ◽

Audio Recordings ◽

The Antarctic ◽

Deep Listening

In this paper we speculate on ways of listening with the planet as a way of producing multisensory knowledges of climate change. ‘Listening’ is a visceral experience that helps us consider the intricate, deeply entangled relations between human and non-human worlds through multisensory attentions. We draw on Oliveros’ notion of ‘deep listening’ and methodological experimentation to explore and speculate about the effects of climate change in the polar regions. Such speculative practices are informed by audio recordings of the movement of iceberg and glaciers, sea ice measurements and satellite imagery of the Antarctic and Arctic. By experimenting with the mergers of scientific data and creative practices we suggest that practices of listening make experiences of multiscalar climate change in distant places visceral and immersive.

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Pygoscelid penguins breeding distribution and population trends at Lions Rump rookery, King George Island

Polish Polar Research ◽

10.2478/popore-2013-0002 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 87-99 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Małgorzata Korczak−Abshire ◽

Michał Węgrzyn ◽

Piotr J. Angiel ◽

Maja Lisowska

Keyword(s):

Environmental Changes ◽

King George Island ◽

Time Intervals ◽

Breeding Populations ◽

Population Sizes ◽

Natural Response ◽

Gis System ◽

The Antarctic ◽

Pygoscelid Penguins

AbstractLong term changes (46 years) in the abundance of pygoscelid penguins breeding populations and nests distribution in the Lions Rump (King George Island) colony were in− vestigated in three time intervals, according to previously published two censuses and one original study conducted in 2010. At that time a detailed colony map based on the GIS system was made. Results of this study showed different trends for each investigated species. In the last three decades Adélie penguin breeding populations showed strong declining tendencies (69.61%). In contrast, the population of gentoo penguins represents the reverse trend, increasing 171.85% over the same period. Observed changes in both penguin population sizes are reflected in the different spatial and geographic distribution of their nests. The population changes observed at the Lions Rump colony are consistent with the relevant pygoscelid penguin tendencies in the western Antarctic Peninsula region. Breeding penguin population dynamics at Lions Rump area with a minimal disturbance by human activity may well illustrate a natural response of those birds to environmental changes in the Antarctic.

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Tree Ring and Climate change in Langtang National Park, Central Nepal

Our Nature ◽

10.3126/on.v8i1.4321 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 139-143 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

P.K. Chhetri ◽

S. Thapa

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Growth Rate ◽

Tree Ring ◽

National Park ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Ring Width ◽

Tree Ring Width ◽

Central Nepal ◽

Old Trees ◽

Mean Sensitivity

In present study 120 tree cores from 60 trees of Abies spectabilis from two different sites Chandanbari and Cholangpati area of Langtang National Park were collected. Analysis of increment cores showed that trees in those stands were 100-300 years old. Trees of Chandanbari site were found to be older than Cholangpati. Mean tree ring width of Chandanbari was 2.34 mm and that of Cholangpati site 1.70 mm. Growth rate was higher (2.34 mm/yr) at the Chandanbari than that of Cholangpati (1.70 mm/yr). Series intercorrelation and mean sensitivity were 0.457 and 0.223 for Chandanbari and 0.499 and 0.203 for Cholangpati, respectively. The high mean sensitivity value indicated that high inter-annual variability was present in the ring widths and that the chronology was sensitive to yearly environmental changes; ring width was negatively correlated with minimum monthly temperature and positively correlated with total monthly precipitation.DOI: 10.3126/on.v8i1.4321

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