A novel analysis suggests more than 3,500 animal species are threatened by climate change and also sheds light on huge gaps in fully understanding the risk to the animal kingdom. The study was published today in BioScience. “We’re at the start of an existential crisis for the Earth’s wild animals,” said Oregon State University’s William…
When trees and soil fungi form close associations with each other, both partners benefit. Many tree species have further enhanced this cooperation by forming a concurrent symbiosis with two different groups of mycorrhizal fungi. Those trees cope better with water and nutrient scarcity, which is an important trait for forestry in the face of climate…
Prof. Jianli Chen collaborated with international experts to analyse the estimated changes in land water storage over the past 40 years by utilising satellite altimetry and satellite gravimetry observation technology, as well as global hydrological change data. This innovative method has revealed a rapid depletion in global soil moisture, resulting in a significant amount of…
Greece ranks 19th globally in terms of water scarcity risk, primarily due to climate change, according to the World Resources Institute’s Aqueduct 4.0 rankings and a recent Deloitte report prepared for the Greek government. The risk stems from both supply-side challenges, like reduced rainfall, and increasing demand driven by irrigation and general consumption. The Deloitte…
In a new study, researchers at the University of Würzburg are investigating the interaction of major global change drivers on insects. The number and diversity of insects is declining worldwide. Some studies suggest that their biomass has almost halved since the 1970s. Among the main reasons for this are habitat loss – for example through…
Research led by climate scientists from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) reveals that millions of today’s young people will live through unprecedented lifetime exposure to heatwaves, crop failures, river floods, droughts, wildfires and tropical storms under current climate policies. If global temperatures rise by 3.5°C by 2100, 92% of children born in 2020 will experience…
Scientists say human-caused climate change led to 15,000 additional deaths from wildfire air pollution in the continental United States during the 15-year period ending in 2020. About 35% of the additional deaths attributed to climate change occurred in 2020, the year of the historic Labor Day fires in the Pacific Northwest as well as major…
Looking up at the thousands of street lights that illuminate our cities, former town planner and designer Danny Bettay has always asked one simple question: “Do we really need this, or is this overkill?”. “Historically, street lights were designed, indirectly for people, but designed for technologies, essentially for horse and carriage,” Mr Bettay said. “And…
The ambient temperature has a profound impact on the physiology and behaviour of most species. In regions where individuals rely on low temperatures to hibernate effectively, global warming is likely to significantly affect their survival. A team of scientists studied how ambient temperatures shape the energy expenditure of common noctule bats and built a model…
Researchers at a recent conference in Italy presented a tool that integrates satellite data to combat and prevent olive fruit fly infestations in the face of climate change. The tool combines satellite observations, biological modeling, and open-source geographic information to provide strategic analysis in agricultural management and inform policymakers on reshaping pest control strategies. The project, funded…