Life Sciences Commons^™

Drought Legacy Interacts With Wildfire To Alter Soil Microbial Communities In A Mediterranean Climate-Type Forest, Anna J. M. Hopkins, Aaron J. Brace, Jess L. Bruce, J. Hyde, J. B. Fontaine, L. Walden, W. Veber, K. X. Ruthrof

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Mediterranean forest ecosystems will be increasingly affected by hotter drought and more frequent and severe wildfire events in the future. However, little is known about the longer-term responses of these forests to multiple disturbances and the forests' capacity to maintain ecosystem function. This is particularly so for below-ground organisms, which have received less attention than those above-ground, despite their essential contributions to forest function. We investigated rhizosphere microbial communities in a resprouting Eucalyptus marginata forest, southwestern Australia, that had experienced a severe wildfire four years previously, and a hotter drought eight years previously. Our aim was to understand how microbial …

A 2,000-Year Record Of Eelgrass (Zostera Marina L.) Colonization Shows Substantial Gains In Blue Carbon Storage And Nutrient Retention, Martin Dahl, Martin Gullström, Irene Bernabeu, Oscar Serrano, Carmen Leiva-Dueñas, Hans W. Linderholm, Maria E. Asplund, Mats Björk, Tinghai Ou, J. Robin Svensson, Elinor Andrén, Thomas Andrén, Sanne Bergman, Sara Braun, Anneli Eklöf, Zilvinas Ežerinskis, Andrius Garbaras, Petter Hällberg, Elin Löfgren, Malin E. Kylander, Pere Masqué, Justina Šapolaitė, Rienk Smittenberg, Miguel A. Mateo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Assessing historical environmental conditions linked to habitat colonization is important for understanding long-term resilience and improving conservation and restoration efforts. Such information is lacking for the seagrass Zostera marina, an important foundation species across cold-temperate coastal areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Here, we reconstructed environmental conditions during the last 14,000 years from sediment cores in two eelgrass (Z. marina) meadows along the Swedish west coast, with the main aims to identify the time frame of seagrass colonization and describe subsequent biogeochemical changes following establishment. Based on vegetation proxies (lipid biomarkers), eelgrass colonization occurred about 2,000 years ago after geomorphological changes …

Inorganic Carbon Outwelling From A Mediterranean Seagrass Meadow Using Radium Isotopes, Claudia Majtényi-Hill, Gloria Reithmaier, Yvonne Y. Y. Yau, Oscar Serrano, Nerea Piñeiro-Juncal, Isaac R. Santos

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Seagrass meadows are ‘blue carbon’ ecosystems widely recognised for their potential role in climate change mitigation. Previous studies have focused mainly on carbon storage within meadows and sediments. However, little is known about contribution of outwelling (i.e., lateral transport) to seagrass carbon budgets. Here, radium isotopes (²²³Ra and ²²⁴Ra) were used to assess dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and total alkalinity (TA) outwelling from a Mediterranean Posidonia oceanica meadow during early autumn. DIC outwelling was 114 ± 61 mmol m ^{− 2} day ^{− 1} and exceeded above-meadow CO2 outgassing (3 ± 1 mmol m ^{− 2} day …

Global Dataset On Seagrass Meadow Structure, Biomass And Production, Simone Strydom, Roisin Mccallum, Anna Lafratta, Chanelle L. Webster, Caitlyn M. O'Dea, Nicole E. Said, Natasha Dunham, Karina Inostroza, Cristian Salinas, Samuel Billinghurst, Charlie M. Phelps, Connor Campbell, Connor Gorham, Rachele Bernasconi, Anna M. Frouws, Axel Werner, Federico Vitelli, Viena Puigcorbé, Alexandra D'Cruz, Kathryn M. Mcmahon, Jack Robinson, Megan J. Huggett, Sian Mcnamara, Glenn A. Hyndes, Oscar Serrano

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Seagrass meadows provide valuable socio-ecological ecosystem services, including a key role in climate change mitigation and adaption. Understanding the natural history of seagrass meadows across environmental gradients is crucial to deciphering the role of seagrasses in the global ocean. In this data collation, spatial and temporal patterns in seagrass meadow structure, biomass and production data are presented as a function of biotic and abiotic habitat characteristics. The biological traits compiled include measures of meadow structure (e.g. percent cover and shoot density), biomass (e.g. above-ground biomass) and production (e.g. shoot production). Categorical factors include bioregion, geotype (coastal or estuarine), genera and …

Ecohydrology Of Coastal Aquifers In Humid Environments And Implications Of A Drying Climate, Madeleine Dyring, Harald Hofmann, David Stanton, Patrick Moss, Ray Froend

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Coastal groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs), such as wetlands, estuaries and mangrove forests, are globally important habitats that promote biodiversity, provide climate regulation and serve as refugia for plant and animal communities. However, global warming, coastal development and over-abstraction threaten the availability and quality of groundwater in coastal aquifers and, by extension, the ecohydrological function of dependent ecosystems. Because ecohydrological knowledge of coastal groundwater is disparate across disciplines and habitat types, we begin by summarising the physiochemical, biological and hydrological processes supported by groundwater across coastal watersheds. Groundwater makes a significant but poorly recognised contribution to the function and resilience of coastal …

Decline Of Seagrass (Posidonia Oceanica) Production Over Two Decades In The Face Of Warming Of The Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Victoria Litsi-Mizan, Pavlos T. Efthymiadis, Vasilis Gerakaris, Oscar Serrano, Manolis Tsapakis, Eugenia T. Apostolaki

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

* The response of Posidonia oceanica meadows to global warming of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, where the increase in sea surface temperature (SST) is particularly severe, is poorly investigated. * Here, we reconstructed the long-term P. oceanica production in 60 meadows along the Greek Seas over two decades (1997–2018), using lepidochronology. We determined the effect of warming on production by reconstructing the annual and maximum (i.e. August) SST, considering the role of other production drivers related to water quality (i.e. Chla, suspended particulate matter, Secchi depth). * Grand mean (±SE) production across all sites and the study period was 48 …

Editorial: Tropicalization In Seagrasses: Shifts In Ecosystem Function, Glenn A. Hyndes, Jessie C. Jarvis, Kenneth L. Heck

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Seagrass meadows form highly productive and diverse ecosystems that provide a range of ecosystem services along coasts of most continents (Barbier et al., 2011; Nordlund et al., 2016), yet they continue to experience large losses through direct and indirect human disturbances (Waycott et al., 2009; Duarte et al., 2018). Like other coastal ecosystems, including coral reefs and kelp forests, seagrasses are showing strong negative responses to elevated ocean temperatures and heatwaves, in which rising temperatures exceed their thresholds for survival [...].

The Risk Of Multiple Anthropogenic And Climate Change Threats Must Be Considered For Continental Scale Conservation And Management Of Seagrass Habitat, Kathryn Mcmahon, Kieryn Kilminster, Robert Canto, Chris Roelfsema, Mitchell Lyons, Gary A. Kendrick, Michelle Waycott, James Udy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Globally marine-terrestrial interfaces are highly impacted due to a range of human pressures. Seagrass habitats exist in the shallow marine waters of this interface, have significant values and are impacted by a range of pressures. Cumulative risk analysis is widely used to identify risk from multiple threats and assist in prioritizing management actions. This study conducted a cumulative risk analysis of seagrass habitat associated with the Australian continent to support management actions. We developed a spatially explicit risk model based on a database of threats to coastal aquatic habitat in Australia, spanning 35,000 km of coastline. Risk hotspots were identified …

Editorial: Fire Regimes In Desert Ecosystems: Drivers, Impacts And Changes, Eddie J. B. Van Etten, Matthew L. Brooks, Aaron C. Greenville, Glenda M. Wardle

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Although not commonly associated with fire, many desert ecosystems across the globe do occasionally burn, and there is evidence that fire incidences are increasing, leading to altered fire regimes in this biome. The increased prevalence of megafires (wildfires > 10,000 ha in size and typically damaging) in most global biomes is linked to climate change, although those occurring in deserts have received far less attention, from both a research and policy perspective, than that of forested ecosystems (Linley et al., 2022). Understanding the drivers of desert fires, from climate to landscape patterns of hydrology and soil, and how these may be …

Tropicalization Of Seagrass Macrophytodetritus Accumulations And Associated Food Webs, Gilles Lepoint, Glenn A. Hyndes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Seagrass, systems export significant amounts of their primary production as large detritus (i.e. macrophytodetritus). Accumulations of exported macrophytodetritus (AEM) are found in many areas in coastal environment. Dead seagrass leaves are often a dominant component of these accumulations, offering shelter and/or food to numerous organisms. AEM are particular habitats, different from donor habitats (i.e. seagrass meadow, kelp or macroalgae habitats) and with their own characteristics and dynamics. They have received less attention than donor habitats despite the fact they often connect different coastal habitats, are the place of intense remineralization processes and shelter associated detritus food web. As for seagrass …

Navigating Loss And Value Trade-Offs In A Changing Climate, Karen Paiva Henrique, Petra Tschakert, Chantal Bourgault Du Coudray, Pierre Horwitz, Kai Daniel Christian Krueger, Alexander James Wheeler

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Climate change puts at risk what people value in their everyday lives, with evidence of harm and suffering already taking place across all regions of the world. As societies slowly come to grips with the possibility of not being able to save everything that is valued, there is an urgent need to identify what is most important for individuals and groups, to prioritise action and prevent or minimise intolerable losses. Yet, people's priorities vary greatly; individual choices are contingent on what people hold dear in the places they inhabit, which in turn is shaped by their positioning in society and …

Breeding And Feeding Habitat Selection By An Island Endemic Bird May Increase Its Vulnerability To Climate Change, Paul M. Radley, Eddie J. B. Van Etten, David Blake, Robert A. Davis

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Characterizing patterns of habitat use is an important first step for effective conservation planning. Species restricted to low-lying islands are at greatest risk from climate change-related sea level rise, and requirements for breeding and foraging habitat may determine their risk from tidal inundation. The endangered Micronesian Scrubfowl (Megapodius laperouse senex) is a model species for understanding these impacts. This species faces the cumulative challenges of tourist visitation, invasive species, and rising sea levels, yet little is understood about its habitat use in the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon Conservation Area (RISL) of Palau. We studied the habitat requirements of this mound-nesting …

Population-Specific Resilience Of Halophila Ovalis Seagrass Habitat To Unseasonal Rainfall, An Extreme Climate Event In Estuaries, Chanelle L. Webster, Kieryn L. Kilminster, Marta Sánchez Alarcón, Katherine Bennett, Simone Strydom, Sian Mcnamara, Paul S. Lavery, Kathryn M. Mcmahon

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

1. Extreme climate events are predicted to alter estuarine salinity gradients exposing habitat-forming species to more frequent salinity variations. The intensity and duration of these variations, rather than the mean salinity values ecosystems are exposed to, may be more important in influencing resilience but requires further investigation.
2. Precipitation, including the frequency, intensity and timing of occurrence, is shifting due to climate change. A global analysis on the timing of rainfall in estuarine catchments was conducted. In 80% of the case studies, the maximum daily rainfall occurred in the dry season at least once over the 40-year period and could be classified …

Heterogeneous Tidal Marsh Soil Organic Carbon Accumulation Among And Within Temperate Estuaries In Australia, Connor Gorham, Paul S. Lavery, Jeffrey J. Kelleway, Pere Masque, Oscar Serrano

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The scarcity of data on tidal marsh soil accumulation rates (SAR) and soil organic carbon accumulation rates (CAR) globally precludes a comprehensive assessment of the role of tidal marshes in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Particularly few data exist from the southern hemisphere and for Australia in particular, which contains ~24% of globally recognised tidal marsh extent. Here we estimate SAR and CAR over the last 70 years using 210Pb-based geochronologies in temperate estuarine tidal marsh ecosystems in southern Western Australia (WA). Specifically, we assessed tidal marsh ecosystems situated in two geomorphic settings (marine vs. fluvial deltas) within 10 wave-dominated, …

Accounting For The Influence Of Temperature And Location When Predicting Seagrass (Halophila Ovalis) Photosynthetic Performance, Nicole E. Said, Kathryn Mcmahon, Paul Lavery

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

We show that the effect of temperature on photosynthesis of a widely distributed and ecological important seagrass species was not consistent among locations, with some evidence of acclimation to the local temperature range. This has important implications for modelling seagrass productivity and the impacts of light reduction on seagrass ecosystems. Reduced light availability is one of the main pressures negatively impacting on seagrass meadows worldwide. Our knowledge of seagrass photosynthetic characteristics is critical to predicting and managing impacts of light reducing activities but suffers from two critical information gaps: first, data is overwhelmingly derived from studies of leaf tissue and …

Journal Of Ecology 2021 Global Rainfall-Seagrass Resilience-Swan River, Chanelle L. Webster, Kathryn M. Mcmahon, Paul S. Lavery, Simone Strydom, Marta Sánchez Alarcón, Kieryn L. Kilminster, Katherine Bennet, Sian Mcnamara

Research Datasets

The excel file contains: summary of daily maximum precipitation from global rainfall analysis, monthly change in seagrass indicators (biomass, leaf density etc); water quality data including salinity, temperature and light data. There are also .nc files containing precipitation data from 1979-2019.

Breeding And Feeding Habitat Selection By An Island Endemic Bird May Increase Its Vulnerability To Climate Change [Dataset], Paul Radley, Eddie Van Etten, David Blake, Robert Davis

Research Datasets

Characterising patterns of habitat use is an important first step for effective conservation planning. Species restricted to low-lying islands are at greatest risk from climate change-related sea level rise, and requirements for breeding and foraging habitat may determine their risk from tidal inundation. The endangered Micronesian Scrubfowl (Megapodius laperouse senex) is a model species for understanding these impacts. This species faces the cumulative challenges of tourist visitation, invasive species, and rising sea levels, yet little is understood about its habitat use in the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon Conservation Area (RISL) of Palau. We studied the habitat requirements of …

Using Climate Change Models To Inform The Recovery Of The Western Ground Parrot Pezoporus Flaviventris, Shaun W. Molloy, Allan H. Burbidge, Sarah Comer, Robert A. Davis

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Translocation of species to areas of former habitat after threats have been mitigated is a common conservation action. However, the long-term success of reintroduction relies on identification of currently available habitat and areas that will remain, or become, habitat in the future. Commonly, a short-term view is taken, focusing on obvious and assumed threats such as predators and habitat degradation. However, in areas subject to significant climate change, challenges include correctly identifying variables that define habitat, and considering probable changes over time. This poses challenges with species such as the western ground parrot Pezoporus flaviventris, which was once relatively common …

Organic Chemistry Insights For The Exceptional Soil Carbon Storage Of The Seagrass Posidonia Australis, Oscar Serrano, Mohammad Rozaimi, Paul Lavery, Ronald J. Smernik

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The high organic carbon (OC) stores in seagrass meadows have led to their recognition as significant Blue Carbon sinks, though the diagenetic conditions that enable OC retention in seagrass soils remain poorly understood. In this study, seagrass soils were sampled from a Posidonia australis meadow in Oyster Harbour (Albany; south-western Australia) to investigate the preservation of sedimentary OC. We analysed soil characteristics (colour, grain size and redox potential), radiocarbon age, and characterised the soil organic matter (OM) using solid state CP/MAS 13C NMR spectroscopy to examine the preservation of OM down the soil profile. There was minimal change in organic …

Seasonal Weather And Climate Prediction Over Area Burned In Grasslands Of Northeast China, Ali Hassan Shabbir, Jiquan Zhang, John W. Groninger, Eddie J. B. Van Etten, Samuel Asumadu Sarkodie, James A. Lutz, Carlos Valencia

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020, The Author(s). Grassland fire dynamics are subject to myriad climatic, biological, and anthropogenic drivers, thresholds, and feedbacks and therefore do not conform to assumptions of statistical stationarity. The presence of non-stationarity in time series data leads to ambiguous results that can misinform regional-level fire management strategies. This study employs non-stationarity in time series data among multiple variables and multiple intensities using dynamic simulations of autoregressive distributed lag models to elucidate key drivers of climate and ecological change on burned grasslands in Xilingol, China. We used unit root methods to select appropriate estimation methods for further analysis. Using the …

Australian Vegetated Coastal Ecosystems As Global Hotspots For Climate Change Mitigation, Oscar Serrano, Catherine E. Lovelock, Trisha B. Atwood, Peter I. Macreadie, Robert Canto, Stuart Phinn, Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Le Bai, Jeff Baldock, Camila Bedulli, Paul Carnell, Rod M. Connolly, Paul Donaldson, Alba Esteban, Carolyn J. Ewers Lewis, Bradley D. Eyre, Matthew A. Hayes, Pierre Horwitz, Lindsay B. Hutley, Christopher R. J. Kavazos, Jeffrey J. Kelleway, Gary A. Kendrick, Kieryn Kilminster, Anna Lafratta, Shing Lee, Paul S. Lavery, Damien T. Maher, Núria Marbà, Pere Masque, Miguel A. Mateo, Richard Mount, Peter J. Ralph, Chris Roelfsema, Mohammad Rozaimi, Radhiyah Ruhon, Cristian Salinas, Jimena Samper-Villarreal, Jonathan Sanderman, Christian J. Sanders, Isaac Santos, Chris Sharples, Andrew D. L. Steven, Toni Cannard, Stacey M. Trevathan-Tackett, Carlos M. Duarte

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Policies aiming to preserve vegetated coastal ecosystems (VCE; tidal marshes, mangroves and seagrasses) to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions require national assessments of blue carbon resources. Here, we present organic carbon (C) storage in VCE across Australian climate regions and estimate potential annual CO₂ emission benefits of VCE conservation and restoration. Australia contributes 5–11% of the C stored in VCE globally (70–185 Tg C in aboveground biomass, and 1,055–1,540 Tg C in the upper 1 m of soils). Potential CO₂ emissions from current VCE losses are estimated at 2.1–3.1 Tg CO₂-e yr^-1, increasing annual CO …

Cumulative Stress Restricts Niche Filling Potential Of Habitat-Forming Kelps In A Future Climate, Nathan G. King, David C. Wilcockson, Richard Webster, Dan A. Smale, Laura S. Hoelters, Pippa J. Moore

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Climate change is driving range contractions and local population extinctions across the globe. When this affects ecosystem engineers the vacant niches left behind are likely to alter the wider ecosystem unless a similar species can fulfil them.
Here, we explore the stress physiology of two coexisting kelps undergoing opposing range shifts in the Northeast Atlantic and discuss what differences in stress physiology may mean for future niche filling.
We used chlorophyll florescence (F_v/F_m) and differentiation of the heat shock response (HSR) to determine the capacity of the expanding kelp, Laminaria ochroleuca, to move …

A Review Of Heat Stress Policies In The Context Of Climate Change And Its Impacts On Outdoor Workers: Evidence From Zimbabwe, Bigboy Ngwenya, Jacques Oosthuizen, Martyn Cross, Kwasi Frimpong, Cynthia N. Chaibva

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Record-breaking summer heat events are increasing in frequency in Zimbabwe and 2016 was a particularly hot year with the country experiencing its worst heat wave event in decades. Currently, Zimbabwe has no coordinated public health response to deal with heat wave events and no specific data on heat-related morbidity and mortality. The country has no legislation for protecting workers against environmental heat exposure, particularly those most vulnerable who are employed in the informal sector. These workers are also at risk due to their outdoor work environments. The article outlines the state of climate and heat stresses in Zimbabwe, as benchmarked …

Habitat Characteristics Provide Insights Of Carbon Storage In Seagrass Meadows, Inés Mazarrasa, Jimena Samper-Villarreal, Oscar Serrano, Paul S. Lavery, Catherine E. Lovelock, Núrià N. Marbà, Carlos M. Duarte, Jorge A. Cortés

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Seagrass meadows provide multiple ecosystem services, yet they are among the most threatened ecosystems on earth. Because of their role as carbon sinks, protection and restoration of seagrass meadows contribute to climate change mitigation. Blue Carbon strategies aim to enhance CO2 sequestration and avoid greenhouse gasses emissions through the management of coastal vegetated ecosystems, including seagrass meadows. The implementation of Blue Carbon strategies requires a good understanding of the habitat characteristics that influence Corg sequestration. Here, we review the existing knowledge on Blue Carbon research in seagrass meadows to identify the key habitat characteristics that influence Corg sequestration in seagrass …

Carbon Sequestration By Australian Tidal Marshes, Peter I. Macreadie, Q. R. Oliver, J. J. Kelleway, Oscar Serrano, P. E. Carnell, C. J. Ewers Lewis, T. B. Atwood, J. Sanderman, J. Baldock, R. M. Connolly, C. M. Duarte, Paul Lavery, A. Steven, C. E, Lovelock

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Australia’s tidal marshes have suffered significant losses but their recently recognised importance in CO2 sequestration is creating opportunities for their protection and restoration. We compiled all available data on soil organic carbon (OC) storage in Australia’s tidal marshes (323 cores). OC stocks in the surface 1 m averaged 165.41 (SE 6.96) Mg OC ha − 1 (range 14 – 963 Mg OC ha − 1). The mean OC accumulation rate was 0.55 ± 0.02 Mg OC ha − 1 yr − 1. Geomorphology was the most important predictor of OC stocks, with fluvial sites having twice the stock of OC …

Species Distribution Model Of Invasive Alien Species Acacia Nilotica For Central-Eastern Indonesia Using Biodiversity Climate Change Virtual Laboratory (Bccvl), Sutomo, Eddie Van Etten

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Climate change may facilitate alien species invasion into new areas. This study uses Biodiversity and Climate Change Virtual Laboratory to develop a species distribution model (SDM) of Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. ex Delile. based upon its naturalized distribution to project the potential distribution of A. nilotica throughout tropical environment of Indonesia under current and future climate conditions. Global biodiversity information facility database was utilized to obtain the species occurrences data. The climate factors were precipitation and temperature layers, available in Worldclim current conditions (1950-2000) at 2.5 arcmin. We used Generalized Linear Model. The result was then projected to the year …

A Marine Heat Wave Drives Massive Losses From The World’S Largest Seagrass Carbon Stocks [Dataset], Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Oscar Serrano, Pere Masqué, Paul Lavery, Ute A. Mueller, Gary A, Kendrick, Mohammad Rozaimi, Alba Esteban, James W, Fourqurean, Núrià N. Marbà, Miquel-Angel Mateo, Kathy Murray, Michael Rule, Carlos M. Duarte

Research Datasets

The database compiles published data (in Arias-Ortiz et al., 2018) on biogeochemical characteristics (density, organic carbon, stable carbon isotopes and sediment grain size) of soils underneath seagrass meadows in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Pb-210 concentrations of the first 20 cm are included along with C-14 raw ages. The dataset compiles data for a total of 49 cores, 25 - 300 cm-long (11 cores with Pb-210 and C-14 data). Enquiries about the dataset may be sent to Ariane Arias-Ortiz: ariane.arias@uab.cat

Linking Vital Rates Of Landbirds On A Tropical Island To Rainfall And Vegetation Greenness, James F. Saracco, Paul Radley, Peter Pyle, Erin Rowan, Ron Taylor, Lauren Helton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Remote tropical oceanic islands are of high conservation priority, and they are exemplified by range-restricted species with small global populations. Spatial and temporal patterns in rainfall and plant productivity may be important in driving dynamics of these species. Yet, little is known about environmental influences on population dynamics for most islands and species. Here we leveraged avian capture-recapture, rainfall, and remote-sensed habitat data (enhanced vegetation index [EVI]) to assess relationships between rainfall, vegetation greenness, and demographic rates (productivity, adult apparent survival) of three native bird species on Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands: rufous fantail (Rhipidura rufifrons), bridled white-eye (Zosterops conspicillatus), and …

The Extent Of Heat On Health And Sustainable Farming In Ghana - Bawku East, Kwasi Frimpong, Jacques Oosthuizen, Eddie J. Van Etten

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Little is known about the health effects of heat in outdoor work and appropriate work and rest schedules for farmers working in developing countries. As temperatures continue to increase in tropical regions, such as Northern Ghana, it is necessary to evaluate how farmers experience and respond to high heat exposures. In this study, WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) estimates and the ISO work / rest standards were applied to a cohort of farmers in the rural areas of Bawku East, Northern Ghana, to assess how farmers respond to high heat and how much they rest to protect their health, as …

Experiences Of Heat Stress Vulnerability And Climate Change Among Farmers In Ghana, Kwasi Frimpong, Jacques D. Oosthuizen, Eddie J. Van Etten

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The trend over the last decade of increasing temperature associated with climate change with the impacts being felt in the poorest communities of the developing world is unequivocal. Bawku East of northern Ghana is assessed as one of the poorest communities. Being a farming community the study investigates the extent of farmers’ experiences on heat and climate change. A selected number of 308 farmers from a farming population of over 15,000 were interviewed about heat stress and climate change to gauge their level of vulnerability to heat stress at the household and farm levels, as well as their general experiences …