Life Sciences Commons^™

Characterization Of Site-Specific Vegetation Activity In Alaskan Wet And Dry Tundra As Related To Climate And Soil State, Michael Gregory Brown, Kyle C. Mcdonald, Reiner Zimmermann, Nicholas Steiner, Stephanie Devries, Laura Bourgeau-Chavez

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

We present discrete (2-h resolution) multi-year (2008–2017) in situ measurements of seasonal vegetation growth and soil biophysical properties from two sites on Alaska's North Slope, USA, representing dry and wet sedge tundra. We examine measurements of vertical active soil layer temperature and soil moisture profiles (freeze/thaw status), woody shrub vegetation physiological activity, and meteorological site data to assess interrelationships within (and between) these two study sites. Vegetation phenophases (cold de-hardening start, physiological function start, stem growth start, stem growth end, physiological function end, cold hardening completion) were found to have greater interannual day of year (DOY) occurrence variability at the …

Precipitation Is A Strong Predictor Of Airborne Ammonia Levels., Bridger Jorgensen, Casey Olson, Connor Snow

Research on Capitol Hill

USU senior Connor has lived in the Uintah Basin all his life and studies kinesiology. Senior Casey, a Cache Valley native, studies climate science and works at the Utah Climate Center. Junior Bridger, also of Cache Valley, studies nutrition science. They led and funded this project through a student grant. Casey was alarmed by the ammonia data he was collecting at the Climate Center. “I immediately began to wonder how this issue would evolve over the coming decades.” The three teamed up to take a look at how Logan’s record-breaking amount of ammonia in our air is impacting those who …

Dairy Cattle Genetics By Environment Interaction Mismatch Contributes To Poor Mitigation And Adaptation Of Grazing Systems To Climate Change Actions In The Peruvian High Andes: A Review, V. M. Velez Marroquin, J. Manhire, R. Garcia Ticllacuri, J. L. Bernal Madrid, C. S. Pinares-Patino

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The high Andes of Peru includes fragile ecosystems. Nevertheless, it plays important ecosystem functions (e.g., biodiversity, water supply for the lowlands, CO₂ sinks in soil, etc). More than 80% of the livestock population of Peru is farmed in this area, supporting the livelihood of approximately 1’400,000 poor families, who are vulnerable to climate change (CC). Climate change in the high Andes is occurring at accelerated rates, compared to lowlands regions. Prevalent factors in the high Andes, such as hypoxia, high UV radiation, climatic extremes, large variation between maximum and minimum temperatures, seasonality in rainfall (determining highly seasonal forage growth) …

Drought Imprints On Crops Can Reduce Yield Loss: Nature's Insights For Food Security, Peng Fu, Deepak Jaiswal, Justin M. Mcgrath, Shaowen Wang, Stephen P. Long, Carl J. Bernacchi

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The Midwestern “Corn-Belt” in the United States is the most productive agricultural region on the planet despite being predominantly rainfed. In this region, global climate change is driving precipitation patterns toward wetter springs and drier mid- to late-summers, a trend that is likely to intensify in the future. The lack of precipitation can lead to crop water limitations that ultimately impact growth and yields. Young plants exposed to water stress will often invest more resources into their root systems, possibly priming the crop for any subsequent mid- or late-season drought. The trend toward wetter springs, however, suggests that opportunities for …

Fact Sheet - Human Settlements: Climate Change Impacts And Risks, Winston T. L. Chow, Richard Dawson, Bruce Glavovic, Marjolijn Haasnoot, Mark Pelling, William Solecki

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This regional factsheet on cities and human settlements gives a snapshot of the key findings of the Sixth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2022 - Impacts. Adaptation and Vulnerability, distilled from the relevant Chapters and Cross-Chapter Papers, the Technical Summary and the Global to Regional Atlas.

A Guava-Based Hortipasture System For Mitigating Climate Change And Sustaining Fodder & Fruit Supply In Semi-Arid Regions Of India, Kamini Gautam, Sunil Kumar, Amit Kumar Singh, Avijit Ghosh, Manjanagouda S. S., R. V. Kumar

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Hortipasture systems have huge potential to mitigate climate change via sequestering carbon along with sustaining fodder and fruit supply especially in semi-arid regions. Therefore to evaluate climate change mitigation, fruit and fodder production potential of 10 year old rainfed based Hortipasture system (Psidium guajava (Guava) + Cenchrus ciliaris + Stylosanthes hamata) established at Central Research Farm of ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (Bundelkhand region, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India), carbon stock of tree and under storey pasture components was quantified along with fruit and forage production. The experimental site is drought prone semi arid region characterized by poor …

Bottom-Up Drivers Of Future Fire Regimes In Western Boreal North America, Adrianna C. Foster, Jacquelyn K. Shuman, Brendan M. Rogers, Xanthe J. Walker, Michelle C. Mack, Laura L. Bourgeau-Chavez, Sander Veraverbeke, Scott J. Goetz

Aspen Bibliography

Forest characteristics, structure, and dynamics within the North American boreal region are heavily influenced by wildfire intensity, severity, and frequency. Increasing temperatures are likely to result in drier conditions and longer fire seasons, potentially leading to more intense and frequent fires. However, an increase in deciduous forest cover is also predicted across the region, potentially decreasing flammability. In this study, we use an individual tree-based forest model to test bottom-up (i.e. fuels) vs top-down (i.e. climate) controls on fire activity and project future forest and wildfire dynamics. The University of Virginia Forest Model Enhanced is an individual tree-based forest model …

Productivity Of Grasslands In Wielkopolska In Conditions Of Weather Variables Changes In The Last 34 Years, B. Golińska, M. Czerwiński, P. Goliński

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The purpose of this study was the assessment of the effect of climatic changes since 1985 on the productivity of grasslands in Wielkopolska region (Poland). The weather data (precipitation sum, mean, maximum and minimum air temperature, insolation, relative air humidity and wind speed) were collected from 1985 to 2018 at five weather stations located in the region that belong to the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Using this data, trends of Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) were determined. Grassland productivity was estimated from data collected by the Central Statistical Office, that refer to meadow hay production for each commune …

Montane Temperate-Boreal Forests Retain The Leaf Economic Spectrum Despite Intraspecific Variability, Matthew J. Hecking, Jenna M. Zukswert, John E. Drake, Martin Dovciak, Julia I. Burton

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Trait-based analyses provide powerful tools for developing a generalizable, physiologically grounded understanding of how forest communities are responding to ongoing environmental changes. Key challenges lie in (1) selecting traits that best characterize the ecological performance of species in the community and (2) determining the degree and importance of intraspecific variability in those traits. Recent studies suggest that globally evident trait correlations (trait dimensions), such as the leaf economic spectrum, may be weak or absent at local scales. Moreover, trait-based analyses that utilize a mean value to represent a species may be misleading. Mean trait values are particularly problematic if species …

A Call For The Library Community To Deploy Best Practices Toward A Database For Biocultural Knowledge Relating To Climate Change, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Abstract

Purpose – In this paper, a call to the library and information science community to support documentation and conservation of cultural and biocultural heritage has been presented.

Design/methodology/approach – Based in existing Literature, this proposal is generative and descriptive— rather than prescriptive—regarding precisely how libraries should collaborate to employ technical and ethical best practices to provide access to vital data, research and cultural narratives relating to climate.

Findings – COVID-19 and climate destruction signal urgent global challenges. Library best practices are positioned to respond to climate change. Literature indicates how libraries preserve, share and cross-link cultural and scientific knowledge. …

Identifying Conifer Tree Vs. Deciduous Shrub And Tree Regeneration Trajectories In A Space-For-Time Boreal Peatland Fire Chronosequence Using Multispectral Lidar, Humaira Enayetullah, Laura Chasmer, Christopher Hopkinson, Dan Thompson, Danielle Cobbaert

Aspen Bibliography

Wildland fires and anthropogenic disturbances can cause changes in vegetation species composition and structure in boreal peatlands. These could potentially alter regeneration trajectories following severe fire or through cumulative impacts of climate-mediated drying, fire, and/or anthropogenic disturbance. We used lidar-derived point cloud metrics, and site-specific locational attributes to assess trajectories of post-disturbance vegetation regeneration in boreal peatlands south of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada using a space-for-time-chronosequence. The objectives were to (a) develop methods to identify conifer trees vs. deciduous shrubs and trees using multi-spectral lidar data, (b) quantify the proportional coverage of shrubs and trees to determine environmental conditions driving …

Investigating The Effects Of Climate Change On The Phenology Of Achillea Millefolium, Aquilegia Coerulea, And Penstemon Cyanocaulis, Hannah O’Toole, Kailey Hicks, Lisa Long, Jackson Garske, Anna Sher

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

As the effects of climate change are starting to unearth themselves, the impacts can be observed by tracking the patterns of cyclical natural phenomena also known as phenology, and monitoring how they have changed over time. These cycles are at the crux of making ecosystems viable for their local biodiversity, and understanding the ongoing change allows for further understanding of the ecosystem’s change over time. In this study, we look at the ordinal flowering dates of the Achillea millefolium, Aquilegia coerulea, and Penstemon cyanocaulis over the past century. Our data give insight into how warmer temperatures occurring earlier in …

Feature Papers In Horticulturae, Douglas D. Archbold

Horticulture Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Last Continuous Grasslands On Earth: Identification And Conservation Importance, Rheinhardt Scholtz, Dirac L. Twidwell Jr

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Grasslands are the most threatened and least protected biome. Yet, no study has been conducted to identify the last remaining continuous grasslands on Earth. Here, we used World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifications to measure the degree of intactness remaining for the world's grassland ecoregions. This analysis revealed three findings of critical conservation importance. First, only a few large, intact grasslands remain. Second, every continent with a grassland ecoregion considered in this study contains at least one relatively intact grassland ecoregion. Third, the largest remaining continuous grasslands identified in this analysis have persisted …

High Temperatures Adversely Affect The Hoverfly Episyrphus Balteatus(Diptera: Syrphidae) Fitness And Aphid Prey Consumption, Gregoire Noel, Jessica Caetano, Solene Blanchard, Antoine Boullis, Frederic Francis

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Numerous studies have shown that an increase of environmental temperature could directly disturb insect larval development. Natural enemies of insect pests, particularly predators of aphid populations, are not spared. Following temperature predictions of Belgian climate change scenario, the goal of this study is to measure life-history traits, such as the mass, body length and aphid consumption (Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris, 1776)) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) of Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776) (Diptera: Syrphidae) larvae under three constant temperature treatments (i.e. 20, 23, and 26 °C). We detected no significant differences between 20 °C and 23 °C on the hoverflies larval development, their aphidophagous …

Responses Of Arthropods To Fire And How Pollinators And Pollination Services Are Affected By Fire Severity, Blyssalyn V. Bieber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fires impact ecosystems globally and due to climate change, there are shifts in fire regimes that impact ecological communities which provide essential ecosystem services. Focusing on arthropods, fire can influence this ubiquitous animal group in various way. We performed a comprehensive meta-analysis evaluating how fires impact differing arthropod functional groups. We found that overall, fire negatively effects community level responses for most functional groups with herbivores as the only exception showing some positive effects of fire. We also studied mixed-severity fires that burned >20 years ago and compared floral visitor communities across fire severities. We implemented a pollinator exclusion experiment …

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 …

Developing High-Resolution Meteorological Datasets To Assess The Short-Term Association Between Meteorological Factors And Green Space And Mental Disorders, Xinlei Deng

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Global climate change is linked to the frequency and intensity of local climate extremes such as heatwaves, cold spells, and flooding. Scientific evidence indicates that heatwaves and higher ambient temperature could increase the risk of hospital admission and emergency department (ED) visits for mental disorders (MDs). On the other hand, urban green space is considered a way to reduce heat island effects and provide comfort for area residents. However, there still exist huge research gaps. Except for temperature, few studies have examined how other meteorological factors (relative humidity (RH), solar radiation (SR), heat index (HI), and rainfall) are associated with …

Laurentian Great Lakes Warming Threatens Northern Fruit Belt Refugia, Robert Warren

Biology Faculty Datasets

Climate refugia are anomalous ‘pockets’ of spatially or temporally disjunct environmental conditions that buffer distinct flora and fauna against prevailing climatic conditions. Physiographic landscape features, such as large water bodies, can create these micro-to-macro-scale terrestrial habitats, such as the prevailing westerly winds across the Laurentian Great Lakes that create relatively cooler leeward conditions in spring and relatively warmer leeward conditions in autumn. The leeward Great Lakes climate effects create a refugia (popularly known as a ‘fruit belt’) favorable for fruit-bearing trees and shrubs. This fruit belt refugia owes its existence to seasonal inversions whereby spring cooling prevents early flower budding …

Impacts Of Changing Permafrost Conditions On Vegetation Productivity In The Northern Boreal Forest, Emily Ogden

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Vegetation productivity across the boreal forest has increased over the past several decades. However, at a regional scale there is large variation from increased (greening) to decreased (browning) productivity and large areas with no measured change. Some of this variation can be explained by disturbances, such as wildfire, or by increased climate variability. In northern regions underlain by permafrost, the interactions between climate, disturbance, and vegetation productivity may be more complex. For my thesis, I used a time-series of ground thermal data from permafrost monitoring sites established by the Geological Survey of Canada along a latitudinal transect of the Northwest …

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 …

The Effects Of Average Annual Temperature On Flowering Times And Flower Count, Angela Copploe

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Over a course of 15 years, three different species of flowers were examined to see the relationship between the increase in average annual temperature, flowering time, and flower count.

Climate Change And Environmental Sustainability Module: Activity Booklet, Fozia Parveen, Sara Hassan, Subhan Khan

Books

Dear readers (teachers, parents, and students), Thank you for accessing our activity booklet. The information booklet introduced concepts relating to climate change and environmental sustainability. In this booklet several cross cutting activities on various themes have been presented. The booklet contains ready-made activities containing but not limited to comic strips, experiments, conversations, writing, simple tag, cut and paste as well as research activities. We hope you enjoy, adapt and implement these activities in your community.

Climate Change And Environmental Sustainability Module: Information Booklet, Fozia Parveen, Sara Hassan, Subhan Khan

Books

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Burn Severity On Post-Fire Spectral Recovery Of Three Fires In The Southern Rocky Mountains, Jaclyn Guz, Florencia Sangermano, Dominik Kulakowski

Geography

Increased wildfire activity and altered post-fire climate in the Southern Rocky Mountains has the potential to influence forest resilience. The Southern Rocky Mountains are a leading edge of climate change and have experienced record-breaking fires in recent years. The change in post-fire regeneration and forest resilience could potentially include future ecological trajectories. In this paper, we examined patterns of post-fire spectral recovery using Landsat time series. Additionally, we utilized random forest models to analyze the impact of climate and burn severity on three fire events in the Southern Rocky Mountains. Fifteen years following the fires, none of the burned stands …

Investigating The Effect Of A Facultative Symbiont, Hamiltonella Defensa, On Pea Aphid, Acyrthosiphon Pisum, Fecundity And Behavior In Elevated Co₂ Atmospheres, Tyler J. Follman

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

As atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels continue to rise, it is important to study how economically important organisms, like the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, will react to these conditions. The pea aphid feeds on the phloem of crop plants like alfalfa, peas, and fava beans, where it not only directly harms the plant but also can spread plant viruses. A wide variety of factors can influence pea aphid fecundity and behavior. Some of these factors are abiotic, like atmospheric conditions, and some are biotic, like microorganisms with which the pea aphid has a mutualistic relationship. In this thesis, …

Effects Of Elevated Temperature, Reduced Hydroperiod, And Invasive Bullfrog Larvae On Pacific Chorus Frog Larvae, Bailey R. Tasker, Karli Honebein, Allie M. Erickson, Julia E. Misslin, Paul Hurst, Sarah Cooney, Skylar Riley, Scott A. Griffith, Betsy A. Bancroft

Biology Faculty Scholarship

Climate change and invasive species threaten many ecosystems, including surface freshwater systems. Increasing temperatures and reduced hydroperiod due to climate change may promote the persistence of invasive species and facilitate new invasions due to potentially higher tolerance to environmental stress in successful invaders. Amphibians demonstrate high levels of plasticity in life history characteristics, particularly those species which inhabit both ephemeral and permanent water bodies. We tested the influence of two projected effects of climate change (increased temperature and reduced hydroperiod) on Pacific chorus frog (Pseudacris regilla) tadpoles alone and in combination with the presence of tadpoles of a …

Quantifying Crop Phenology For Food Sustainability Under Climate Change: Integration Of Remote Sensing, Machine Learning, And Ecosystem Modeling, Yanjun Yang

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Climate change is projected to continue and accelerate significantly in the future if global greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed. Previous studies have shown that crop growth and production in agroecosystems are primarily determined by the weather conditions over the growing season. Crop phenology represents one of the most critical indicators in determining crop yield and adjusting the adaptation of crops to climate change. It provides essential information for monitoring and modeling crop growth dynamics and productivity. Therefore, understanding and quantifying the impacts of climate change on crop phenology and then agricultural production is crucial to formulate feasible climatic adaptation …

Drought, Tree Mortality, And Regeneration In Northen California, Sophia Lb Lemmo

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The 2012-2016 California drought was the most severe in the state’s recorded history, contributing to the death of millions of trees. While the effects of this drought on forests are relatively well studied in the central and southern Sierra Nevada, less is known about its effects on the heavily timbered and diverse forests of northern California. Through sampling 54 0.25 ha plots in northern California, this study compared tree mortality and regeneration patterns before, during, and after California’s most recent record-setting drought. This study evaluated 1) the influence of habitat and competitive covariates on mortality and regeneration trends using ridge …

Managing Agricultural Nitrogen Losses In Crop Production And Mitigation Of Climate Change Effects, Winnie Ntinyari, Mekonnen Giweta, James Mutegi, Cargele Masso, Joseph P. Gweyi-Onyango

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Nitrogen (N) losses from cropping systems negatively affect soil quality/fertility, crop yield, and the environment through its contribution to climate change and water pollution. İt possesses oil-water-atmospheric system challenges to both the too much and the too little N application countries. Soil and climatic factors are the critical drivers of N loss from agricultural systems as they influence major processes like nitrification and denitrification. Other N loss pathways include leaching, runoff, and volatilization. Nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) gases are the two pollutants resulting from N fertilizers in crop production and represent N loss’ significant pathway. Nitrous oxide is …