scholarly journals Analysis of the Effect of Climate Warming on Paludification Processes: Will Soil Conditions Limit the Adaptation of Northern Boreal Forests to Climate Change? A Synthesis

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1176
Author(s):  
Ahmed Laamrani ◽  
Osvaldo Valeria ◽  
Abdelghani Chehbouni ◽  
Yves Bergeron
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Climate Warming ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Climatic Warming ◽  
Forest Species ◽  
Peat Accumulation

Northern boreal forests are characterized by accumulation of accumulation of peat (e.g., known as paludification). The functioning of northern boreal forest species and their capacity to adapt to environmental changes appear to depend on soil conditions. Climate warming is expected to have particularly pronounced effects on paludified boreal ecosystems and can alter current forest species composition and adaptation by changing soil conditions such as moisture, temperature regimes, and soil respiration. In this paper, we review and synthesize results from various reported studies (i.e., 88 research articles cited hereafter) to assess the effects of climatic warming on soil conditions of paludified forests in North America. Predictions that global warming may increase the decomposition rate must be considered in combination with its impact on soil moisture, which appears to be a limiting factor. Local adaptation or acclimation to current climatic conditions is occurring in boreal forests, which is likely to be important for continued ecosystem stability in the context of climate change. The most commonly cited response of boreal forest species to global warming is a northward migration that tracks the climate and soil conditions (e.g., temperature and moisture) to which they are adapted. Yet, some constraints may influence this kind of adaptation, such as water availability, changes in fire regimes, decomposer adaptations, and the dynamic of peat accumulation. In this paper, as a study case, we examined an example of potential effects of climatic warming on future paludification changes in the eastern lowland region of Canada through three different combined hypothetical scenarios based on temperature and precipitation (e.g., unchanged, increase, or decrease). An increase scenario in precipitation will likely favor peat accumulation in boreal forest stands prone to paludification and facilitate forested peatland expansion into upland forest, while decreased or unchanged precipitation combined with an increase in temperature will probably favor succession of forested peatlands to upland boreal forests. Each of the three scenarios were discussed in this study, and consequent silvicultural treatment options were suggested for each scenario to cope with anticipated soil and species changes in the boreal forests. We concluded that, despite the fact boreal soils will not constrain adaptation of boreal forests, some consequences of climatic warming may reduce the ability of certain species to respond to natural disturbances such as pest and disease outbreaks, and extreme weather events.

Extreme Weather Resulting from Global Warming is an Emerging Threat to Farmworker Health and Safety

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 189-190
Author(s):  
Kent E. Pinkerton ◽  
Emily Felt ◽  
Heather E. Riden
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Extreme Precipitation ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Extreme Weather ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Cold Waves ◽  
Warming Climate ◽  
Weather Events

Abstract. A warming climate has been linked to an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, including heat and cold waves, extreme precipitation, and wildfires. This increase in extreme weather results in increased risks to the health and safety of farmworkers. Keywords: Climate change, Extreme weather, Farmworkers, Global warming, Health and safety.

scholarly journals Risks of seasonal extreme rainfall events in Bangladesh under 1.5 and 2.0 degrees’ warmer worlds – How anthropogenic aerosols change the story

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruksana H. Rimi ◽  
Karsten Haustein ◽  
Emily J. Barbour ◽  
Sarah N. Sparrow ◽  
Sihan Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Substantial Reduction ◽  
Extreme Rainfall ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Anthropogenic Aerosols ◽  
Extreme Rainfall Events ◽  
Rainfall Events

Abstract. Anthropogenic climate change is likely to increase the frequency of extreme weather events in future. Previous studies have robustly shown how and where climate change has already changed the risks of weather extremes. However, developing countries have been somewhat underrepresented in these studies, despite high vulnerability and limited capacities to adapt. How additional global warming would affect the future risks of extreme rainfall events in Bangladesh needs to be addressed to limit adverse impacts. Our study focuses on understanding and quantifying the relative risks of seasonal extreme rainfall events in Bangladesh under the Paris Agreement temperature goals of 1.5 °C and 2 °C warming above pre-industrial levels. In particular, we investigate the influence of anthropogenic aerosols on these risks given their likely future reduction and resulting amplification of global warming. Using large ensemble regional climate model simulations from weather@home under different forcing scenarios, we compare the risks of rainfall events under pre-industrial (natural), current (actual), 1.5 °C, and 2.0 °C warmer and greenhouse gas only (anthropogenic aerosols removed) conditions. We find that the risk of a 1 in 100 year rainfall event has already increased significantly compared with pre-industrial levels across parts of Bangladesh, with additional increases likely for 1.5 and 2.0 degree warming (of up to 5.5 times higher, with an uncertainty range of 3.5 to 7.8 times). Impacts were observed during both the pre-monsoon and monsoon periods, but were spatially variable across the country in terms of the level of impact. Results also show that reduction in anthropogenic aerosols plays an important role in determining the overall future climate change impacts; by exacerbating the effects of GHG induced global warming and thereby increasing the rainfall intensity. We highlight that the net aerosol effect varies from region to region within Bangladesh, which leads to different outcomes of aerosol reduction on extreme rainfall statistics, and must therefore be considered in future risk assessments. Whilst there is a substantial reduction in the impacts resulting from 1.5 °C compared with 2 °C warming, the difference is spatially and temporally variable, specifically with respect to seasonal extreme rainfall events.

Resilience of Alaska’s boreal forest to climatic changeThis article is one of a selection of papers from The Dynamics of Change in Alaska’s Boreal Forests: Resilience and Vulnerability in Response to Climate Warming.

2010 ◽  
Vol 40 (7) ◽  
pp. 1360-1370 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.S. Chapin ◽  
A.D. McGuire ◽  
R.W. Ruess ◽  
T.N. Hollingsworth ◽  
M.C. Mack ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Climate Warming ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
The Impact

This paper assesses the resilience of Alaska’s boreal forest system to rapid climatic change. Recent warming is associated with reduced growth of dominant tree species, plant disease and insect outbreaks, warming and thawing of permafrost, drying of lakes, increased wildfire extent, increased postfire recruitment of deciduous trees, and reduced safety of hunters traveling on river ice. These changes have modified key structural features, feedbacks, and interactions in the boreal forest, including reduced effects of upland permafrost on regional hydrology, expansion of boreal forest into tundra, and amplification of climate warming because of reduced albedo (shorter winter season) and carbon release from wildfires. Other temperature-sensitive processes for which no trends have been detected include composition of plant and microbial communities, long-term landscape-scale change in carbon stocks, stream discharge, mammalian population dynamics, and river access and subsistence opportunities for rural indigenous communities. Projections of continued warming suggest that Alaska’s boreal forest will undergo significant functional and structural changes within the next few decades that are unprecedented in the last 6000 years. The impact of these social–ecological changes will depend in part on the extent of landscape reorganization between uplands and lowlands and on policies regulating subsistence opportunities for rural communities.

scholarly journals Physical and Hydro-Physical Characteristics of Soil in the Context of Climate Change. A Case Study in Danube River Basin, SE Romania

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 9174
Author(s):  
Sorina-Simona Moraru ◽  
Antoaneta Ene ◽  
Alina Badila
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Practical Importance ◽  
Industrial Area ◽  
Danube River ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Danube River Basin

The intensification of climate change has led to the degradation of thousands of arable lands through desertification and extreme weather events. The Danube River basin in the Galati-Braila region, SE Romania, is a transboundary area of community and international importance, increasingly affected by drought, water, and wind erosion. Consequently, the aim of this study is to evaluate the main physical and hydro-physical parameters of soils, implied in water storage and with a defining role in erosion intensity, nutrients and toxicants cycle and availability, and crops yield. Soil samples were collected both in the disturbed and undisturbed state, from Smardan, Sendreni, and Vadeni agricultural lands and riparian areas of semiaquatic ecosystems, located in the vicinity of the steel platform of the Galati industrial area. Specific laboratory methods of investigation and formulas were used. Chernozems (CZ), Fluvisols (AS), and Gleysols (GS) of different subtypes and various physico-chemical parameters were identified. The results suggested that CZ are of coarse and medium texture, while AS and GS are medium–fine and fine textured. In correlation with this, bulk density values range from extremely low–low to low–high classes. In relation to soil physical parameters and the content of organic matter, hydro-physical indices show water supply imbalances. Through the approached theme, the study is of practical importance for sustainable management of the soil, agricultural projects, and landscaping. This study provides government authorities and non-governmental organizations an overview of the local and regional soil conditions, so that new measures can be regulated to protect it against irrational use.

Transitioning to a Prosperous, Resilient and Carbon-Free Economy

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Early Adoption ◽  
Weather Events

This book is a comprehensive manual for decision-makers and policy leaders addressing the issues around human caused climate change, which threatens communities with increasing extreme weather events, sea level rise, and declining habitability of some regions due to desertification or inundation. The book looks at both mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and global warming and adaption to changing conditions as the climate changes. It encourages the early adoption of climate change measures, showing that rapid decarbonisation and improved resilience can be achieved while maintaining prosperity. The book takes a sector-by-sector approach, starting with energy and includes cities, industry, natural resources, and agriculture, enabling practitioners to focus on actions relevant to their field. It uses case studies across a range of countries, and various industries, to illustrate the opportunities available. Blending technological insights with economics and policy, the book presents the tools decision-makers need to achieve rapid decarbonisation, whilst unlocking and maintaining productivity, profit, and growth.

Positive feedback from climate warming to carbon sequestration in boreal forests

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pekka Kauppi ◽  
Tomas Lundmark ◽  
Annika Nordin
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Forest Management ◽  
Climate Warming ◽  
Positive Feedback ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Bud Burst ◽  
Average Temperature ◽  
Cloudy Weather

<p>EGU Abstract, 3-8 May, Vienna 2020<br>Session BG3.19 <br>Climate change and adaptive forest management: Effects, Methods, and Objectives</p><p>Positive feedback from climate warming to carbon sequestration in boreal forests<br>Pekka Kauppi1,2, Tomas Lundmark2 and Annika Nordin2<br>1University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Sciences, POBOX 27, Fin-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland<br>2 Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Dpt Forest Ecology and Management, 90183 Umeå, Sweden<br>[email protected]<br>[email protected]<br>[email protected]</p><p>'Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muß man schweigen.' (“Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.”). This quote of Ludwig Wittgenstein is thought-provoking regarding beneficial effects of climate change. Logically, climate warming must provoke favorable environmental effects in some regions and over certain periods of time despite the prospects of dramatic detrimental effects of global warming on the environment in the long term. Our focus is on boreal forests in recent past.<br>Devastating effects of climate warming on terrestrial ecosystems have been recorded in many parts of the world. Heat waves have enhanced wildfires. In Australia alone, wildfires disturbed more than six million hectares of land in 2019-2020. Will climate warming undermine the contribution of land use management to climate change mitigation? - Most surprisingly, we report here a reverse relationship from north Europe. Climate warming has amplified the favorable impacts of land management on carbon sequestration. This is a forest-climate paradox, maybe temporary and anecdotal but persistent and firmly documented in Finland, Norway and Sweden since 1990.<br>Springtime is the most interesting season for forest biota in north Europe. During spring in north Europe, soil is rich in moisture from the snow melt. Days are long as of the beginning of April. Cloudy weather is unusual in the springtime. When spring comes early, there is plenty of solar radiation and water available for photosynthesis and growth. Warm spring evokes an early bud burst. Conversely, cold spring delays the onset of the growing season. April and May temperatures were exceptionally high during the period 1990-2013 (Figs. 1a and 1b) . Similar patterns of climate warming were observed in Norway and Sweden.<br> <br> <br>Figure 1a. Average temperature in Finland in April during 1847-2013 (degrees centigrade).<br> <br> <br>Figure 1b. Average temperature in Finland in May during 1847-2013 (degrees centigrade).<br>Especially during 1990-2019 the growing seasons in north Europe turned out to be long. The Net Primary Production and forest carbon sink improved. Forest increment in north Europe approximately doubled from 1970 to 2010 responding to multiple drivers . A combination of successful forest management and environmental change created an interesting paradox promoting forest ecosystem services. Carbon sink improved concomitantly with increasing harvests for the forest industries, an important economic sector in the region.<br>In so far, climate warming specifically in north Europe has contributed significantly to the evolution and persistence of the carbon sink and to fossil fuel substitution. Future research is needed to monitor this feedback from climate warming to carbon sequestration.</p><p> </p>

Personal Experience, Extreme Weather Events, and Perceptions of Climate Change

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher P. Borick ◽  
Barry G. Rabe
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Extreme Weather ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Seasonal Temperature ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Weather Events

The factors that determine individual perceptions of climate change have been a focus of social science research for many years. An array of studies have found that individual-level characteristics, such as partisan affiliation, ideological beliefs, educational attainment, and race, affect one’s views on the existence of global warming, as well as the levels of concern regarding this matter. But in addition to the individual-level attributes that have been shown to affect perceptions of climate change, a growing body of literature has found that individual experiences with weather can shape a variety of views and beliefs that individuals maintain regarding climate change. These studies indicate that direct experiences with extreme weather events and abnormal seasonal temperature and precipitation levels can affect the likelihood that an individual will perceive global warming to be occurring, and in some cases their policy preferences for addressing the problem. The emerging literature on this relationship indicates that individuals are more likely to express skepticism regarding the existence of global warming when experiencing below average temperatures or above average snowfall in the period preceding an interview on their views. Conversely, higher temperatures and various extreme weather events can elevate acceptance of global warming’s existence. A number of studies also find that individuals are more likely to report weather conditions such as drought and extreme heat affected their acceptance of global warming when such conditions were occurring in their region. For example, the severe drought that has encompassed much of the western United States between 2005 and 2016 has increasingly been cited by residents of the region as the primary reason for their belief that climate change is occurring. What remains unclear at this point is whether the weather conditions are actually changing opinions regarding climate change or if the preexisting opinions are causing individuals to see the weather events in a manner consistent with those opinions. Notably, the relationship between weather experiences and beliefs regarding climate change appear to be multidirectional in nature. Numerous studies have found that not only do weather experiences shape the views of individuals regarding global warming, but also individuals’ views on the existence of global warming can affect their perceptions of the weather that they have experienced. In particular, recent research has shown that individuals who are skeptical about the existence of global warming are less likely to report the weather recorded in their area accurately than individuals who believe global warming is happening.

Impacts of Climate Change on Workers’ Health and Safety

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry S. Levy ◽  
Cora Roelofs
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Occupational Injuries ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Unknown Etiology ◽  
Adaptation Measures ◽  
Increased Risk

Climate change has increased the risk to workers’ health and safety. Workers, especially those who work outdoors or in hot indoor environments, are at increased risk of heat stress and other heat-related disorders, occupational injuries, and reduced productivity at work. A variety of approaches have been developed to measure and assess workers’ occupational heat exposure and the risk of heat-related disorders. In addition, increased ambient temperature may increase workers’ exposure to hazardous chemicals and the adverse effects of chemicals on their health. Global warming will influence the distribution of weeds, insect pests, and pathogens, and will introduce new pests, all of which could change the types and amounts of pesticides used, thereby affecting the health of agricultural workers and others. Increased ambient temperatures may contribute to chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology among workers. Global warming is increasing ground-level ozone concentrations with adverse effects on outdoor workers and others. Extreme weather events related to climate change pose injury risks to rescue and recovery workers. Reducing the risks of work-related illnesses and injuries from climate change requires a three-pronged approach: (1) mitigating the production of greenhouse gases, the primary cause of climate change; (2) implementing adaptation measures to address the overall consequences of climate change; and (3) implementing improved measures for occupational health and safety.

scholarly journals Climate network percolation reveals the expansion and weakening of the tropical component under global warming

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (52) ◽  
pp. E12128-E12134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingfang Fan ◽  
Jun Meng ◽  
Yosef Ashkenazy ◽  
Shlomo Havlin ◽  
Hans Joachim Schellnhuber
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Climate Warming ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Coupled Model ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Arctic Sea Ice ◽  
Hadley Cell ◽  
Future Global Warming

Global climate warming poses a significant challenge to humanity; it is associated with, e.g., rising sea level and declining Arctic sea ice. Increasing extreme events are also considered to be a result of climate warming, and they may have widespread and diverse effects on health, agriculture, economics, and political conflicts. Still, the detection and quantification of climate change, both in observations and climate models, constitute a main focus of the scientific community. Here, we develop an approach based on network and percolation frameworks to study the impacts of climate changes in the past decades using historical models and reanalysis records, and we analyze the expected upcoming impacts using various future global warming scenarios. We find an abrupt transition during the evolution of the climate network, indicating a consistent poleward expansion of the largest cluster that corresponds to the tropical area, as well as the weakening of the strength of links in the tropic. This is found both in the reanalysis data and in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) 21st century climate change simulations. The analysis is based on high-resolution surface (2 m) air temperature field records. We discuss the underlying mechanism for the observed expansion of the tropical cluster and associate it with changes in atmospheric circulation represented by the weakening and expansion of the Hadley cell. Our framework can also be useful for forecasting the extent of the tropical cluster to detect its influence on different areas in response to global warming.

scholarly journals Novel coupled permafrost-forest model revealing the interplay between permafrost, vegetation, and climate across eastern Siberia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Kruse ◽  
Simone M. Stuenzi ◽  
Julia Boike ◽  
Moritz Langer ◽  
Josias Gloy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Active Layer ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Coupled Model ◽  
Surface Model ◽  
Active Layer Thickness ◽  
Forest Species ◽  
Forest Model ◽  
Larch Species

Abstract. Boreal forests of Siberia play a relevant role in the global carbon cycle. However, global warming threatens the existence of summergreen larch-dominated ecosystems likely enabling a transition to evergreen tree taxa with deeper active layers. Complex permafrost-vegetation interactions make it uncertain whether these ecosystems could develop into a carbon source rather than continuing atmospheric carbon sequestration under global warming. Consequently, shedding light on the role of current and future active-layer dynamics and the feedbacks with the apparent tree species is crucial to predict boreal forest transition dynamics, and thus for aboveground forest biomass and carbon stock developments. Hence, we established a coupled model version amalgamating a one-dimensional permafrost-multilayer forest land-surface model (CryoGrid), with LAVESI, an individual-based and spatially explicit forest model for larch species (Larix Mill.), extended for this study by including other relevant Siberian forest species and explicit terrain. Following parametrization, we ran simulations with the coupled version to the near future to 2030 with a mild climate-warming scenario. We focus on three regions, covering a gradient of summergreen forests in the east at Spasskaya Pad to mixed summergreen-evergreen forests close to Nyurba, and the warmest area at Lake Khamra in the south-east of Yakutia, Russia. Coupled simulations were run with the newly implemented boreal forest species and compared to runs allowing only one species at a time, as well as to simulations using just LAVESI. Results reveal that the coupled version corrects for overestimation of active-layer thickness (ALT) and soil moisture and large differences in established forests are simulated. We conclude that the coupled version can simulate the complex environment of central Siberia reproducing vegetation patterns making it an excellent tool to disentangle processes driving boreal forest dynamics.

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