Annual Temperature Research Articles

Climate and landscape modification facilitate range expansion in Spinus psaltria (Lesser Goldfinch) across the Pacific Northwest

Abstract Spinus psaltria (Lesser Goldfinch) has undergone significant range expansion throughout the Pacific Northwest in recent decades, expanding farther northward through Oregon, Idaho, and Washington. We used data from Project FeederWatch to reveal a 3.94 decimal degree or ~437.34 km northward expansion in occupancy from 2002 to 2022, with eBird Status and Trends indicating that breeding season populations increased significantly in Oregon (16.9%), Idaho (66.3%), and Washington (110.5%) from 2012 to 2022. We found that S. psaltria was more likely to colonize sites within their expanded range that had higher maximum annual temperatures and annual rainfall, increased surrounding urban development, and closer proximity to major rivers. Additionally, our models showed sites typically remained occupied once colonized, indicating permanent range expansions rather than temporary nomadic movements. Our study highlights how S. psaltria’s range in the Pacific Northwest is shaped by both climate and landscape characteristics and reflects broad ecological responses to climate change and habitat modification, suggesting continued expansion as these factors persist.

A Century of Water–Socioecological Dynamics and Evolutionary Stages in Lake Victoria Basin, East Africa

Understanding the feedback relationships and evolutionary stages of water–socioecological systems (W-SESs) is crucial for achieving sustainable development in basins. This study focuses on the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) in East Africa, where population growth, rapid urbanization, and developing industrialization have intensified water resource supply–demand conflicts, leading to socioecological issues such as water environmental degradation and ecological conflicts. The objective of this research is to develop a theoretical framework for the Lake Victoria Basin W-SESs (LVB-WSESs) based on the SES framework, identify the main drivers and critical nodes in the evolution of the LVB-WSESs, analyze the root causes of water–society–ecology conflicts, and explore the feedback relationships and evolutionary stages of the LVB-WSESs over the past century. To achieve this, we employed an integrated qualitative and quantitative analysis of historical data combined with tipping point detection to systematically assess the dynamics of the LVB-WSESs. Our findings show that, under the drivers of climate change (with a 1 °C increase in annual temperature since 1920s), population growth (a six-fold increase since 1920s), economic development, land-use change, urbanization, and species invasion, the basin’s demand for water resources, water environments, and aquatic ecosystems has continually increased, leading to the gradual degradation and imbalance of the basin’s ecological functions. The evolution of the LVB-WSESs can be divided into five stages against the historical backdrop of societal transitions from colonial to independent democratic systems: the stable resource utilization period, the slow environmental change period (1920s–1960s), the rapid environmental imbalance period (1960s–1990s), the transition period from environmental imbalance to protection (1990s–2015), and the reconstruction period of socioecological equilibrium. This study not only enhances understanding of the long-term dynamics of the LVB-WSESs but also provides practical implications for sustainable water management in similar basins globally. It enriches the local practice of global sustainable development theories, providing new theoretical perspectives and case references for future watershed sustainable management. By identifying critical drivers and evolutionary stages, our findings can inform policy decisions and interventions to mitigate socioecological conflicts and achieve basin-level sustainability.

Digital soil mapping of soil subgroup class information in Coimbatore district using decision tree approach

The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Digital Soil Mapping (DSM) compared to traditional soil mapping methods, which can help implementing precise near-real-time smart agricultural applications. Conventional soil surveys, while informative, often lack detail and are labour-intensive. DSM addresses these limitations by integrating soil data with environmental covariates and classification algorithms. Four hundred forty soil profile data points were collected from various sources and grouped according to the USDA Soil Taxonomy at the soil subgroup level. Utilizing Landsat 8 satellite data and 33 environmental covariates, the decision tree algorithm generated 56 rules to predict soil classes. Key influencing factors identified include agro-climatic zones, physiography, mean annual minimum temperature, the green wavelength region of spectral data, rainfall, and geology. The model was trained on 348 data points and validated on 92 data points, achieving a classification accuracy of 79.35% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.78, indicating high reliability. The study concludes that DSM is a viable alternative to conventional soil mapping methods, primarily using decision tree algorithms. It demonstrates that the accuracy of DSM can be significantly enhanced by incorporating a larger number of soil profile observations and relevant environmental covariates. The expert system approach provides a more detailed and up-to-date understanding of soil distribution, crucial for agricultural planning and natural resource management in the Coimbatore district, Western Tamil Nadu.

Forest productivity response to elevated CO2 infree-air CO2 enrichment experiments: the 23percent solution, revisited.

A synthesis of free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiments describing the response of forest net primary productivity (NPP) to elevated atmospheric CO2 published in 2005 has provided a valuable benchmark for ecosystem models used to address the impact of future atmospheric CO2 levels on forest productivity and the feedback to the atmosphere and climate change. However, that analysis was limited to young, temperate zone tree plantations, and its applicability to other biomes can be questioned. Now, after 20-yr-old, this new analysis includes two sites in much older, mature forests and expanded and updated analyses from the original sites. The original conclusion from 2005 remains valid with only a minor modification. After normalizing to a common CO2 enrichment of 41%, NPP increased 21.8% in elevated CO2 across a wide range of forest productivity. The response declined with increasing mean annual temperature, but did not decline with forest age as expected. The response of wood production (18.2%) was somewhat less than that of NPP, but there was no evidence of a CO2 effect on carbon allocation between long- and short-term carbon pools. This analysis should inform and generate testable hypotheses for new FACE experiments such as the AmazonFACE experiment in a tropical forest.

Quantifying airtightness-to-infiltration conversion: A long-term field study under variable temperature differences in university classrooms.

Quantifying airtightness-to-infiltration conversion: A long-term field study under variable temperature differences in university classrooms.

Trend analysis of rainfall and temperature in Metuge district, northern Mozambique

Climate change poses significant economic, social, political and environmental challenges, with impacts varying depending on the geographical location and adaptive capacity. This study addresses data gaps by analyzing long-term trends in rainfall and temperature in the Metuge district from 1989 to 2022. The Mann–Kendall trend test, a non-parametric method, was used to detect trends, while Sen’s slope estimator quantified the magnitude of these trends. The seasonal analysis differentiated trends between the rainy season (October to March) and the dry season (April to September). The Mann–Kendall test revealed a decrease in overall annual rainfall and dry season rainfall, with a decrease of approximately 34.59 mm and 10.57 mm per decade, respectively. A significant decrease in trend was observed in March and the rainy season rainfall, with a decline of 33.83 mm and 42.75 mm per decade. Annual mean and seasonal minimum temperatures showed a significant trend, especially during the rainy season, with an increase of 0.25 °C per decade. The dry season and mean annual minimum temperatures increased by 0.17 °C and 0.2 °C per decade. The maximum temperature also showed a clear increasing trend, particularly during the dry season. The steady increase in temperature and decrease in rainfall in March and the rainy season highlight the noticeable effects of climate change in the Metuge district. These changes will likely exacerbate agricultural, water resources and public health challenges.

Azov-type spits: long-term monitoring of morphodynamics and vegetation in response to changing environment.

Azov-type spits (ATS) are unique landforms located along the Northern coast of the Sea of Azov (NA) that have no global analogs. They play a vital role in delivering essential ecosystem services and significantly contribute to the economy of southern Ukraine. ATS are highly sensitive and dynamically responsive to environmental changes, including global and local climate changes, rising sea levels, geological shifts in the Ukrainian crystalline shield, internal shifts in the Sea of Azov and various anthropogenic influences. These factors significantly shape the ATS, influencing their capacity to accumulate biogenic material and sediments, thereby impacting vegetation cover, resilience and functioning within their ecological context. Our study on ATS morphodynamics and vegetation changes is based on a 95-year dataset that incorporates retrospective vegetation maps (1927-1929, 1934, 1996-1999), grassland releves (1995-1999) and satellite imagery (1975-2022) using specific standardized indices (NDVI, NDWI, NDMI, Thermal). We employed Earth Remote Sensing (ERS) tools due to the impracticality of field research amid the ongoing military occupation of ATS territories. Climate change vulnerability was assessed by examining surface air temperature and precipitation changes for the periods 1900-2021 and 1991-2021. Meteorological data for NA shows a consistent climate change trend, including rising annual surface temperatures (1.14 ±0.3°C/100 years) and increased annual precipitation (98 ±35 mm/100 years) over the last120 years. Recent decades have witnessed intensified aridization, with up to a 15% drop in precipitation and a 0.8°C per decade temperature increase, accompanied by increased evaporation. Our study reveals the ongoing transformation of ATS and their vegetation, primarily driven by inundation, aggravated by climate change and rising sea levels. ERS tools demonstrated their effectiveness in monitoring environmental changes under challenging circumstances, identifying general trends in the state of plant communities and validating our earlier forecasts for changes in vegetation cover. The increase in the area of halophytic meadow and marsh plant communities occurred alongside a certain decrease in their productivity, while the reduction in sandy-steppe plant community areas was accompanied by an increase in their productivity. The study provides a complex evaluation of the current anthropogenic impacts on the spits and their vegetation.

Evaluating the establishment potential of cabbage stem flea beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and pollen beetle (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) in canola-growing regions of North America using ensemble species distribution models.

Cabbage stem flea beetle, Psylliodes chrysocephala (Linnaeus 1758), and pollen beetle, Brassicogethes viridescens (Fabricius 1787), are pests of oilseed rape [Brassica spp. (Brassicales: Brassicaceae)] crops in Europe and pose a potential threat to canola production in North America. We used species occurrence and environmental data to develop ensemble species distribution models describing P. chrysocephala and B. viridescens habitat suitability, creating risk maps for either species under current (1981-2010; globally) and future [2011-2040 and 2041-2070, across 2 IPCC Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSPs); North America only] environmental conditions. Projections for both species show improvement in northern North American habitat suitability under either SSP over time. Crop dominance was the most important predictor of suitable habitat for both species, followed by mean annual temperature range, precipitation metrics, and elevation (P. chrysocephala only). Risk maps for P. chrysocephala show broad habitat suitability, increasing under future scenarios, for this insect if it becomes introduced to North America; however, a phenological mismatch between P. chrysocephala, which specializes on winter oilseed rape (WOSR) in Europe, and spring oilseed rape (SOSR) would likely inhibit thelong-term persistence of this insectin central North America. For B. viridescens, which impacts SOSR in Europe and is present in northeastern North America, predictive maps show increased risk in discontinuous patches across central North America that improve in suitability over time. While SOSR-cropping systems in central North America are environmentally suitable for both P. chrysocephala and B. viridescens, the establishment potential of these species may depend upon future sowing practices.

Dissimilarity, nestedness, and turnover patterns in vegetation at the edge and in the core of lowland forest habitats

Abstract Human-induced fragmentation has serious consequences on forest species composition. Reduced patch size, increased isolation, and raising human impact along forest patch edges trigger long-term changes in the composition of remaining fragments. Effective management requires understanding how fragmentation influences vegetation composition in different forest habitats. We assessed species composition dissimilarity between plots 10 m from the forest edge and plots in the middle of forest patches in 49 deciduous forest habitats (turkey oak, oak-hornbeam, hardwood floodplain, and alder) in Slovakia. Our study examined the influence of edge on spatial characteristics, life history components of vegetation (alien, forest, red list, and apophytes, i.e. native plant species mostly occurring in secondary habitats, usually man-made), and climatic conditions. This study highlights that spatial community dissimilarity, species turnover, and nestedness vary significantly between forest core and edge areas across different habitat types. Forest habitats react uniquely to fragmentation and are influenced by habitat type, forest edge length within a 1 km buffer, and mean annual temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to suggest appropriate forest management to minimize edges’ length. We recommend maintaining a low perimeter-to-area ratio of forest patches. This can be achieved by managing edges to be straight, avoiding complex shapes, and merging forest islands through afforestation, considering the spatial configuration of patches.

Effects of ultraviolet radiation as a climate variable on the geographic distribution of Oryza sativa under climate change based on Biomod2

IntroductionOryza sativa is one of the most important cereal crops globally.MethodsThe aim of this study was to map areas suitable for the growth and conservation of O. sativa under current and future climatic conditions, and to observe the effects of UV variables on the distribution area of O. sativa.ResultsBased on species distribution records, we used the Biomod2 platform to combine climate data, future shared socioeconomic pathways, and elevation data. The ensemble model (EM) was constructed by screening multiple species distribution models (SDMs), including RF, GBM, ANN, and MARS. The ROC value of the joint model is greater than 0.95, indicating that the model has high reliability and accuracy. Mean annual temperature (bio01), temperature seasonality (bio04), minimum temperature in the coldest month (bio06), mean temperature of coldest quarter (bio11), human footprint and human activity impact index (hfv2geo1) and annual average ultraviolet radiation (uvb1annualmeanuv.b) were the most important environmental variables affecting the suitable distribution area of O. sativa. Under the current climate conditions, the suitable habitats of O. sativa are mainly distributed in the south of the Yangtze River. In the future climate scenario, the total suitable habitat area of O. sativa tended to decrease, but the suitable distribution area under the influence of UV was larger than that without UV.DiscussionClimate change will significantly affect the potential distribution of O. sativa in China and increase its extinction risk. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a reference for the conservation, management, introduction and cultivation of food crops in China.

Latitudinal Variation of Leaf Phosphorus Fractions Provides Physiological Insights Into Plant Phosphorus-Use Strategy at Large Scales.

Three major hypotheses aim to explain latitudinal trends of leaf phosphorus (P) concentration: the Temperature-Plant Physiological Hypothesis (TPH), Soil-Nutrient Hypothesis (SNH) and Evergreen-Deciduous Hypothesis (EDH). However, these hypotheses only address leaf total P, preventing a deeper insight into the underlying physiological mechanisms. We extended these hypotheses to include variations in leaf P fractions with different physiological functions (extended TPH, SNHand EDH, respectively). We analysed latitudinal variation in leaf P fractions and their correlations with mean annual temperature (MAT), soil total P concentration (soil TP), and leaf habit. Leaf total P and P-fraction concentrations increased with increasing latitude in the Northern Hemisphere, with metabolic P increasing most. The concentrations of all leaf P fractions, higher in deciduous than in evergreen plants, increased with decreasing MAT and increasing soil TP. The proportion of metabolic P was higher at low MAT and in deciduous plants, while that of residual P increased with increasing soil TP. MAT had a much stronger influence than other factors on leaf P fractions, especially for their allocation proportions. Our results predominantly supported the extended TPH, but also generally supported the other two hypotheses, highlighting eco-physiological mechanisms underpinning the macroecology of plant P-use strategy.

Perception of camel herders on climate change and variability in relation to camel production in Borana zone, Southern Ethiopia

Camel production is under climatic stress, where it plays a significant role in the livelihood and food security of camel herders in the Borana areas. Camel herders’ perceptions of climate change and variability are essential in response to climatic challenges and maintaining sustainable camel production. The aim of this study was to assess perceptions of camel herders about climate change and variability in relation to camel production in Borana Zone. A total of 260 respondents were selected based on systematic random and purposive sampling targeting camel herders. Over 34 years (from 1990 to 2023) of meteorological data were taken from the Ethiopian National Meteorology Institute. The study showed that 86.92% of the respondents perceived an increase in temperature trends, while 74.23% and 73.08% of them perceived a decrease in the amount and intensity of rainfall, respectively. Among respondents, 67.69%, 86.54%, and 73.38% of the respondents perceived high variability, late onset, and short duration of rainfall in the last three decades, respectively. Similarly, meteorological data confirmed that both mean annual maximum and minimum temperatures increased significantly (P < 0.01). Meteorological data showed 25% and 32%–66% of medium annual and high seasonal rainfall variations, respectively. Respondents observed, besides the high number of cattle deaths, reduced productivity and reproductive performance of camels as causes of recent climate change and variability. Under this climatic stress, respondents preferred the production of camels, followed by goats, and they used different adaptation mechanisms to cope with climate change effects. This findings confirmed respondents perceived the variations of rainfall and increased temperature consistent with meteorological data. Therefore, considering the perception of camel herders, systematic prediction and adaptation of climate change and variability are needed to reduce the impact of climate threats and thereby improve the resilience of camel owners in the study areas.

Distribution and sources of fallout 137Cs and 239+240Pu in equatorial and Southern Hemisphere reference soils

Abstract. Past nuclear weapons testing (NWT) and nuclear power plant (NPP) accidents have resulted in the ubiquitous deposition of radionuclides in the environment. These fallout radionuclides (FRNs) are considered the privileged markers (“golden spikes”) of the Anthropocene stratigraphic layers. Their deposition in the 1950s coincided with the “Great Acceleration”, which is characterized by large-scale shifts in the Earth's systems, including increased land-use change and soil degradation. Among the FRNs deposited globally, 137Cs has been the most commonly used to assess soil erosion and/or the chronology of sediment deposition, while 239+240Pu is an alternative soil erosion tracer and chronological marker that has been increasingly used due to a number of advantages. We compiled 137Cs and 239+240Pu data published from undisturbed (so-called “reference”) soils in the equatorial and Southern Hemisphere regions to build a database within the framework of the AVATAR (A reVised dATing framework for quantifying geomorphological processes during the Anthropocene) project. Using this database, named the AVATAR-Soils Database, we determined the distribution of 137Cs and 239+240Pu inventories in equatorial and Southern Hemisphere soils, along with the relative contributions of different fallout nuclear weapon sources by analyzing their isotopic ratios. Additionally, we demonstrated how the database can be used to identify the environmental factors that influence the distribution of 137Cs and 239+240Pu in reference soils by applying a machine learning algorithm. Our meta-analysis revealed that high 137Cs and 239+240Pu inventories were recorded near the Equator and within the 20–40° S latitudinal bands, which coincide with the location of multiple NWT locations. The 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratios suggest that sources other than the global fallout (primarily from US and USSR weapon testing with a 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratio of ∼ 0.18) contributed to the reference inventories in the Southern Hemisphere. These additional sources have been relatively neglected so far. Based on the 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratios, we have estimated that the French fallout contributed ∼ 20 % to the reference soil 239+240Pu inventories in South America and up to 70 % in French Polynesia. In contrast, the British fallout contributed ∼ 27 % to the reference soil 239+240Pu inventories in the rest of Oceania. Our machine learning algorithm identified the precipitation of the coldest quarter, longitude, and latitude as the strongest predictors of the 137Cs inventory. For the 239+240Pu inventory, the mean diurnal temperature range, the annual temperature range, and the precipitation of the driest quarter were the strongest predictors. Altogether, these findings demonstrate the potential of the AVATAR-Soils Database as a resource for improving our understanding of the distribution and sources of 137Cs and 239+240Pu in equatorial and Southern Hemisphere soils and refining their application as tools in various Earth science research. The AVATAR-Soils Database may be accessed at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14008221 (Dicen et al., 2024).

Temperature thresholds induce abrupt shifts in biodiversity and ecosystem services in montane ecosystems worldwide

Montane ecosystems are crucial for maintaining global biodiversity and function that sustain life on our planet. Yet, these ecosystems are highly vulnerable to changing temperatures and may undergo critical transitions under ongoing climate change. What we do not know is to what extent montane biodiversity and ecosystem services will respond to local temperature variations in a gradual versus abrupt manner across global environments. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted a global synthesis, including 4,462 observations from 290 elevation gradients, to investigate how biodiversity (spanning animals and plants) and ecosystem services (including plant production, soil carbon, and fertility) respond to local temperature variations along elevation gradients. We found that nearly one-third of these gradients exhibited abrupt shifts in multiple biodiversity and ecosystem services in response to local variations in temperature along elevation gradients. More specifically, we showed that once a particular local temperature level (~10 °C for mean annual temperature) was reached, even small increases in temperature resulted in dramatic variations in biodiversity and ecosystem services. We further showed that those abrupt shifts in response to local temperature increases were commonly positive for plant and animal diversity, as well as plant production, while soil carbon and fertility more commonly exhibit negative abrupt trends. Our work, based on the most comprehensive empirical evidence available so far, reveals the pervasive abrupt responses of biodiversity and ecosystem services to local temperature variations in montane ecosystems worldwide, highlighting the highly sensitive nature of montane ecosystems in the context of climate change.

Evaluating the ability of gridded climate datasets to capture temperature and precipitation trends and extremes

Data informs policy and drives decisions. With an increasing number of regulations requiring entities to use local climate data in their planning, it’s more important than ever to understand the strengths and limitations of data we use. While they have been shown to capture long-term statistics on global or regional levels, the ability of gridded climate datasets to capture trends and extreme events is not common knowledge. Four widely used gridded datasets, ERA5, ERA5-Land, MERRA-2, and PRISM, were assessed for their ability to capture extreme heat, extreme cold, and heavy precipitation events, as well as trends in annual maximum and minimum temperatures and total precipitation, over the contiguous US (CONUS). Spatial patterns are evident in each dataset, with the largest differences between observations and the gridded data across the western US for temperature and along the Gulf Coast for heavy precipitation. In general, gridded datasets captured extreme heat better than extreme cold or heavy precipitation, and trends in annual maximum temperature better than trends in annual minimum temperatures and annual total precipitation. All dataset capture extreme heat days comparably, but PRISM generally performed best for extreme cold and the bias-adjusted MERRA-2 dataset generally performed best for heavy precipitation days.

Impacts of urbanisation, climate change and management on groundwater recharge beneath Perth, Western Australia

ABSTRACT Urbanisation has profound effects on environmental water fluxes and storages, which can be further compounded by climate change and management responses. This study shows how climate change influences the type and amount of recharge in urban areas with different housing densities under Perth, Western Australia. We demonstrate that consequent water conservation measures aimed to reduce irrigation may be having unintended negative consequences by increasing urban heating. Groundwater recharge was measured under Perth, Western Australia, in 1980–81 and again in 2017–18, a 38-year climate period which saw annual rainfall fall by 150 mm; months with heavy rain reduce by half; maximum annual temperatures increase by more than 1°C and potential evaporation increase by 15%. The consequent reduction in direct recharge through soils due to climate change was enhanced by regulated reductions in sprinkler irrigation, whilst interception losses via tree canopies increased as rain fell as lighter showers rather than prolonged events. Indirect recharge off roofs and roads, however, was less affected and now dominates recharge to the shallow, unconfined aquifer. The primary management response to falling groundwater levels has been to reduce extraction from the aquifer. We propose an additional viable strategy would be managed aquifer recharge, using either water from main drains that remove groundwater, or secondary-treated wastewater, which is currently pumped to the ocean. Increasing, or at least maintaining, local irrigation could provide multiple positive benefits, including evaporative cooling over large urban areas to help reverse urban heating. Increased urbanisation worldwide generally increases urban runoff and generates urban heat islands. In cities, such as Perth, built over transmissive sand aquifers, however, increasing local recharge can provide valuable non-potable water and help urban cooling. Identifying and installing additional recharge systems, however, is difficult for managers as it requires innovation and additional resourcing compared with purely restricting licensed extraction.

Body-Size Change in a Rodent Is Affected by Environmental Warming and Population-Specific Thermoneutral Zone

Rodent body size often exhibits a diversity of temperature–size patterns among and within species, which might be caused by differential thermoneutral zones (TNZs) and experienced extents of warming. Here, we test this hypothesis in populations of Apodemus agrarius. To study how body size varies across space, we analysed data on body size and temperature (specifically, annual mean minimum temperature) from nine sites spanning 1150 m of elevation. Using indirect calorimetry, we also measured the resting metabolic rate at different temperatures to infer the population-specific TNZ. To study how body size changes over time (2013–2020), we analysed body-size data of southern and northern populations from warm and cold sites, respectively. With increasing temperatures across space, body size increased and the TNZ narrowed. Moreover, during the eight years, temperature remained stable at the warm site but rose at the cold site. As a result, body size increased in the population at the cold site but remained stable in the population at the warm site. Finally, the rate of change in body size per 1 °C change in temperature was larger along the temporal than the spatial temperature gradient. Together, these results support our hypothesis that, among rodent populations, differential changes in body size can be caused by site-specific habitat warming and the population-specific TNZ. A population with a narrow TNZ can be restricted in its body-size response to habitat warming.

Monitoring Plateau Pika and Revealing the Associated Influencing Mechanisms in the Alpine Grasslands Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae, hereafter pika) is a key species in the alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). They are susceptible to the influence of external disturbance and may present great variation, which is important to evaluate their ecological role in alpine grasslands. However, our knowledge regarding their interannual variation and the influencing mechanism is still limited due to the lack of long-term observation of pika density. This study aimed to investigate the spatiotemporal variations in pika and the associated key influencing factors by aerial photographing at 181 sites in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in 2016, 2019, and 2022. Our findings showed that: (1) pika primarily distributed in the central and northeastern Maqu County and the southwestern part of Luqu County, and their average density was in a range of 9.87 ha−1 to 14.43 ha−1 from 2016 to 2022; (2) high pika density were found in 1.22 to 3.61 °C for annual mean temperature, 12.86 to 15.06 °C for diurnal temperature range, 3400 to 3800 m for DEM and less than 3° for slope; and (3) pika density showed varied response to interannual changes in mean diurnal range, annual precipitation and precipitation of the driest month in different years. Our results concluded that pika density showed significant spatiotemporal variations, and climate and terrain variables dominantly affected pika density. Given the great interannual fluctuation of climate variables and different responses of pika density to these variables, our results suggested that long-term monitoring of pika is crucial to reveal their real distribution, response mechanism to habitat environment, and role in alpine grasslands. Moreover, unmanned aerial vehicles are cost-effective tools for the long-term monitoring of pika.

Climate‐Related Psychological Distress: Exploring the Global Nexus of Climate Change and Mental Health

ABSTRACTThis study explores the complex and often overlooked connection between climate change and mental health, specifically examining how this relationship manifests across different income groups (high, middle, and low) from 1990 to 2020. A fixed‐effects model is used to analyze the impact of two key climate change indicators—annual surface temperature changes (TEMP) and greenhouse gas emissions—on a range of mental health outcomes, including mental disorders (MD), anxiety disorders (AD), depressive disorders (DD), bipolar disorder (BD), and schizophrenia (S). The findings reveal a statistically significant association between rising temperatures, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and declining mental health outcomes. While the negative effects of climate change on mental well‐being are observed across all countries, disproportionate impacts between income groups, suggesting that some populations are significantly more vulnerable than others. This study underscores the urgency of implementing comprehensive and equitable measures to mitigate climate change and protect mental health globally.

Sand barriers promote the accumulation of soil nutrients in sandy areas under different ecological conditions: A meta-analysis.

Sand barriers promote the accumulation of soil nutrients in sandy areas under different ecological conditions: A meta-analysis.