Climate Change Research Research Articles

Temporal and spatial variations in the sub-daily precipitation structure over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP)

Precipitation is a vital component of the global atmospheric and hydrological cycles and influencing the distribution of water resources. Even subtle changes in precipitation can significantly impact ecosystems, energy cycles, agricultural production, and food security. Therefore, understanding the changes in the precipitation structure under climate change is essential. The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) is a region sensitive to global climate change and profoundly impacts the atmospheric water cycle in Asia and even globally, rendering it a hot topic in climate change research in recent years. Few studies have examined on the sub-daily scale precipitation structure over the QTP. In this paper, the characteristics of sub-daily precipitation on the QTP were systematically investigated from multiple perspectives, including the concentration index, skewness (the third standardized moment of a distribution), and kurtosis (the fourth standardized moment of a distribution). The results indicated that the frequency of moderate-intensity nighttime precipitation on the QTP generally increased, and the analysis of both the concentration index and kurtosis (skewness) suggested that extreme precipitation was more frequent in the southwestern foothills of the QTP. Furthermore, potential high-risk areas for natural disasters were identified on the QTP, and found that the southeastern part of the plateau constituted a potential hotspot area for flood disasters. Given the complexity of climate change, a comprehensive analysis of the spatiotemporal characteristics of diurnal and nighttime precipitation changes on the QTP could help reveal the regularity of precipitation changes. This has significant implications for forecasting, warning, disaster preparedness, and mitigation efforts on the QTP.

Perspectives on Indigenous well‐being and climate change adaptation

AbstractThough it is often said that climate change is a risk to people's well‐being, the specific ways in which it affects people's well‐being is still poorly understood, especially as it relates to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. Two interrelated issues contribute to this gap in knowledge: (1) the use of different conceptualizations of well‐being across disciplines; and (2) the limited use of local and context‐specific understandings of well‐being that are meaningful to people exposed to climate change. Here, we review 103 articles covering the topic of climate change adaptation and well‐being. We find that, despite the growing interest on the topic, most of the articles do not include definitions of well‐being. We then propose an approach informed by emic values to better understand how climate change may affect well‐being in Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. We conclude that, given the increasing recognition of well‐being as a fundamental marker of successful adaptation, well‐being should be central to climate change research and policymaking, but for this to be of benefit to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities context‐specific understandings of well‐being are necessary.This article is categorized under: Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change > Values‐Based Approach to Vulnerability and Adaptation Climate and Development > Sustainability and Human Well‐Being The Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Sociology/Anthropology of Climate Knowledge

Artificial neuronal networks are revolutionizing entomological research

AbstractThe application of artificial intelligence (AI) in entomological research has gained significant attention in recent years. This review summarizes the current state of research on the potential of AI methods in various subfields of entomology, such as behavioural biology, biodiversity research, climate change research, pest management, and disease vector control. In some cases, AI‐based species identification methods based on deep learning neuronal network models have been shown to outperform traditional morphological identification methods in terms of accuracy and speed. Behavioural biology research has been enhanced through the use of AI‐based tracking systems that can classify insect behaviour and movement patterns. Habitat modelling has also been improved with the use of AI, allowing for the creation of more accurate models that can predict insect distribution and abundance. Climate change and biodiversity research have benefited from AI‐driven tools that can analyse large datasets and predict the impact of environmental changes on insect populations. In agriculture, pest management has been revolutionized by AI methods, with the development of smart traps and monitoring systems that can detect and identify pest species in real‐time, enabling targeted control measures. Disease vector control has also been improved through the use of AI‐based predictive models, which can identify areas at risk of disease transmission and aid in the development of effective control strategies. In conclusion, AI methods have the potential to revolutionize many aspects of entomological research. Future research should focus on developing more sophisticated AI tools and integrating them into entomological research to address even more complex ecological questions.

Experiences of Veterans, Caregivers, and VA Home-Based Care Providers before, during, and Post-Hurricane Ian.

On 28 September 2022, Hurricane Ian pummeled parts of south Florida. Disaster and climate change research has shown that disasters exacerbate inequalities, especially amongst older and physically vulnerable people. Florida has a large population of Veterans managing multiple chronic health conditions and receiving long-term care in-home from Veterans Health Administration (VA) programs, including Home Based Primary Care and Medical Foster Home. To describe how VA staff provided high quality care during and after the hurricane, and how Veterans and caregivers accessed needed healthcare and supports post-hurricane, we conducted a site visit to Lee County, Florida area in May 2023, conducting N = 25 interviews with VA staff, Veterans, and caregivers. Findings from qualitative thematic analysis showed that while some Veterans and caregivers experienced significant challenges during and after the hurricane, including displacement and difficulty accessing oxygen, they felt highly supported by VA care teams. Staff efforts post-hurricane focused on improving care coordination in anticipation of future disasters, especially around communicating with Veterans and their caregivers, and a VA workgroup formed to implement changes. As climate change causes more severe hazard events, lessons learned from this project can better support healthcare staff, older adults, and their caregivers before and after major disasters.

Civil Disobedience by Environmental Scientists: An Experimental Study of its Influence on the Impact and Credibility of Climate Change Research*

ABSTRACT We experimentally tested whether information from environmental scientists regarding the consequences of global warming would be taken more seriously if they had engaged in civil disobedience, as opposed to non-disruptive forms of advocacy on behalf of climate action. Supporting this proposition, we found that after reading an article describing the effects of climate change-driven “wind stilling,” our college student participants inferred that there was a greater risk to human welfare from this phenomenon when the information was provided by a scientist who had been involved in disruptive activism. The perception that the scientist had participated in civil disobedience did not undermine the credibility of their research findings. However, the heightened sense of climate risk engendered by these communications did not reliably translate into stronger personal intentions to help reduce the impact of global warming. These findings stand to inform the debate regarding the appropriate role of scientists in securing a sustainable environment.

Gender and Climate Change: The Role of Women in Climate Change Processes

Gender and climate change research has revealed that the causes and effects of climate change differ by gender. Women are affected differently by climate change impacts, and this calls for their participation at the decision-making table in climate change discourse processes. Despite their vulnerable position in society, women are seen as change agents in natural resource management, farming, innovation, and caregiving. As a result, in economies which are heavily natural resource reliant, women are critical for establishing resilient systems and ensuring climate change adaptation. In this review, we hypothesize by answering the question, "What roles do women play in the climate change adaptation and mitigation processes?” We uncover evidence to support the hypothesis that women act as climate change negotiators, clean technology ambassadors, climate-smart agriculture ambassadors, and climate change activists in the climate change processes using a systematic review system meta-analysis inspired by PRISMA and the Publish or Perish review tool as a form of qualitative analysis. We used over 40 pieces of literature to foster the evidence of the study.

Exposure to Wildfires Exposures and Mental Health Problems among Firefighters: A Systematic Review

Firefighters are severely impacted by climate events, yet they are an underexamined population with regard to climate change research. This systematic review aims to synthesize the existing literature on the psychological effects of wildfire events on firefighters and to discuss some of the major gaps in disaster research relating to first responders and their mental health. A thorough search of the existing literature through June 2023 on the topic of wildfires and first responder psychological health was conducted through the databases PubMed, PsychINFO, and Embase. This search yielded 13 final studies which met the exclusion and inclusion criteria for this review. The final studies consisted of populations that responded to wildfire events from four different countries (two from Israel, one from Canada, two from Greece, and eight from Australia). The data gathered by this review suggest that firefighters may experience many environmental and occupational exposures during wildfire suppression, which are linked to an increased risk of PTSD and other psychological symptoms even months after the event. This review brings to light the need for further research of the compounded effect of the environmental and psychological exposures of first responders and the potential psychological effects of those exposures.

Methylomonadaceae was the active and dominant methanotroph in Tibet lake sediments.

Methane (CH4), an important greenhouse gas, significantly impacts the local and global climate. Our study focused on the composition and activity of methanotrophs residing in the lakes on the Tibetan Plateau, a hotspot for climate change research. Based on the field survey, the family Methylomonadaceae had a much higher relative abundance in freshwater lakes than in brackish and saline lakes, accounting for ~92% of total aerobic methanotrophs. Using the microcosm sediment incubation with 13CH4 followed by high throughput sequencing and metagenomic analysis, we further demonstrated that the family Methylomonadaceae was actively oxidizing CH4. Moreover, various methylotrophs, such as the genera Methylotenera and Methylophilus, were detected in the 13C-labeled DNAs, which suggested their participation in CH4-carbon sequential assimilation. The presence of CH4 metabolism, such as the tetrahydromethanopterin and the ribulose monophosphate pathways, was identified in the metagenome-assembled genomes of the family Methylomonadaceae. Furthermore, they had the potential to adapt to oxygen-deficient conditions and utilize multiple electron acceptors, such as metal oxides (Fe3+), nitrate, and nitrite, for survival in the Tibet lakes. Our findings highlighted the predominance of Methylomonadaceae and the associated microbes as active CH4 consumers, potentially regulating the CH4 emissions in the Tibet freshwater lakes. These insights contributed to understanding the plateau carbon cycle and emphasized the significance of methanotrophs in mitigating climate change.

The spatial variation of hydrological conditions and their impact on wetland vegetation in connected floodplain wetlands: Dongting Lake Basin.

Wetland vegetation plays a crucial role in wetland conservation policy formulation and global climate change research. This study analyzed remotely sensed images of West Dongting Lake (DTL) Wetland from 1994 to 2020. This wetland is one of the most important wetlands in the world. At the pixel scale, we applied the histogram comparison approach, the range variability analysis (RVA) method, and the structural equation model (SEM) to quantify spatial changes in the hydrological conditions of wetland lakes and the ecological effects of environmental factors (precipitation, temperature, nutrients, water coverage) on vegetation. We propose a climate (C) - hydrological status (S) - vegetation response (R) (CSR) framework to elucidate the propagation relationships between climate, hydrology, and wetland vegetation conditions. The study found that the hydrological degradation promotes the succession of vegetation into the lake, and the distribution is concentrated in the northern Yangtze River inflow area. And the extent of hydrological changes in the West DTL region reached 34.5% during the flood period. In addition, the post-dam period showed a high degree of hydro-ecological failure, accounting for 65% of the total. Within the wetland area, there was a significant negative correlation between water coverage nutrient levels and bare vegetation within the lake area. Nutrient levels were also significantly negatively correlated with wetland vegetation conditions. Rainfall and temperature influence wetland vegetation by affecting the condition of the water body. This research provides valuable insights into managing wetland water resources and ecological restoration under the influence of climate change and human activities and provides a basis for decision-making.

A bibliometric analysis of deep learning applications in climate change research using CiteSpace

<p>In recent years, artificial intelligence, particularly deep learning, has garnered significant attention among practitioners and scholars in meteorology and atmospheric sciences, leading to a substantial body of literature. This study aims to delineate the present research status and trends in climate innovation through CiteSpace visual analysis. To comprehend the current landscape, prevalent terms, and research frontiers of deep learning for climate change research (DLCCR) within meteorology and atmospheric applications, we gathered 256 published papers spanning from 2018 to 2022 from the Web of Science (WOS) core database. Employing these articles, we conducted co-authorship, co-citation, and keyword co-occurrence analyses. The findings unveiled a steady rise in DLCCR publications over the last five years. However, the correlation between high yield and high-citation authorship appears inconsistent and weak. Notably, prolific authors in this domain included Zhang Z.L. and Bonnet P. Furthermore, leading institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences (China), le Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (France), and Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (China) have played pivotal roles in advancing DLCCR. The primary contributors among high-yield countries primarily cluster in a select group comprising China, the USA, South Korea, and Germany. Identifying significant information gaps in numerical weather, atmospheric physics and processes, algorithm parametrizations, and extreme events, our study underscores the necessity for future researchers to focus on these and related subjects. This study provides valuable insights into research hotspots, developmental trajectories, and emerging frontiers, thereby delineating the knowledge structure in this field and highlighting directions for further climate innovation research.</p>

Spatiotemporal characteristics of vegetation cover change in the Central Yunnan urban agglomeration from 2000 to 2020 based on Landsat data and its driving factors

The study of dynamic changes in vegetation coverage has significant implications for urban clusters in terms of ecological environment protection, climate change research, water resource management and urban planning. A thorough understanding of the driving mechanisms behind vegetation coverage helps provide scientific basis and policy recommendations for the ecological environment protection, sustainable development and decision-making of urban clusters. Taking the central Yunnan urban cluster as an example, this study utilizes long-term Landsat remote sensing image data from 2000 to 2020 on the Google Earth Engine platform. The fractional vegetation cover (FVC) is estimated using a pixel-based binary model. The Sen’s slope, Mann–Kendall trend analysis and Hurst index methods are employed to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamic characteristics of FVC. The impacts of climate change and human activities on vegetation coverage are explored through partial correlation analysis and residual analysis. Finally, considering natural factors such as topography and climate, as well as socioeconomic factors, the geographic detector is used to quantitatively analyze the driving factors behind FVC changes. The results indicate that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the FVC in the central Yunnan urban cluster changed significantly, showing an overall improvement trend. The average FVC is 0.496 with a growth rate of 0.0024 per year, and it exhibits a distribution pattern of higher values in the west and lower values in the east. (2) In terms of percentage distribution, areas with low FVC and high FVC account for a relatively high proportion. The trend of FVC changes is as follows: improvement (49.6%) > degradation (26.4%) > no change (24%). The average Hurst value is 0.45, indicating that future FVC changes in the study area will be opposite to the past. (3) FVC shows a positive correlation with precipitation and a negative correlation with temperature. Human activities have a positive impact on FVC in the study area, accounting for 55.1% of the regional proportion. (4) Slope and nighttime light contribute the most to FVC. The explanatory power of the interaction between slope and precipitation/temperature is the most significant.

Climate Change and Rural Development: A Bibliometric Review

This study addresses the gaps in the current literature by reviewing the intellectual structure and research trends on climate change and rural development. This research aims to identify contributed authors, journals, countries, articles, and key topics in these research areas. We used a bibliometric approach to analyse the performance of the literature and knowledge structure of the issues from 492 articles from 1996 to 2023 indexed by the Web of Science. Our findings reveal that Land Use Policy is the leading journal of publications and citations, reflecting its prominent role in disseminating research on climate change and rural development. Silva emerges as an influential author, contributing significantly to the discourse. Geographically, the United States leads in research output, highlighting its strong focus on addressing rural development challenges in the context of climate change. Using co-occurrence analysis, we reveal several terms in climate change and rural development research, including energy, vulnerability, biodiversity, and biomass. This study systematically reviews these issues and contributes to climate change and rural development.

A new hyperspectral index of biological crust in remote sensing

Biological crusts (BC) are an organic complex, composed of bacteria, cyanobacteria, diatoms, green algae, tiny fungi, ground jackets, and moss plants, as well as other related organisms. BC is distributed about 40% in arid areas, which is one of the important surface landscapes in the intertwined area between oasis and desert. The relationship between BC and drought is close, which can be used to monitor desertification and water resources in remote sensing. However, the current monitoring of BC uses a simple BC index composed of multi-spectrum to extract its area distribution in remote sensing, which makes it difficult to accurately detect its area. This study considers the characteristic bands in the hyper-spectrum cure and designs a hyperspectral index of BS, i.e., HBCI. The HBCI is used, and we successfully estimated the area of biological soil crusts (Kappa=0.86) in the PRISMA image. This finding has help for the regional climate change research.

Climate Change Psychological Distress: An Underdiagnosed Cause of Mental Health Disturbances.

The majority of climate change research and policy centers around the physical health effects of planetary degradation. The mental health impacts of climate change are just now starting to be elucidated and discussed more commonly among mental health providers and policymakers. There is a huge area of opportunity in primary care to discuss and address climate anxiety in patients, many of whom may not be forthcoming in discussing how climate anxiety is contributing to their mental health.

A planetary health perspective on the translation of climate change research into public health policy and practice: A scoping review protocol.

Climate Change (CC) emanating from anthropocentric human activities is a great threat to the quality of human life and well-being worldwide. The translation of CC research evidence can play a critical role in promoting the formulation of climate-sensitive policies to equip public health systems for CC-associated disaster preparedness, response, and management. This scoping review seeks to explore knowledge translation approaches for promoting, the uptake, and use of CC research evidence in public health policy and practice. This scoping review will be conducted according to the guidelines of Arksey and O'Malley. A search strategy will be developed for published articles in PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus databases and for grey literature in the World Health Organization, Planetary Health Alliance, and the University of the Western Cape repositories. The proposed scoping review will gather existing evidence on the relationship between knowledge translation, CC research, and public health decision-making. This will provide insights into research and practice gaps, and recommendations will be made to ensure effective knowledge translation for CC related decision-making.

Reprint: Acclimatization and Adaptive Capacity of Marine Species in a Changing Ocean.

To persist in an ocean changing in temperature, pH and other stressors related to climate change, many marine species will likely need to acclimatize or adapt to avoid extinction. If marine populations possess adequate genetic variation in tolerance to climate change stressors, species might be able to adapt to environmental change. Marine climate change research is moving away from single life stage studies where individuals are directly placed into projected scenarios ('future shock' approach), to focus on the adaptive potential of populations in an ocean that will gradually change over coming decades. This review summarizes studies that consider the adaptive potential of marine invertebrates to climate change stressors and the methods that have been applied to this research, including quantitative genetics, laboratory selection studies and trans- and multigenerational experiments. Phenotypic plasticity is likely to contribute to population persistence providing time for genetic adaptation to occur. Transgenerational and epigenetic effects indicate that the environmental and physiological history of the parents can affect offspring performance. There is a need for long-term, multigenerational experiments to determine the influence of phenotypic plasticity, genetic variation and transgenerational effects on species' capacity to persist in a changing ocean. However, multigenerational studies are only practicable for short generation species. Consideration of multiple morphological and physiological traits, including changes in molecular processes (eg, DNA methylation) and long-term studies that facilitate acclimatization will be essential in making informed predictions of how the seascape and marine communities will be altered by climate change.

Exploring global dynamics of sustainable environmental sciences in climate change mitigation for sustainable development

Sustainable Environmental Sciences (SES) and climate change have emerged as relatively new subjects in sustainability that have garnered increasing attention from academics in recent years. This study aims to delve deeper into the implications of SES in climate change mitigation to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A systematic review method combined with bibliometric analysis was employed to comprehensively uncover the evolution of scientific studies. Data utilized encompassed publications from 2019 to 2023 sourced from three databases: Dimensions, Lens, and Scopus. Findings reveal a significant increase in research on SES over the past five years. The most prolific authors in SES research were identified as Horton, R.C. in the Dimensions database, Ciais, P. in the Lens database, and Meena, R.S. in the Scopus database. The United States and China emerged as the countries with the highest contributions to SES research. The most significant contributions from SES and Climate Change research to SDGs in the past five years were observed in SDG-13, SDG-7, and SDG-15 indicators. This study highlights the emerging domain of SES and its crucial involvement in mitigating climate change, emphasizing its essential role in advancing SDGs.

Model of interaction between different populations of organisms for the conservation of biodiversity

This paper presents land management strategies and adaptation measures aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change and conserving biodiversity. Proposed measures include the development of efficient farming methods, such as drip irrigation and optimizing the use of water resources, which helps reduce soil degradation and reduce water consumption. In addition, measures to protect and restore ecosystems are being considered, including planting trees, creating nature reserves and protected areas, and controlling pollution and deforestation. It also emphasizes the need to develop and implement strategies for the sustainable use of natural resources, such as solar and wind energy, to reduce pressure on ecosystems and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Particular attention is paid to educational campaigns and information activities to increase public awareness of climate change and its impact on ecosystems, thereby promoting public involvement in decision-making and promoting sustainable behavior at home and community levels. In this work, the Lotka-Volterra model was used to simulate the impact of climate change on populations of plants and insect parasites in the dry regions of Uzbekistan. The model presented in this work allows us to predict changes in populations in response to climatic factors and develop adaptation strategies for the conservation of biodiversity. The work highlights the importance of scientific and innovative initiatives in the field of climate change research and sustainable development, which will create infrastructure for sustainable development and the implementation of environmentally sustainable technologies.

Evolution of Global Climate Change Related Research: Bibliometric Analysis

The burgeoning interest in addressing climate change has catalyzed a significant increase in related research, necessitating a comprehensive review to understand the evolution of the field, emergent research areas, and geographical contributions. By employing a bibliometric methodology to analyze a wide array of scientific publications, this study aims to map out the dynamics of global research on climate change, focusing on publication growth, international collaborations, thematic trends, and citation impact. Our findings reveal not only a substantial rise in the volume of research and international collaborations, reflecting the global consensus on climate change challenges, but also a diversification of topics, indicating a shift towards more integrative and interdisciplinary approaches. The citation analysis further highlights the growing influence and importance of climate change research in scientific discourse and policy-making. Overall, this work underscores the dynamic evolution of climate change research, offering valuable insights into its progress, changing priorities, and the future challenges and opportunities, thereby contributing to a deeper understanding of the scientific landscape and informing future studies and policy development.

Alpha-amylase Inhibition of Carpobrotus edulis (L.) Bolus Exposed to Low and High-Temperature Conditions

Carpobrotus edulis is an edible medicinal plant from South Africa and is used for the treatment of different ailments and disorders, including diabetes mellitus. Diabetes is a persistent metabolic condition distinguished by high levels of glucose concentrations in the bloodstream. Due to climate change-related conditions, plants may be subjected to extreme temperature events such as cold fronts and heat waves. Hence the aim of the study was to expose Carpobrotus edulis leaves to temperature conditions and then assesses their antidiabetic activity against alpha-amylase in different solvents. The objective was to keep plants in growth chambers set at either 15/10oC and 45/35oC (day and night), respectively, and harvested at 48-hour intervals (48, 96, and 144). These were compared to plant samples in control conditions (25/15oC). Under control (25/15°C) conditions, the aqueous extract displayed effective inhibition of alpha-amylase (IC50 = 195mg/ml). In contrast to the control extracts, the hexane solvent consistently exhibited the highest inhibitory activity against alpha-amylase under both low (15/10°C) and high (45/35°C) temperature conditions. This trend was observed across all three harvest durations. After 48 hours of high-temperature conditions, the IC50 value was 131mg/ml. While after 96 and 144 hours of low-temperature conditions, the IC50 values were 214mg/ml and 131mg/ml, respectively. The results suggest that Carpobrotus edulis, exposed to low and high temperature conditions, has potential antidiabetic properties against alpha-amylase. This is an interesting aspect of how environmental conditions can impact medicinal properties. The outcome may have significant implications for the use of the plant by indigenous people, who depend on it for the treatment of various ailments, including diabetes. It will also have implications for the antidiabetic research of the plant as well as climate change research.