Effects Of Heat Waves Research Articles

Changes in urban heat island intensity during heatwaves in China

With rising occurrence of heatwaves and ongoing urban expansion, urban residents are facing severer heat-related stress under the combined effects of urban heat island (UHI) and heatwaves. Controversial results, however, have been reported regarding whether the UHI is exacerbated during heatwaves. In this study, we used fused ground and satellite daily maximum air temperature data to evaluate the variation of UHI intensities under heatwaves across 225 major cities in mainland China during 2003–2020. Overall, urban areas showed an enhanced UHI intensity of up to 0.94 °C during heatwaves, nearly double compared to normal periods. The interaction between UHIs and heatwaves was sensitive to local background precipitation. Under the similar urbanization and vegetation greenness, the amplified warming in urban areas during heatwaves was more pronounced in wet climates. In megapolitan regions characterized by continuous urban development, the UHI intensified much stronger during heatwaves due to the heat accumulation within urbanized areas and the advection of heat from neighboring cities. Our results contribute to understanding the interactions between UHIs and heatwaves which may strongly increase heat risk in cities. Further work on the variations of this interaction under future warming and consequent impacts on human health and energy use is needed.

Drivers of associations between daytime-nighttime compound temperature extremes and mortality in China

BackgroundTemperature extremes are anticipated to become more frequent and more intense under the context of climate change. While current evidence on health effects of compound extreme temperature event is scarce.MethodsThis nationwide cross-sectional study collected daily data on weather and mortality for 161 Chinese districts/counties during 2007-2013. A quasi-Poisson generalized linear model was first applied to assess effects of daytime-only, nighttime-only and compound daytime-nighttime heat wave (and cold spell) on cause-specific mortality. Then a random-effect meta-analysis was used to produce pooled estimates at national level. Stratification analyses were performed by relative humidity, individual and regional characteristics.ResultsHere we show that mortality risks of compound daytime-nighttime temperature extremes are much higher than those occurring only in the daytime or nighttime. Humid weather further exaggerates the mortality risk during heat waves, while dry air enhances the risk during cold weather. People who are elderly, illiterate, and those with ischemic heart disease and respiratory disease are particularly vulnerable to extreme temperature. At the community-level, population size, urbanization rate, proportion of elderly and PM2.5 are positively associated with increased risks associated with heat waves. Temperature, humidity and normalized difference vegetation index are positively associated with the effects of cold weather, with an opposite trend for latitude and diurnal temperature range.ConclusionsThis nationwide study highlights the importance of incorporating compound daytime-nighttime extreme temperature events and humid conditions into early warning systems and urban design/planning.

Feeding on stressed algae exerts important effects on life history traits of Daphnia magna in a multi-stressor environment

Freshwater ecosystems are increasingly exposed to anthropogenic eutrophication, including high nitrogen. In addition, climate change is leading to more intense and frequent heatwaves, which have enormous impacts on all trophic levels of the ecosystem. Any change in the lower trophic levels, e.g., the phytoplankton, also introduces stress to higher trophic levels e.g., the zooplankton crustacean Daphnia. Individual effects of heatwaves, high nitrate, and changing feed quality have been studied in daphnia, but less is known about their interactive effects. This study used a 3 × 3 × 2 factorial design in which daphnia were exposed to combinations of ecologically relevant nitrate concentrations (0, 50, or 200 mg/L) and different heatwave scenarios (no, short-moderate, or long-intense) in which individuals were either fed with microalgae (P. subcapitata and C. reinhardtii) grown at 20 °C and 50 mg/L nitrate (control feed) or the same conditions as daphnia was exposed to (experimental feed). Throughout the experiment, the interactive effects of high nitrate, heatwave, and feed on mortality, maturation, offspring, and body size were evaluated. In general, heatwaves shorten the lifespan of daphnia. Exposing daphnia to a long-intense heatwave combined with high nitrate resulted in poor performance. In the nitrate-limited condition, however, the restricted proliferation of microalgae reduced feed availability, which also had a major impact on daphnia's life history traits. Daphnia cultured in high nitrate and fed control feed performed better than when fed experimental feed, suggesting that in a high nitrate condition, the microalgae grown under the same experimental conditions was either unable to meet energy requirements or introduced extra stress for the daphnia. Most importantly, the effect of nitrate and heatwave as stressors on the availability and quality of the feed had a greater impact on daphnia than its direct impact. Interestingly, a transgenerational adaptation to nitrate was observed which may help to maintain ecological balance in the long run.

Effect of Marine Heat Waves for Coral Bleaching in Lombok Waters

Abstract Coral reefs are fragile and endangered ecosystems in the tropical marine and coastal environment. Thermal stress induced by marine heatwaves (MHWs) can significantly harm coral health, leading to bleaching of the coral ecosystem. This study aims to quantify coral bleaching intensity in the Lombok region over recent decades, by analyzing MHWs intensity data derived from satellite-measured SST. In 1998, the coral reef area reached its peak with 36,550.71 ha. There was a sharp decline in 1999, reaching the lowest point at 4,865.76 ha. A significant increase was observed until a new peak in 2018 with 23,120.19 ha. The Western region experienced a significant increase from 1998 to 2018, followed by a decline. The Eastern Region showed significant fluctuations but generally trended upwards until 2018, followed by a sharp decline in 2019-2022. The Southern Region also experienced fluctuations, with an increase until 2018, followed by a significant decrease until 2022. The Northern Region showed a stable trend until 2016, then experienced a significant decline in 2017, and increased again in 2018. However, in subsequent years, the coral reef area in the Northern region remained relatively stable. Factors such as changes in sea surface temperature, human activities (e.g., overfishing or pollution), and climate change may have contributed to these fluctuations in the coral reef area on Lombok Island.

Assessing the levels of soil water availability that minimize the damage of heatwaves to potted grapevines

The adverse effects of heatwaves on viticulture could be, at least partly, mitigated by generous soil water availability. As climate change will also likely reduce irrigation water, knowing to which extent soil water availability could be decreased under the heatwaves without compromising plant performances would be important. In this pot experiment, we differentiated soil water availability by compensating 100% (T100), 70% (T70), 40% (T40) and 10% (T10) of vine transpiration. Grapevines (cv. Sauvignon) were then subjected to a 11-day heatwave (Tmax 40 °C) and to a post-heat stress recovery phase. Soil water potential between -0.05 to -0.2 MPa, respectively, in T100 and T70 enabled the plants to maintain high net CO2 assimilation (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), and leaf transpiration (Eleaf) which kept the leaf temperature (Tleaf) below the ambient temperature and promoted the plant growth. During the heatwave, T100 and T70 vines decreased their photochemical yield and dissipated the excess energy via regulated non-photochemical heat dissipation, and resumed their photochemical activities upon removing the heat stress. Further reduction in soil water potential to -0.4 and and -1.2 MPa in T40 and T10, respectively, decreased Pn and gs and restrained Eleaf, causing a significant increase in Tleaf during the heatwave, and limited the plant recovery after the heat stress. Nonetheless, the maximum efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) showed quite high resistance to heat stress in all treatments. These findings suggest that decreasing soil water availability to reach soil water potential levels close to -0.2 MPa implies higher efficiency in using water resources during a heat wave without limiting plant growth.

On adjustment for temperature in heatwave epidemiology: a new method and toward clarification of methods to estimate health effects of heatwaves.

Defining the effect of exposure of interest and selecting an appropriate estimation method are prerequisite for causal inference. Understanding the ways in which association between heatwaves (i.e., consecutive days of extreme high temperature) and an outcome depends on whether adjustment was made for temperature and how such adjustment was conducted, is limited. This paper aims to investigate this dependency, demonstrate that temperature is a confounder in heatwave-outcome associations, and introduce a new modeling approach to estimate a new heatwave-outcome relation: E[R(Y)|HW=1, Z]/E[R(Y)|T=OT, Z], where HW is a daily binary variable to indicate the presence of a heatwave; R(Y) is the risk of an outcome, Y; T is a temperature variable; OT is optimal temperature; and Z is a set of confounders including typical confounders but also some types of T as a confounder. We recommend characterization of heatwave-outcome relations and careful selection of modeling approaches to understand the impacts of heatwaves under climate change. We demonstrate our approach using real-world data for Seoul, which suggests that the total effect of heatwaves may be larger than what may be inferred from the extant literature. An R package, HEAT (Heatwave effect Estimation via Adjustment for Temperature), was developed and made publicly available.

Effect of heatwaves on daily hospital admissions in Portugal, 2000–18: an observational study

Climate change has increased the frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwaves, posing a serious threat to public health. Although the link between high temperatures and premature mortality has been extensively studied, the comprehensive quantification of heatwave effects on morbidity remains underexplored. In this observational study, we assessed the relationship between heatwaves and daily hospital admissions at a county level in Portugal. We considered all major diagnostic categories and age groups (<18 years, 18-64 years, and ≥65 years), over a 19-year period from 2000 to 2018, during the extended summer season, defined as May 1, to Sept 30. We did a comprehensive geospatial analysis, integrating over 12 million hospital admission records with heatwave events indexed by the Excess Heat Factor (EHF), covering all 278 mainland counties. We obtained data from the Hospital Morbidity Database and E-OBS daily gridded meteorological data for Europe from 1950 to present derived from in-situ observations. To estimate the effect of heatwaves on hospital admissions, we applied negative binomial regression models at both national and county levels. We found a statistically significant overall increase in daily hospital admissions during heatwave days (incidence rate ratio 1·189 [95% CI 1·179-1·198]; p<0·0001). All age groups were affected, with children younger than 18 years being the most affected (21·7% [20·6-22·7] increase in admissions; p<0·0001), followed by the working-age (19·7% [18·7-20·7]; p<0·0001) and elderly individuals (17·2% [16·2-18·2]; p<0·0001). All 25 major disease diagnostic categories showed significant increases in hospital admissions, particularly burns (34·3% [28·7-40·1]; p<0·0001), multiple significant trauma (26·8% [22·2-31·6]; p<0·0001), and infectious and parasitic diseases (25·4% [23·5-27·3]; p<0·0001). We also found notable increases in endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases (25·1% [23·4-26·8]; p<0·0001), mental diseases and disorders (23·0% [21·1-24·8]; p<0·0001), respiratory diseases (22·4% [21·2-23·6]; p<0·0001), and circulatory system disorders (15·8% [14·7-16·9]; p<0·0001). Our results provide statistically significant evidence of the association between heatwaves and increased hospitalisations across all age groups and for all major causes of disease. To our knowledge, this is the first study to estimate the full extent of heatwaves' impact on hospitalisations using the EHF index over a 19-year period, encompassing an entire country, and spanning 25 disease categories during multiple heatwave events. Our data offer crucial information to guide policy makers in effectively and efficiently allocating resources to address the profound health-care consequences resulting from climate change. None.

Heat Exposure and Cause-Specific Hospital Admissions in Spain: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

More frequent and intense exposure to extreme heat conditions poses a serious threat to public health. However, evidence on the association between heat and specific diagnoses of morbidity is still limited. We aimed to comprehensively assess the short-term association between cause-specific hospital admissions and high temperature, including the added effect of temperature variability and heat waves and the effect modification by humidity and air pollution. We used data on cause-specific hospital admissions, weather (i.e., temperature and relative humidity), and air pollution [i.e., fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter (), fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter (), , and ozone ()] for 48 provinces in mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2019. The statistical analysis was performed for the summer season (June-September) and consisted of two steps. We first applied quasi-Poisson generalized linear regression models in combination with distributed lag nonlinear models (DLNM) to estimate province-specific temperature-morbidity associations, which were then pooled through multilevel univariate/multivariate random-effect meta-analysis. High temperature had a generalized impact on cause-specific hospitalizations, while the added effect of temperature variability [i.e., diurnal temperature range (DTR)] and heat waves was limited to a reduced number of diagnoses. The strongest impact of heat was observed for metabolic disorders and obesity [relative risk (RR) = 1.978; 95% empirical confidence interval (eCI): 1.772, 2.208], followed by renal failure (1.777; 95% eCI: 1.629, 1.939), urinary tract infection (1.746; 95% eCI: 1.578, 1.933), sepsis (1.543; 95% eCI: 1.387, 1.718), urolithiasis (1.490; 95% eCI: 1.338, 1.658), and poisoning by drugs and nonmedicinal substances (1.470; 95% eCI: 1.298, 1.665). We also found differences by sex (depending on the diagnosis of hospitalization) and age (very young children and the elderly were more at risk). Humidity played a role in the association of heat with hospitalizations from acute bronchitis and bronchiolitis and diseases of the muscular system and connective tissue, which were higher in dry days. Moreover, heat-related effects were exacerbated on high pollution days for metabolic disorders and obesity () and diabetes (, ). Short-term exposure to heat was found to be associated with new diagnoses (e.g., metabolic diseases and obesity, blood diseases, acute bronchitis and bronchiolitis, muscular and connective tissue diseases, poisoning by drugs and nonmedicinal substances, complications of surgical and medical care, and symptoms, signs, and ill-defined conditions) and previously identified diagnoses of hospital admissions. The characterization of the vulnerability to heat can help improve clinical and public health practices to reduce the health risks posed by a warming planet. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13254.

Examining public perceptions and concerns about the impact of heatwaves on health outcomes using Twitter data

BackgroundHeat is becoming a global public health concern. This paper presents a comprehensive Twitter data analysis (2011–2023) to gain insights into public perceptions of heatwaves and their health-related concerns. MethodsA number (N = 2,070,197) of filtered tweets were included for analysis after preprocessing. Utilizing the Extractor of Demographic Characteristics (EDC) module, we extracted demographic attributes, including user type, gender, and age, highlighting the diverse voices in the Twitter conversation. Sentiment and emotional analyses were conducted utilizing BERT models. An active learning content analysis approach was employed using the GPT-3 model to identify health outcomes and concerns related to heat waves. ResultsOur results show that joy and anger were the dominant emotions, reflecting positive and negative sentiments surrounding heat waves. Public sentiment varied, revealing concern and optimism in response to changing weather patterns.In terms of health outcomes, the paper categorizes and analyzes a wide range of concerns during heat waves, from heat-related illnesses to mental health issues. These findings provide valuable insights into how different health concerns are distributed across gender, user type, and age categories. An overview of the measures people took to control these issues was also given. ConclusionsThis study illustrates the evolving dynamics of public emotional responses to heat waves, offering a holistic view of the various health-related concerns raised by the public during these extreme weather events. Such insights are essential for informing public health strategies and emergency responses to mitigate the adverse effects of heat waves and protect vulnerable populations.

Overhead spray water treatment as a mitigation strategy to alleviate vine stress and safeguard grape quality during heatwaves

Changes in climate are influencing the quality of wine grapes worldwide. The impact of extreme climate events over short periods is increasingly recognised as a serious risk to grape quality and yield quantity. In this study, the mitigation effects of a pulsed water spray treatment on vine canopy during heatwave (HW) events were evaluated in relation to vine condition during the growing season and grape quality. In the UNCuyo experimental vineyard, vines of the three cultivars Malbec (ML), Bonarda (BO) and Syrah (SY) were treated with an overhead pulsed water spray. Heatwaves were defined as days with a minimum temperature of 21 °C and a maximum temperature of 35 °C. Two heat waves were identified during the growing season. Samples were collected at weekly intervals from veraison to harvest. On five sample dates, Leaf and Stem Water Potential (LWP, SWP), Stomatal Conductance (gs), Leaf Temperature (LT), Berry Temperature (BT), Chlorophyll Content (CC), Fluorescence (Fv/Fm) and Performance Index (PI) were recorded at several time points during the day to evaluate the physiological responses of the vine. Berries were collected on each sample date and at harvest. Berry weight, soluble solid content and pH were recorded. In the treated vines (Trt), LWP, SWP, Fv/Fm, PI and gs were significantly higher and LT was lower than in the control vines (Ctl) during the second heatwave, which was longer and more intense than the first one. One week after the more severe heatwave, LWP, SWP and gs remained significantly higher in Trt than in Ctl, displaying reduced physiological stress in Trt. At harvest, the anthocyanin profile, total polyphenol index (TPI), fruit yield, number of bunches and their average weight, berry weight, soluble solid content and pH were also recorded. Bunch weight was significantly higher in Trt for all cultivars. No differences were found in total anthocyanin concentration. These findings indicate that the vines subjected to targeted overhead water treatment during heatwaves underwent less physiological stress and yielded higher grape production, without increasing the risk of potential fungus diseases, in the Mendoza climate. Consequently, this practice could serve as a valuable strategy for mitigating the adverse effects of heatwaves.

Hot Summers in Nordic Apartments: Exploring the Correlation between Outdoor Weather Conditions and Indoor Temperature

As the incidence of extended hot summers in the Nordic climate increases due to climate change, non-mechanically cooled apartments face high risks of overheating. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the temporal effects of heatwaves on indoor temperatures and examine the correlation between outdoor weather conditions and indoor temperature levels. A comprehensive field study was conducted across over 6000 apartments in the Helsinki region during the hot summer of 2021 and its heatwaves. Results indicated that nearly half of the apartments experienced indoor temperatures above 27 °C for over 7 consecutive days. It was found that an outdoor daily average temperature of 19 °C could cause indoor daily average temperatures higher than 27 °C. Further, the study revealed a strong correlation between indoor temperatures and outdoor 5-day moving average temperature, allowing occupants time to take preventative measures. Additionally, a linear relationship was found between the indoor average temperature, the outdoor 5-day moving average temperature, and the 7-day moving average solar radiation. The strength of the correlation and the magnitude of the effects of outdoor temperature and solar radiation varied depending on the duration of heatwaves. This highlights the importance of considering heatwaves in the design and renovation of residential buildings in the Nordic climate.

Hot and scared: how do heatwaves and predation risk impact resource acquisition and allocation?

Heatwaves are increasingly prevalent and can constrain investment into important life-history traits. In addition to heatwaves, animals regularly encounter threats from other organisms in their environments, such as predators. The combination of these two environmental factors introduces a decision-making conflict-heat exposure requires more food intake to fuel investment into fitness-related traits, but foraging in the presence of predators increases the threat of mortality. Thus, we used female variable field crickets (Gryllus lineaticeps) to investigate the effects of heatwaves in conjunction with predation risk (exposed food and water sources, and exposure to scent from black widow spiders, Latrodectus hesperus) on resource acquisition (food intake) and allocation (investment into ovarian and somatic tissues). A simulated heatwave increased food intake and the allocation of resources to reproductive investment. Crickets exposed to high predation risk reduced food intake, but they were able to maintain reproductive investment at an expense to investment into somatic tissue. Thus, heatwaves and predation risk deprioritized investment into self-maintenance, which may impair key physiological processes. This study is an important step towards understanding the ecology of fear in a warming world.

Exposure to Concurrent Heatwaves and Ozone Pollution and Associations with Mortality Risk: A Nationwide Study in China.

Concurrent extreme events are projected to occur more frequently under a changing climate. Understanding the mortality risk and burden of the concurrent heatwaves and ozone () pollution may support the formulation of adaptation strategies and early warning systems for concurrent events in the context of climate change. We aimed to estimate the mortality risk and excess deaths of concurrent heatwaves and pollution across 250 counties in China. We collected daily mortality, meteorological, and air pollution data for the summer (1 June to 30 September) during 2013-2018. We defined heatwaves and high pollution days, then we divided the identified days into three categories: a) days with only heatwaves (heatwave-only event), b) days with only high pollution (high pollution-only event), and c) days with concurrent heatwaves and high pollution (concurrent event). A generalized linear model with a quasi-Poisson regression was used to estimate the risk of mortality associated with extreme events for each county. Then we conducted a random-effects meta-analysis to pool the county-specific estimates to derive the overall effect estimates. We used mixed-effects meta-regression to identify the drivers of the heterogeneity. Finally, we estimated the excess death attributable to extreme events (heatwave-only, high pollution-only, and concurrent events) from 2013 to 2020. A higher all-cause mortality risk was associated with exposure to the concurrent heatwaves and high pollution than exposure to a heatwave-only or a high pollution-only event. The effects of a concurrent event on circulatory and respiratory mortality were higher than all-cause and nonaccidental mortality. Sex and age significantly impacted the association of concurrent events and heatwave-only events with all-cause mortality. We estimated that annual average excess deaths attributed to the concurrent events were 6,249 in China from 2017 to 2020, 5.7 times higher than the annual average excess deaths attributed to the concurrent events from 2013 to 2016. The annual average proportion of excess deaths attributed to the concurrent events in the total excess deaths caused by three types of events (heatwave-only events, high pollution-only events, and concurrent events) increased significantly in 2017-2020 (31.50%; 95% CI: 26.73%, 35.53%) compared with 2013-2016 (9.65%; 95% CI: 5.67%, 10.81%). Relative excess risk due to interaction revealed positive additive interaction considering the concurrent effect of heatwaves and high pollution. Our findings may provide scientific basis for establishing a concurrent event early warning system to reduce the adverse health impact of the concurrent heatwaves and high pollution. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13790.

Seasonal variability in energetic value of Crangon alaskensis and effects of marine heatwaves in the Northeast Pacific Ocean

Research cruises were conducted to sample the invertebrate community along the shelf off the central coast of Oregon from 2010 to 2018. A large marine heatwave (MHW) hit the northeast Pacific in fall 2014 and persisted locally through 2015. Here, we assessed the caloric content changes of Crangon alaskensis (a common sandy shrimp) before, during, and after the 2014–2015 MHW. We found significant reductions in the caloric density of shelf populations of C. alaskensis during summer 2015. Oceanographic indices like the Biologically Effective Upwelling Transport Index (BEUTI) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) had greater predictive power for caloric density and biomass than in situ conditions, although bottom temperature and dissolved oxygen were also significantly correlated with caloric density. Caloric density of C. alaskensis was highest in 2018, indicating favorable conditions after the intense MHW of 2014–2015 allowed the caloric density to rebound.

Health of singleton neonates in Switzerland through time and crises: a cross-sectional study at the population level, 2007-2022

BackgroundBeing exposed to crises during pregnancy can affect maternal health through stress exposure, which can in return impact neonatal health. We investigated temporal trends in neonatal outcomes in Switzerland between 2007 and 2022 and their variations depending on exposure to the economic crisis of 2008, the flu pandemic of 2009, heatwaves (2015 and 2018) and the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsUsing individual cross-sectional data encompassing all births occurring in Switzerland at the monthly level (2007-2022), we analysed changes in birth weight and in the rates of preterm birth (PTB) and stillbirth through time with generalized additive models. We assessed whether the intensity or length of crisis exposure was associated with variations in these outcomes. Furthermore, we explored effects of exposure depending on trimesters of pregnancy.ResultsOver 1.2 million singleton births were included in our analyses. While birth weight and the rate of stillbirth have remained stable since 2007, the rate of PTB has declined by one percentage point. Exposure to the crises led to different results, but effect sizes were overall small. Exposure to COVID-19, irrespective of the pregnancy trimester, was associated with a higher birth weight (+12 grams [95% confidence interval (CI) 5.5 to 17.9 grams]). Being exposed to COVID-19 during the last trimester was associated with an increased risk of stillbirth (odds ratio 1.24 [95%CI 1.02 to 1.50]). Exposure to the 2008 economic crisis during pregnancy was not associated with any changes in neonatal health outcomes, while heatwave effect was difficult to interpret.ConclusionOverall, maternal and neonatal health demonstrated resilience to the economic crisis and to the COVID-19 pandemic in a high-income country like Switzerland. However, the effect of exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic is dual, and the negative impact of maternal infection on pregnancy is well-documented. Stress exposure and economic constraint may also have had adverse effects among the most vulnerable subgroups of Switzerland. To investigate better the impact of heatwave exposure on neonatal health, weekly or daily-level data is needed, instead of monthly-level data.

Heatwave-like events affect drone production and brood-care behaviour in bumblebees.

Climate change is currently considered one of the major threats to biodiversity and is associated with an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. Heatwaves create acutely stressful conditions that may lead to disruption in the performance and survival of ecologically and economically important organisms, such as insect pollinators. In this study, we investigated the impact of simulated heatwaves on the performance of queenless microcolonies of Bombus terrestris audax under laboratory conditions. Our results indicate that heatwaves can have significant impacts on bumblebee performance. However, contrary to our expectations, exposure to heatwaves did not affect survival. Exposure to a mild 5-day heatwave (30-32 °C) resulted in increased offspring production compared to those exposed to an extreme heatwave (34-36 °C) and to the control group (24 °C). We also found that brood-care behaviours were impacted by the magnitude of the heatwave. Wing fanning occurred occasionally at temperatures of 30-32 °C, whereas at 34-36 °C the proportion of workers engaged in this thermoregulatory behaviour increased significantly. Our results provide insights into the effects of heatwaves on bumblebee colony performance and underscore the use of microcolonies as a valuable tool for studying the effects of extreme weather events. Future research, especially field-based studies replicating natural foraging conditions, is crucial to complement laboratory-based studies to comprehend how heatwaves compromise the performance of pollinators. Such studies may potentially help to identify those species more resilient to climate change, as well as those that are most vulnerable.

Implications of Russia-Ukraine war on land surface temperature and air quality: long-term and short-term analysis.

The world is currently witnessing the military operations of Russia invading Ukraine, leading to missile bombing and shelling on various parts. Although the economic ill effects are more conspicuous and much talked about, the environmental impacts are grimmer and more devastating but ironically are less in the news. Hence, in this work, we focused on the environmental impact of the Russia-Ukraine war by quantifying the long-term(2001 to 2023) and short-term temperature changes using land surface temperature (LST) and air temperature (AT) as proxies and monitoring changes in air quality, mainly methane (CH4), carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2), between 2021 and 2022. We used NASA MODIS FIRMS fire points from 24th February 2022 to 08th September 2023 to prepare the heat map for identifying the regions heavily devastated by bombing. Thus, parts of Kiev, Lviv, Luhansk, Odesa, Donetsk, Kherson, etc., in Ukraine were chosen for assessing the LST, AT variations during the peak season of war along with analysis of long-term and short-term changes. We used MODIS Terra LST and Emissivity, ERA 5 AT, CH4, CO2 from AIRS and CO from Sentinel 5P. The results of the LST showed an average increase of around 2.32°C (2022-2023), 3.44°C (2021 and 2022) in parts of Ukraine and an increase of about 2°C from COVID time, whilst a decrease of about 1°C during COVID. This increase in LST will cause enhanced warming, thus changing the regional climate in a shorter time frame. A consistent upward trend in CH4, CO and CO2 is seen from 2019 to 2023. These heat waves and pollution will grip Ukraine and cause menace due to the cumulative effect of heat waves, changing climate and the aftermaths of war. This would be catastrophic as it might lead to a widespread impact on human health, agricultural yield and infrastructure, to name a few.

Heatwaves inflict reproductive but not survival costs to male insects.

Climate change is having a dramatic effect on the environment, with rising global temperatures and more frequent extreme climatic events, such as heatwaves, that can hamper organisms' biological functions. Although it is clear that sudden and extreme temperatures can damage reproductive processes, there is limited understanding of the effects of heatwaves on male mating behaviour and reproductive success. We tested for the effects of heat stress induced by ecologically relevant heatwaves (33°C and 39°C for five consecutive days) on the mating behaviour, reproductive success, body mass and survival of male field crickets Gryllus bimaculatus, paired with untreated females. We predicted life-history and reproductive costs would increase with increasing heatwave intensity. Consistent with our expectations, males exposed to the highest heatwave temperature produced the fewest offspring, while having to increase courtship effort to successfully mate. Males also gained relatively more weight following heatwave exposure. Given that we found no difference in lifetime survival, our results suggest a potential trade-off in resource allocation between somatic maintenance and reproductive investment. Taken together, our findings indicate that sublethal effects of heatwaves could reduce the growth and persistence of animal populations by negatively impacting reproductive rates. These findings highlight the need for considering thermal ecologies, life history and behaviour to better understand the consequences of extreme climatic events on individuals and populations.

Heatwaves are detrimental to fertility in the viviparous tsetse fly.

Heatwaves are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change, pushing animals beyond physiological limits. While most studies focus on survival limits, sublethal effects on fertility tend to occur below lethal thresholds, and consequently can be as important for population viability. Typically, male fertility is more heat-sensitive than female fertility, yet direct comparisons are limited. Here, we measured the effect of experimental heatwaves on tsetse flies, Glossina pallidipes, disease vectors and unusual live-bearing insects of sub-Saharan Africa. We exposed males or females to a 3-day heatwave peaking at 36, 38 or 40°C for 2 h, and a 25°C control, monitoring mortality and reproduction over six weeks. For a heatwave peaking at 40°C, mortality was 100%, while a 38°C peak resulted in only 8% acute mortality. Females exposed to the 38°C heatwave experienced a one-week delay in producing offspring, whereas no such delay occurred in males. Over six weeks, heatwaves resulted in equivalent fertility loss in both sexes. Combined with mortality, this lead to a 10% population decline over six weeks compared to the control. Furthermore, parental heatwave exposure gave rise to a female-biased offspring sex ratio. Ultimately, thermal limits of both survival and fertility should be considered when assessing climate change vulnerability.

Effects of climate change on the health of children and young people.

The effects of climate change, such as air pollution and extreme heat events, can adversely affect the physical and mental health of children and young people at all ages. This article explores the effects of climate change on children and young people's development and explains the effects of air pollution and heatwaves on their health. The article also discusses how children and young people are knowledgeable and concerned about the effects of climate change and can offer new perspectives on addressing these effects. Finally, the authors consider the role of nurses in raising awareness of the adverse effects of climate change on children's health, incorporating climate change in their practice and promoting opportunities for children's involvement in healthcare decision-making, strategies and policy development.