Impact Of Climate Change Research Articles

Climate‐driven shifts in plant–soil feedback of a perennial grass species

Abstract Plant–soil feedback (PSF) plays a key role in determining the composition of plant communities, and understanding the impact of the ongoing climate change on PSF is thus crucial for predicting the consequences of climate change for ecosystems. Here, we conducted a growth‐chamber experiment to examine possible climate‐driven shifts in PSF of a perennial grass, Festuca rubra, originating from two climatically distinct sites, by using all factorial combinations of soil biota origin, plant origin, and cultivation climate. Soil biota generated more negative PSF effects when grown under the climatic conditions of their origin. This observation suggests that soil biota, especially soil pathogens, are well adapted to their local climate, exhibiting greater efficiency in suppressing plant growth within their climatic conditions. All plants, regardless of their origin, exhibited less negative PSF (expressed as relative performance in live vs. sterilized soil) when grown under warmer climate than under colder climate, likely due to positive effects of increased activity of soil decomposers and enhanced nutrient cycling. Plants showed negative PSF when grown with local soil biota under home climate, and the negative PSF disappeared when plants were grown with foreign biota or in away climates. This suggests that any disruption of the established plant‐soil‐climate interactions may lead to the release of plants from negative PSF, potentially destabilizing plant communities. Synthesis. Our results highlight the adaptions of soil biota to their native climate as key drivers of plant–soil feedback interactions and suggest that climate change could significantly alter these interactions, potentially leading to new plant community dynamics. These findings emphasize the need for further investigations to unravel the mechanisms driving these responses and evaluate their consequences for ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change.

Assessing the impact of climate change by using Mann–Kendall, Pettitt and statistical downscaling model (case study: Tabriz station)

Assessing the impact of climate change by using Mann–Kendall, Pettitt and statistical downscaling model (case study: Tabriz station)

The Impact of Climate Change and Urbanization on Compound Flood Risks in Coastal Areas: A Comprehensive Review of Methods

Many cities worldwide are increasingly threatened by compound floods resulting from the interaction of multiple flood drivers. Simultaneously, rapid urbanization in coastal areas, which increases the proportion of impervious surfaces, has made the mechanisms and simulation methods of compound flood disasters more complex. This study employs a comprehensive literature review to analyze 64 articles on compound flood risk under climate change from the Web of Science Core Collection from 2014 to 2024. The review identifies methods for quantifying the impact of climate change factors such as sea level rise, storm surges, and extreme rainfall, as well as urbanization factors like land subsidence, impervious surfaces, and drainage systems on compound floods. Four commonly used quantitative methods for studying compound floods are discussed: statistical models, numerical models, machine learning models, and coupled models. Due to the complex structure and high computational demand of three-dimensional joint probability statistical models, along with the increasing number of flood drivers complicating the grid interfaces and frameworks for coupling different numerical models, most current research focuses on the superposition of two disaster-causing factors. The joint impact of three or more climate change-driving factors on compound flood disasters is emerging as a significant future research trend. Furthermore, urbanization factors are often overlooked in compound flood studies and should be considered when establishing models. Future research should focus on exploring coupled numerical models, statistical models, and machine learning models to better simulate, predict, and understand the mechanisms, evolution processes, and disaster ranges of compound floods under climate change.

Natural Hazards and Climate Change Impacts on Food Security and Rural–Urban Livelihoods in Mozambique—A Bibliometric Analysis and Framework

Mozambique is confronted with numerous risks related to food security and natural disasters. The study conducted a literature review on natural hazards and food security. This can help to identify gaps and further areas of research. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using standardized text search terms, and the VOSviewer tool was used to analyze over 7000 scientific articles and cluster over 60,000 keyword co-occurrences. The results show that research on natural hazards for food security needs to be integrated. The priority topic of disasters focuses on specific hazards such as climate change, floods, and hurricanes, which are also linked to demographic and other social variables. More studies on food security, such as droughts, sustainable development, and other human and social conditions, are being conducted. Resilience as an emerging research paradigm needs to be addressed in comparison. One result is an analytical framework on impacts on food security in the context of disaster risk, based on the empirical findings of the literature review. It shows how everyday risks such as disease or food security can be conceptually better linked to natural hazards and resilience. It shows that further research is needed on the interlinkages of multiple risks, of which Mozambique is an outstanding example. The methodology presented is also applied to provide a framework for linking multiple risks to food security and natural hazards. The innovative dimension of the research is that this inquiry constitutes one of the pioneering attempts to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the linkages between natural hazards, food security, and resilience in Mozambique. Another noteworthy contribution is introducing a novel analytical framework that integrates food security and disaster risks.

Impact of Site Conditions on Quercus robur and Quercus petraea Growth and Distribution Under Global Climate Change

Climate change has significant natural and economic implications, but its extent is particularly challenging to assess in forest management, a field which combines both of the previous aspects and requires the evaluation of the impact of climate change on tree species over a 100-year timeframe. Oaks are among the tree species of significant natural and economic value in Europe. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze all oak stands in Poland and verify the hypothesis regarding differences between Quercus robur and Quercus petraea stands in terms of soil type, annual total precipitation, average annual air temperature, and the length of the growing season. Additionally, this study aimed to analyze the impact of these differences on the growth rates of both oak species and test whether climate change may affect oak stands. A database containing 195,241 tree stands, including different oak species with varying shares in the stand (from 10% to 100%), was analyzed. A particular emphasis was placed on Q. robur and Q. petraea. The results show that, although both oak species have a wide common range of occurrence, there are clear differences in their habitat preferences. Based on the ordinal regression analysis of selected oak stands, it was concluded that an increase in air temperature of 1 °C could impair the growth of Q. robur and slightly improve the growth of Q. petraea. This may indicate the possibility of expanding the geographic range of sessile oaks towards the east and northeast under warming climatic conditions, provided that appropriate moisture conditions are maintained.

Comparative assessment of empirical random forest family's model in simulating future streamflow in different basin of Sarawak, Malaysia

In Sarawak, a region highly vulnerable to climate change, the translation of climate-induced changes in rainfall to river flow is non-linear, presenting a challenge for water resource managers. This research investigates the impact of climate change on hydrological processes in Sarawak, Malaysia, with a specific focus on assessing future spatiotemporal variations in streamflow. The families of Random Forest (RF) empirical models based on data mining techniques were compared and utilized to develop a continuous hydrologic model. Then, by incorporating rainfall and evapotranspiration future projection prepared based on RF past performance statistical downscaling, the top performing RF empirical hydrological model was used for future streamflow projection. The results showed that despite an expected increase in rainfall, the RFR (Random Forest by Randomization) empirical hydrological model demonstrated a potential decrease in river runoff due to heightened evapotranspiration demands associated with rising temperatures. The examination of climate-induced alterations in both rainfall and evapotranspiration patterns revealed a consistent decrease in river discharges during the early to middle period across Sarawak, followed by a shift towards an increasing trend by the end of the 21st century. The central region along the Rajang basin exhibited a prevailing decrease in river discharge, with contrasting patterns in the last part of the century. The northern region displayed diverse trends, with some basins experiencing decreases in river runoff despite augmented rainfall, emphasizing the heterogeneity in response. By employing empirical models, and projecting future scenarios, the study contributes to a better understanding of climate change impacts on hydrology in the region, essential for effective water resource management and environmental conservation.

Climate Change Impact on the Stability of Soil Slopes from a Hydrological and Geotechnical Perspective

Climate change (CC) is expected to cause significant changes in weather patterns, leading to extreme phenomena. Specifically, the intensity of precipitation extremes is continuously escalating, even in regions with decreasing average precipitation levels. Given that CC leads to long-term shifts in weather patterns and may affect the precipitation characteristics (i.e., frequency, duration, and intensity) directly related to groundwater table fluctuations and soil erosion phenomena, it has the potential to significantly affect soil slope instabilities. In turn, slope stability and the structural integrity of nearby structures and infrastructure will be affected. Accordingly, the present paper focuses on the impact of CC on the geohazard of soil slope instability by considering both hydrological aspects, i.e., the impact on rainfall intensity on the groundwater table and the geotechnical aspects of this complex problem. The findings reveal that the impact of CC on potential slope instabilities can be detrimental or even beneficial, depending on the specific site and water conditions. Therefore, it is essential to do the following: (a) collect all the available data of the area of interest, (b) assess their variations over time, and (c) examine each potentially unstable slope on a case-by-case basis to properly mitigate this geohazard.

Mowing mitigates the negative impacts of long-term warming on community composition and niche characteristics of alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau

Climate warming and human disturbance are supposed to have significantly impacted the alpine grasslands. However, it is still unclear how human activity affects the community composition and niche characteristics in response to warming. We conducted a two-factorial experiment in an alpine meadow, and set up four treatments: warming, mowing, warming with mowing, and control. Based on the investigation of community composition and niche characteristics, we evaluated the impacts of soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus on species niche overlap. The results showed that mowing significantly increased species richness of Grass, Sedge, Forbs and the importance value of Sedge compared to warming (P < 0.05). The niche breadth of species (>50%) was reduced by warming, but increased under mowing. The niche overlap mainly occurred between Grass and Forbs in warming, while it was evenly distributed among species after mowing, which alleviated the negative effects of warming on interspecific competitiveness. Warming increased the number of species pairs with a niche overlap value >0.9 by 24.15%, while warming with mowing decreased it by 2.7%. The number of species pairs with niche overlap was significantly correlated with soil total nitrogen and soil available nitrogen (P < 0.05). In particular, the species pairs with highly competitive showed a greater dependency on soil nitrogen. Our work highlights that moderate utilization and soil nitrogen are two crucial factors influencing the response of community structure in alpine meadows to future climate change. The study provides an important reference for predicting and addressing the impact of global climate change on adaptive management and grassland protection.

Predicting the Impact of Climate Change on Corylus Species Distribution in China: Integrating Climatic, Topographic, and Anthropogenic Factors.

This study investigates the impact of climate change on the distribution of Corylus species in China using the MaxEnt model. Key environmental variables, such as Bio6 (mean temperature of the coldest month) and human footprint, emerged as significant determinants of habitat suitability. The study reveals substantial shifts in suitable habitats due to global warming and increased precipitation, with notable expansion towards higher latitudes. Species like Corylus heterophylla Fisch. ex Bess. and Corylus mandshurica Maxim. demonstrate resilience in extreme conditions, highlighting the importance of specific ecological traits for conservation. Future projections under various SSP scenarios predict continued habitat expansion, emphasizing the need for targeted conservation strategies to address the critical role of human activities. This research highlights the complex interplay between climatic, topographic, and anthropogenic factors in shaping Corylus habitats, advocating for integrated adaptive management approaches to ensure their sustainability amid ongoing climate change.

Predicting the Global Potential Suitable Areas of Sweet Osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans) Under Current and Future Climate Scenarios.

Osmanthus fragrans is a valuable landscaping tree that is appreciated worldwide. However, the optimal environmental conditions for O. fragrans cultivation have yet to be studied in detail, which hinders the preservation of wild resources of this plant and its commercial exploitation. The maximum entropy model was applied to assess the significance of environment variables influencing O. fragrans distribution. Combining data from 629 global distribution points for O. fragrans, predictions were made on the potential effects of climate change on the geographical distribution of suitable habitats for this species in the present and the future. The results indicated that O. fragrans preferred a warm and humid growing environment. Under the current climatic conditions, the potential habitats for O. fragrans were mostly located in the eastern coastal areas of the continents at medium and low latitudes. The main environmental variables that affected its distribution were the precipitation during the warmest quarter, the temperature seasonality, and the mean temperature of the warmest quarter. The analysis indicated that the continuation of current trends in climate change will result in the further reduction of suitable habitats for O. fragrans growth, and the global centroid will shift to the southeast. These findings provided insight into the impact of climate change on O. fragrans habitats, as well as provide guidance for the conservation of wild resources of this species and the breeding of more climate change-resistant varieties for the future.

Impact of climate change on the pollen season on relevant species in Iberian’s dehesa: a case study of Fraxinus sp.

Impact of climate change on the pollen season on relevant species in Iberian’s dehesa: a case study of Fraxinus sp.

Assessing The Urbanization And Climate Change Impact On Quality Of Groundwater Resources In Mangalore City Of Dakshina Kannada Dist, Karnataka, India.

Assessing The Urbanization And Climate Change Impact On Quality Of Groundwater Resources In Mangalore City Of Dakshina Kannada Dist, Karnataka, India.

National Level Seminar on Climate Change Impacts on Groundwater Resources: A Step towards Sustainable Development (CLIMWAT-2024)

National Level Seminar on Climate Change Impacts on Groundwater Resources: A Step towards Sustainable Development (CLIMWAT-2024)

Contribution of ultra-processed food and animal-plant protein intake ratio to the environmental impact of Belgian diets

There is growing concern about the various impacts of food consumption, both on human and planetary health. Given the context-specific nature of consumption patterns, evaluating their national-level impacts is crucial for proactive policy development. This research aims to evaluate the environmental impact of current Belgian diets, with particular attention to the contribution of food groups, ultra-processed foods (UPF), and the animal-to-plant protein ratio. The methodology consists of three key stages. Firstly, the Belgian diet was summarised, based on data from the Belgian National Food Consumption Survey 2014/2015. Secondly, the origin of the most frequently consumed foods was traced using trade databases. Finally, a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment was conducted to determine the impact of Belgian diets on climate change, water use, land use, and fossil resource scarcity. In this third step, an iterative procedure for selecting the food items to be included in the study was performed. The iterative approach resulted in the inclusion of 227 food items in the analysis. The results indicate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 4.4 [4.27–4.54] kg CO2-equivalent per person per day. Red meat (35 %), beverages (16 %), dairy products (16 %) and snacks (10 %) are identified as primary contributors to climate change. Similar results were observed for land use impacts. Water use and fossil resource scarcity exhibited different trends, with beverages being the most impactful food group. Moreover, UPF account for 50 % of the total climate change and land use impacts, with a linear relationship observed between increased UPF consumption and GHG emissions and land use. A similar linear trend is observed between the ratio of animal-to-plant protein intake and both climate change and land use impact categories. A shift from the current protein ratio to a ratio of 40/60, as suggested in the Flemish Green Deal Protein Shift has been shown to result in a reduction in GHG emissions of the diet by 31 %. This study emphasises the need to target the consumption of high-impact foods such as UPF and animal-based products. Future research will investigate the relationship between environmental and health impacts.

Predicting the impact of climate change on the potential geographical distribution and growth index of mirid predator, Nesidiocoris tenuis (reuter) (Heteroptera: Miridae) using CLIMEX

Predicting the impact of climate change on the potential geographical distribution and growth index of mirid predator, Nesidiocoris tenuis (reuter) (Heteroptera: Miridae) using CLIMEX

Anthropogenic Climate Change Will Intensify European Explosive Storms Analogous to Alex, Eunice, and Xynthia

Abstract Extratropical storms, particularly explosive storms or “weather bombs” with exceptionally high deepening rates, present substantial risks and are susceptible to climate change. Individual storms may exhibit a complex and hardly detectable response to human-driven climate change because of the atmosphere’s chaotic nature and variability at the regional level. It is thus essential to understand changes in specific storms for building local resilience and advancing our overall comprehension of storm trends. To address this challenge, this study compares analogs—storms with a similar backward track until making landfall—in two climates of three explosive storms impacting different European locations: Alex (October 2020), Eunice (January 2022), and Xynthia (February 2010). We use a large ensemble dataset of 105 members from the Community Earth System Model, version 1 (CESM1). These analogs are identified in two periods: the present-day climate (1991–2001) and a future climate scenario characterized by high anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions [representative concentration pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5), 2091–2101]. We evaluate future changes in the frequency of occurrence of the storms and intensity, as well as in meteorological hazards and the underlying dynamics. For all storms, our analysis reveals an increase in precipitation and wind severity over land associated with the explosive analogs in the future climate. These findings underscore the potential consequences of explosive storms modified by climate change and their subsequent hazards in various regions of Europe, offering evidence that can be used to prepare and enhance adaptation processes. Significance Statement This study investigates the impact of climate change on explosive storms, or weather bombs, and their potential consequences for European regions. We project future scenarios of three specific storms, Alex, Eunice, and Xynthia, using a state-of-the-art climate model. Our findings reveal an increase in precipitation and wind over land associated with these storms, emphasizing the heightened risks associated with climate change. The significance lies in understanding the local implications of explosive storms, aiding in the development of resilient strategies and adaptation measures.

Decadal trends and climatic influences on flash droughts and flash floods in Indian cities

Flash droughts/floods are extreme weather phenomena that are expected to become increasingly frequent and severe with the changing climate. Flash droughts result from a rapid decline in soil moisture, while flash floods occur due to a high extreme rainfall intensity over a short duration. This study analyzes the ERA5 reanalysis data (hourly temperature, soil moisture, and precipitation) from 1992 to 2022 to assess flash drought/flood attribute variations across fourteen Indian cities. Flash drought events are identified based on specific conditions using the obtained Soil Moisture Index (SMI) values. At the same time, we propose a novel approach to attribute flash floods by setting thresholds for precipitation and soil moisture.This study examines the frequency and trends of flash drought and flood events across India's various Köppen-Geiger climatic zones from 1992 to 2022. Jaipur and Dehradun show a statistically significant decrease in flash drought events with magnitudes of −0.0833 events/year and −0.0769 events/year, respectively. Conversely, Hyderabad exhibits a highly significant increase in flash flood events with a magnitude of 1.1851 events/year. Similarly, Bengaluru, Varanasi, and Vishakhapatnam also show substantial increases in flash flood events. These findings underscore the impact of climate change on flash droughts/floods, highlighting the necessity for sustainable strategies.

Reduced phytoplankton biomass in a subtropical plume-upwelling system induced by typhoons Bailu and Podul

Phytoplankton responses to typhoons are pivotal for understanding the impact of climate change on marine biodiversity and productivity, yet current literature, focusing on typhoon-induced biomass increases from nutrient dynamics, might overlook the complexity of plume-upwelling interactions during such events. This study, therefore, examines the sequential impact of Typhoons Bailu and Podul on phytoplankton biomass and community structure in the northern South China Sea, a region where the interplay of riverine discharges and oceanic upwelling shapes the ecological landscape. Employing a combination of in-situ hydrographic measurements, pigment analysis, and satellite data, we tracked the pre- and post-typhoon phytoplankton dynamics, capturing a detailed picture of their response to the rapid hydrodynamic changes induced by these meteorological disturbances. Prior to Typhoon Bailu, a synergetic interaction between the Pearl River plume and coastal upwelling resulted in a diatom-rich phytoplankton assemblage. The passage of Typhoon Bailu followed by Typhoon Podul uncoupled this synergy, leading to phosphate scarcity and a notable decline in overall phytoplankton biomass. This decoupling favored the proliferation of smaller phytoplankton such as Synechococcus and haptophytes_T8, indicating a shift towards a community adapted to phosphate-poor environments. The distinct phytoplankton response patterns observed in this study not only challenge existing paradigms about typhoon impacts on marine productivity but also highlight the complex and potentially transformative effects of typhoon-induced hydrodynamic alterations, although whether the pattern of biomass reduction is generalizable to all similar typhoon events remains uncertain. These insights are essential for modeling the ecological ramifications of such disturbances, which is becoming increasingly important as the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events continue to rise.

Spatiotemporal Evolution Analysis of Surface Deformation on the Beihei Highway Based on Multi-Source Remote Sensing Data

Under the interference of climate warming and human engineering activities, the degradation of permafrost causes the frequent occurrence of geological disasters such as uneven foundation settlement and landslides, which brings great challenges to the construction and operational safety of road projects. In this paper, the spatial and temporal evolution of surface deformations along the Beihei Highway was investigated by combining the SBAS-InSAR technique and the surface frost number model after considering the vegetation factor with multi-source remote sensing observation data. After comprehensively considering factors such as climate change, permafrost degradation, anthropogenic disturbance, and vegetation disturbance, the surface uneven settlement and landslide processes were analyzed in conjunction with site surveys and ground data. The results show that the average deformation rate is approximately −16 mm/a over the 22 km section of the study area. The rate of surface deformation on the pavement is related to topography, and the rate of surface subsidence on the pavement is more pronounced in areas with high topographic relief and a sunny aspect. Permafrost along the roads in the study area showed an insignificant degradation trend, and at landslides with large surface deformation, permafrost showed a significant degradation trend. Meteorological monitoring data indicate that the annual minimum mean temperature in the study area is increasing rapidly at a rate of 1.266 °C/10a during the last 40 years. The occurrence of landslides is associated with precipitation and freeze–thaw cycles. There are interactions between permafrost degradation, landslides, and vegetation degradation, and permafrost and vegetation are important influences on uneven surface settlement. Focusing on the spatial and temporal evolution process of surface deformation in the permafrost zone can help to deeply understand the mechanism of climate change impact on road hazards in the permafrost zone.

Erratum for “The Role of Reservoir Reoperation to Mitigate Climate Change Impacts on Hydropower and Environmental Water Demands”

Erratum for “The Role of Reservoir Reoperation to Mitigate Climate Change Impacts on Hydropower and Environmental Water Demands”