Indirect Effects Of Climate Change Research Articles

The Impact of Climate Change on the Mental Health of Populations at Disproportionate Risk of Health Impacts and Inequities: A Rapid Scoping Review of Reviews

The impacts of climate change on mental health are starting to be recognized and may be exacerbated for populations at disproportionate risk of health impacts or inequalities, including some people living in low- and middle-income countries, children, indigenous populations, and people living in rural communities, among others. Here, we conduct a rapid scoping review of reviews to summarize the research to date on climate impacts on the mental health of populations at disproportionate risk. This review highlights the direct and indirect effects of climate change, the common mental health issues that have been studied related to climate events, and the populations that have been studied to date. This review outlines key gaps in the field and important research areas going forward. These include a need for more systematic methodologies, with before-and-after comparisons or exposure/non-exposure group comparisons and consistent mental health outcome measurements that are appropriately adapted for the populations being studied. Further research is also necessary in regard to the indirect effects of climate change and the climate effects on indigenous populations and populations with other protected and intersecting characteristics. This review highlights the key research areas to date and maps the critical future research necessary to develop future interventions.

Interactive Effects of Climate Change and Pathogens on Plant Performance: A Global Meta-Analysis.

Plant health is increasingly threatened by abiotic and biotic stressors linked to anthropogenic global change. These stressors are frequently studied in isolation. However, they might have non-additive (antagonistic or synergistic) interactive effects that affect plant communities in unexpected ways. We conducted a global meta-analysis to summarize existing evidence on the joint effects of climate change (drought and warming) and biotic attack (pathogens) on plant performance. We also investigated the effect of drought and warming on pathogen performance, as this information is crucial for a mechanistic interpretation of potential indirect effects of climate change on plant performance mediated by pathogens. The final databases included 1230 pairwise cases extracted from 117 recently published scientific articles (from 2006) on a global scale. We found that the combined negative effects of drought and pathogens on plant growth were lower than expected based on their main effects, supporting the existence of antagonistic interactions. Thus, the larger the magnitude of the drought, the lower the pathogen capacity to limit plant growth. On the other hand, the combination of warming and pathogens caused larger plant damage than expected, supporting the existence of synergistic interactions. Our results on the effects of drought and warming on pathogens revealed a limitation of their growth rates and abundance invitro but an improvement under natural conditions, where multiple factors operate across the microbiome. Further research on the impact of climate change on traits explicitly defining the infective ability of pathogens would enhance the assessment of its indirect effects on plants. The evaluated plant and pathogen responses were conditioned by the intensity of drought or warming and by moderator categorical variables defining the pathosystems. Overall, our findings reveal the need to incorporate the joint effect of climatic and biotic components of global change into predictive models of plant performance to identify non-additive interactions.

Mitigation of Abiotic Stresses in Plants through Nutrient Management

The food demand over the world is increasing due to the rapid increase in the population. Direct and indirect effects of climate change have severely affected the growth and development of crops. Of these, abiotic stress factors are reported to cause a reduction in crop productivity ranging from 51 percent to 82 percent. Abiotic stresses like drought, waterlogging stress, salt stress, soil acidity, metal toxicities and temperature variations have overwhelming impact on the growth and productivity of crops. Abiotic stress causes increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and affects various physiological processes, causing reduction in plant growth and yield. Nutrient management proves to be an effective strategy for alleviating various abiotic stress factors affecting agricultural crops. Nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, calcium and magnesium increase the production of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase and reduces ROS production. Micronutrients such as iron, boron and zinc as well as biofertilizers improve plant adaptation to various stresses through activation of antioxidant enzymes. Current review focuses on the impact of mineral nutrients, organic amendments and biofertilizers in alleviating abiotic stress in agricultural crops.

PEACE AND SECURITY, HEALTH AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Purpose: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a region that is most affected by both conflict and climate change, with the Sahel, Southern Africa, and East Africa impacted severely. Research has shown climate change is a ‘threat multiplier’ while low state capability and high poverty are core conflict drivers. However, climate change gradually contributes to political, socioeconomic and environmental insecurity and fragility. This study examines perspectives of peace, security and health during climate change in SSA and explores strategic options for the region. Theoretical reference: This study is underpinned by the greenhouse effect, which is a theory of anthropogenic global warming (AGW) supported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Methods: This study was grounded in the postmodernist philosophy, and data was obtained using desktop research methodology. This involved reviewing academic studies and grey literature. Results and conclusion: Conflict prevention measures should ensure that climate change adaptation strategies are effectively implemented because its consequences in the region are now visible. Climate change should not be framed merely as a threat to security but as a security issue, although its role as a threat multiplier must not be trivialised or denied. Some vector-borne diseases sensitive to climate change represent an express cause for health concern, calling for evidence-based solutions. Implications of the research: Climate change has a multiplier effect on conflict and health concerns, which are less understood. Originality/Value: Although climate change does not directly cause conflict and health challenges, this study adds to the policy debate and literature by focusing on the indirect effects of climate change on peace, security and health.

Contemporary Farming and Associated Consequences of Climate Change

Aim: This review aims to synthesize current understanding of the multifaceted impacts of climate change on agriculture, examine adaptive strategies to maintain food security, and offer insights into sustainable farming practices. Objectives: The objectives are to: (1) identify the potential causes of climate change, (2) assess its effects on agriculture, and (3) discuss mitigation strategies and sustainable farming practice. Methodology: A systematic review of the literature has been performed. We conducted an in-depth study of previous research, reports, and related literature. Sources were selected based on relevance and credibility to provide a thorough examination of the impacts of climate change on agriculture. Analysis: The analysis focused on categorizing the direct and indirect effects of climate change on agricultural systems, understanding changes in crop yield, plant physiology and metabolism, and evaluating the effectiveness of various mitigation strategies. Result Findings: The findings indicate that the greenhouse effect, driven by gases such as CO2, CH4, and H2O, leads to global temperature increases. The concentration of these gases is rising, with the global average temperature expected to increase by 2°C by 2100, causing significant economic losses. While this increase has boosted plant growth and productivity through enhanced photosynthesis, the associated rise in temperature counteracts these benefits. Therefore, mitigation strategies such as nutrient management, drip and sprinkler irrigation, and sustainable agricultural practices are essential. Natural farming is a sustainable agricultural practice that offers chemical-free, healthy food while promising to increase farmers' income, improve environmental health, restore soil fertility, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Conclusion: Climate change poses a significant threat to global food and nutritional security by altering agricultural productivity and sustainability. Understanding these impacts and developing effective mitigation strategies is crucial. This review provides valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to address these challenges and ensure resilient agricultural systems capable of sustaining future food security.

The impact of climate change on mental health

AbstractClimate change has a profound impact on mental health, supported by meta analytic evidence. For every degree temperature increase, there is a statistical increase in mental health problems by about 0.9%. The direct association between catastrophic events such as hurricanes or flooding and traumatization or negative mood states is evident. However, there are also interactions between pollution or heat islands in urban contexts and stress associated mental disorders, and there are indirect interactions e.g. between loss of agricultural space, poverty, displacement and mental health challenges. We provide an overview regarding direct and indirect effects of climate change on mental health and discuss possible interventions on the health care system.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Sharp declines in observation and capture rates of Amazon birds in absence of human disturbance

Across the globe, unprecedented declines have been reported across a range of taxa. Among the most well documented are declines in bird populations, with most declines attributable to human activities such as deforestation and other alterations to habitats. There is increasing evidence that bird populations also have declined at sites within large expanses of relatively undisturbed lowland tropical forest, such as in Amazonia. Causes of such declines likely are varied and may be related to direct or indirect effects of climate change. Here, we use mist-net data and direct observations to examine changes in bird numbers over a 22-yr period on two 100-ha study plots in an Amazonian lowland forest of eastern Ecuador. As previously reported, capture rates experienced large declines from 2009 on; observation rates also showed large declines through 2013 but subsequently have shown no consistent trend up or down. Overall capture rates and observation rates are now approximately half the rates during the first decade. Most foraging guilds also declined over time, with declines particularly pronounced among insectivorous groups. With few exceptions, patterns of change were similar between plots suggesting a more general response rather than responses to local factors on each plot. Capture rates and observation rates of ∼90% of the most common species in both understory and canopy were lower during the latter part of the study, with only a few species (∼10%) showing increases. Similarly, large declines were seen in both canopy and understory mixed-species flocks. Large declines in bird numbers have been noted in other tropical sites that have conducted long-term population studies, including Panama and Brazil, suggesting a response to large-scale factors, such as climate change. While not yet documented, the consequences of losing approximately 50% of population abundance are likely substantial and could result in local extinction of rare species, altered species interactions and social organization, as well as declining ecological function and biotic integrity of these tropical forest ecosystems.

The impact of climate change and the conservation of the keystone Asian honeybee using niche models and systematic prioritization.

Global warming has seriously disturbed the Earth's ecosystems, and in this context, Asian honeybee (Apis cerana) has experienced a dramatic decline in recent decades. Here, we examined both direct and indirect effects of climate change on A. cerana through ecological niche modeling of A. cerana, and its disease pathogens (i.e., Chinese sacbrood virus and Melissococcus plutonius) and enemies (i.e., Galleria mellonella and Vespa mandarinia). Ecological niche modeling predicts that climate change will increase the potential suitability of A. cerana, but it will also cause some of the original habitat areas to become unsuitable. Outbreak risks of Chinese sacbrood disease and European Foulbrood will increase dramatically, while those of G. mellonella and V. mandarinia will decrease only slightly. Thus, climate change will produce an unfavorable situation for even maintaining some A. cerana populations in China in the future. Genetic structure analyses showed that the A. cerana population from Hainan Island had significant genetic differentiation from that of the mainland, and there was almost no gene flow between the 2, suggesting that urgent measures are needed to protect the unique genetic resources there. Through taking an integrated planning technique with the Marxan approach, we optimized conservation planning, and identified potential nature reserves (mainly in western Sichuan and southern Tibet) for conservation of A. cerana populations. Our results can provide insights into the potential impact of climate change on A. cerana, and will help to promote the conservation of the keystone honeybee in China and the long-term sustainability of its ecosystem services.

Incorporation of climate change into a multiple stressor risk assessment for the Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) population in the Yakima River, Washington, USA.

One outcome of the 2022 Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Pellston Workshop on incorporating climate change predictions into ecological risk assessments was the key question of how to integrate ecological risk assessments that focus on contaminants with the environmental alterations from climate projections. This article summarizes the results of integrating selected direct and indirect effects of climate change into an existing Bayesian network previously used for ecological risk assessment. The existing Bayesian Network Relative Risk Model integrated the effects of two organophosphate pesticides (malathion and diazinon), water temperature, and dissolved oxygen levels on the Chinook salmon population in the Yakima River Basin (YRB), Washington, USA. The endpoint was defined as the entity, Yakima River metapopulation, and the attribute was defined as no decline to a subpopulation or the overall metapopulation. In this manner, we addressed the management objective of no net loss of Chinook salmon, an iconic and protected species. Climate change-induced changes in water quality parameters (temperature and dissolved oxygen levels) used models based on projected climatic conditions in the 2050s and 2080s by the use of a probabilistic model. Pesticide concentrations in the original model were modified assuming different scenarios of pest control strategies in the future, because climate change may alter pest numbers and species. Our results predict that future direct and indirect changes to the YRB will result in a greater probability that the salmon population will continue to fail to meet the management objective of no net loss. As indicated by the sensitivity analysis, the key driver in salmon population risk was found to be current and future changes in temperature and dissolved oxygen, with pesticide concentrations being not as important. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:419-432. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

A habitat‐centered framework for wildlife climate change vulnerability assessments: Application to Gunnison sage‐grouse

AbstractThe persistence of threatened wildlife species depends on successful conservation and restoration of habitats, but climate change and other stressors make these tasks increasingly challenging. Applying climate change vulnerability analyses to contemporary wildlife management can be difficult because most analyses predict direct effects of future climate on wildlife species at broad geographic scales, rather than assessing their habitats at local scales (<1 km) that correspond to site‐specific habitat management actions. We present a framework that synthesizes vegetation‐focused vulnerability assessments to assess multiple effects on wildlife species' diverse habitat needs, providing a scenario‐driven climate vulnerability assessment that maps differences in vulnerability of populations within a species' range. Our flexible habitat‐centered synthesis approach leverages available spatial datasets describing projected exposure to vegetation changes due to climate change and other potentially synergistic stressors, reclassifies and weights them based on available estimates of species' sensitivity to these changes, and recombines them to create <1‐km resolution maps of overall species vulnerability and threat‐specific habitat vulnerability. To demonstrate its potential to guide decision‐making, we applied this approach to the Gunnison sage‐grouse (Centrocercus minimus), a federally threatened habitat specialist that depends on sagebrush and mesic habitats that are imperiled by climate change. We mapped six threats forecasted out to the year 2070: direct effects of climate on (1) sagebrush cover loss and (2) mesic habitat drying, indirect changes in invasion risk from (3) pinyon–juniper conifers and (4) annual grasses, and potentially synergistic risk of (5) development and (6) wildfire. We then assessed species vulnerability for each of the eight extant populations under three climate scenarios: Optimistic, Continuation, and Pessimistic. We found that the extent of cumulative species vulnerability due to multiple habitat changes was far greater than the extent of any single habitat vulnerability. Over 75% of critical habitats were at risk under the Pessimistic scenario, and nearly two thirds of habitats were at high risk for three or more threats. Invasive species were the most widespread threat, highlighting the importance of indirect effects of climate change. We illustrate how our approach can be applied to the existing management planning strategies to better prioritize conservation of habitats for the persistence of threatened species.

A Comprehensive Review on the Impact of Climate Change on Fruit Yield and Quality in Modern Horticultural Practices

This review provides an exhaustive analysis of the impact of climate change on fruit yield and quality, with a specific focus on India's horticultural sector. It synthesizes current research findings, identifies gaps, and suggests future directions to understand and mitigate the effects of climate change on key fruit crops. Climate change, characterized by rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather events, poses significant challenges to fruit production. These challenges under three main sections: the direct and indirect effects of climate change on fruit yield, the influence of climate change on fruit quality, and the adaptations in modern horticultural practices. The direct effects include alterations in flowering and fruiting cycles and changes in pollination dynamics. Indirect effects comprise changes in soil quality and nutrient availability, along with water availability and irrigation challenges. These factors collectively lead to variations in fruit yield across different regions and crops. The review also discusses the impact of climate change on the nutritional content of fruits, such as changes in sugar, acid, vitamin levels, and secondary metabolites that affect flavour and health benefits. Physical and aesthetic changes, including modifications in size, color, texture, and shelf life, are also examined, highlighting their implications for marketability and consumer preference. Adaptation strategies in response to these challenges are crucial. Delves into breeding and genetic modification efforts aimed at developing climate-resilient fruit varieties and discusses the role of biotechnology in these adaptations. It also covers changes in agronomic practices, such as adjustments in planting dates and crop rotation, alongside water management and conservation techniques. The adoption of technological innovations like precision agriculture, monitoring systems, and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) is evaluated for their potential to enhance resilience in fruit production.

Climate-sensitive forecasts of marked short-term and long-term changes in the distributions or abundances of Northwestern boreal landbirds

Climate change presents a major threat to biodiversity globally. Northern ecosystems, such as Canada's boreal forest, are predicted to experience particularly severe climate-induced changes. These changes may reduce the carrying capacity and habitat suitability of the boreal forest for many wildlife species. Boreal birds are susceptible to both direct and indirect effects of climate change, and several studies have predicted northward shifts in species distributions as temperatures become warmer. We forecasted spatially-explicit changes in the densities of 72 boreal landbird species using integrated climate change projections and a forest dynamics model in the Taiga Plains ecozone of the Northwest Territories (NT), Canada, over the 2011–2091 horizon. We 1) identified "winner," "loser," and "bellringer" species over short (2031) and long-term (2091) forecasts, 2) mapped landbird range and density changes under three contrasting Global Circulation Models (GCMs), and 3) quantify differences in landbird density predictions across a latitudinal gradient. Species that showed a moderate increase or decrease in their predicted abundance were considered "winners" and "losers," respectively. Species that showed a marked increase or decrease – a doubling or halving – of their predicted abundance in all three GCMs, were termed "bellringers". From 2011–2031, only 2/72 (2.8%) were considered winners, and 3/72 (4.2%) were losers. From 2011–2091, the abundance of more species was predicted to change: 26/72 (36.1%) were winners, and 10/72 species (13.9%) were losers. Four species were considered bellringers: Gray-cheeked Thrush, White-crowned Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, and American Tree Sparrow. Overall, projected range shifts were strongly oriented along a southeast-to-northwest axis. Shifts to the north and south were evenly distributed among all three GCMs. Our results suggest that future climate-mitigated distribution shifts and population declines of boreal landbirds will require targeted conservation actions. They also highlight the importance of the NT as a potential refugium for many boreal-breeding landbird species in Canada.

Adolescents Concerned about Climate Change: A Hermeneutic Study.

Climate change is a public health threat on a global scale. Over the last two decades, research has uncovered the myriad health effects of climate change and its associated costs. The literature is also beginning to show the direct and indirect effects of climate change to be an indicator of increased adverse mental health outcomes including excessive worry, anxiety, grief, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The development of scales to measure some of these effects in adult populations has shown the critical need to understand the various ways climate change affects mental well-being in adolescent populations who are at a critical juncture in psychological development. The purposes of this study were to understand the lived experience of adolescents who are concerned about climate change and uncover the meaning of climate change concern for adolescents as informed by emerging patterns. This study utilized Hermeneutic Phenomenology as a philosophical foundation and methodological approach for data retrieval and analysis. An interview-based approach with a purposeful sample (n = 11, aged 12-17 years) revealed the multi-layered elements of climate change concern and its effects. Three patterns emerged: Climate Change as a Temporal Threat and Pressure, Awareness and Concern as a Continuum, and Experiencing Concern and Making Meaning. These findings may now inform interdisciplinary knowledge on upstream mitigation efforts and the promotion of positive outcomes relating to climate change. The need for focused educational attention to adolescent behaviors and concerns is explicated and exemplified.

42.2 The Direct and Indirect Effects of Climate Change on Children's Mental Health Globally: A Close Look at the Most Vulnerable Children and Environmental Injustice

42.2 The Direct and Indirect Effects of Climate Change on Children's Mental Health Globally: A Close Look at the Most Vulnerable Children and Environmental Injustice

Impact of climate change on allergic diseases in Germany.

Allergic diseases, especially inhalation allergies, have reached epidemic levels and environmental factors play an important role in their development. Climate change influences the occurrence, frequency, and severity of allergic diseases. The contents of this article were selected by the authors and developed section by section according to their expertise and the current state of knowledge. The sections were then discussed and agreed upon amongst all authors. The article highlights direct and indirect effects of climate change on allergies. It goes into detail about the connections between climate change and (new) pollen allergens as well as (new) occupational inhalation allergens, explains the effects of climate change on the clinical picture of atopic dermatitis, discusses the connections between air pollutants and allergies, and provides information about the phenomenon of thunderstorm asthma. There is a need for action in the field of pollen and fungal spore monitoring, allergy and sensitisation monitoring, urban planning from an allergological perspective, and changes in the working environment, among others.

Microorganisms and Climate Change: A Not so Invisible Effect

The effect of climate change on flora and fauna has been widely discussed for years. However, its consequences on microorganisms are generally poorly considered. The main effect of climate change on microbiota is related to biodiversity changes in different regions of the planet, mainly due to variations in temperature. These alterations are resulting in a worldwide (re)distribution of pathogens, which was not considered a few years ago. They mainly affect different food chain sectors (such as agriculture, livestock and fishing), as well as human health. Hence, the spread of numerous animal and plant pathogens has been observed in recent years from south to north (especially in America, Europe and Asia), leading to the spread of numerous plant and animal diseases, which results in economic and ecological losses. In addition, global warming that accompanies climate change could also be related to emerging antibiotic resistance. However, the mitigation of climate change goes hand in hand with microorganisms, which can help us through different natural and industrial processes. Thus, this manuscript presents the direct and indirect effects of climate change on microorganisms described up to date and how they act on this worldwide phenomenon.

Temporal and lake-specific variations in oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes in a boreal lake-chain during two hydrologically differing years

ABSTRACT Hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope mass ratios (δ2H and δ18O) are conservative tracers that reflect hydrological conditions of watersheds and lakes, information that can be used for water budgets, such as estimating nutrient loading from the catchments and direct and indirect effects of climate change on waterbodies. We measured δ2H and δ18O values and estimated water mass balances over 2 hydrologically differing years in a chain of 10 boreal lakes. During a warm and dry summer, evaporative loss enriched the isotope values at lake surfaces. Thus, in lakes that were thermally stratified during summer, the isotope values differed distinctively between epilimnion and hypolimnion. During the following rainy summer, the within-lake variation of isotope values was much lower with no clear trend, presumably a result of a more unstable water column and faster water throughflow in the lake chain. After autumnal mixing the lake δ18O values were strongly correlated with lake area and proportion of inland waters of the catchment area. The interannual within-lake difference was then ∼1‰, indicating differences in evaporation. Isotope mass balance (IMB) calculations and those based on lake temperature and hydrological measurements in the nearby region yielded similar results for the rainy ice-free period. Presumably, prerequisites of steady-state conditions for IMB were better met in the rainy year than during the previous drier year. For some lakes the results suggested remarkable volumes of groundwater inflow, whose role in boreal lake water budgets deserves more attention in future studies.

A global meta-analysis of soil organic carbon in the Anthropocene

Anthropogenic activities profoundly impact soil organic carbon (SOC), affecting its contribution to ecosystem services such as climate regulation. Here, we conducted a thorough review of the impacts of land-use change, land management, and climate change on SOC. Using second-order meta-analysis, we synthesized findings from 230 first-order meta-analyses comprising over 25,000 primary studies. We show that (i) land conversion for crop production leads to high SOC loss, that can be partially restored through land management practices, particularly by introducing trees and incorporating exogenous carbon in the form of biochar or organic amendments, (ii) land management practices that are implemented in forests generally result in depletion of SOC, and (iii) indirect effects of climate change, such as through wildfires, have a greater impact on SOC than direct climate change effects (e.g., from rising temperatures). The findings of our study provide strong evidence to assist decision-makers in safeguarding SOC stocks and promoting land management practices for SOC restoration. Furthermore, they serve as a crucial research roadmap, identifying areas that require attention to fill the knowledge gaps concerning the factors driving changes in SOC.

Decreasing elevational gradient in peak photosynthesis timing on the Tibetan Plateau

The Tibetan Plateau has experienced elevation-dependent climate warming, which has profoundly influenced the seasonal dynamics of plant growth. However, how peak photosynthesis timing (DOYPmax), a key component of plant growth seasonality, responds to climate change on the Tibetan Plateau remains unclear. Here, we investigated the change in the elevational gradient in DOYPmax on the Tibetan Plateau during 2001–2018 and its drivers. We mapped the primary climatic constraint on plant photosynthesis and found that it was temperature at 3000–4000 m a.s.l. in the central and eastern parts but soil water at 4000–5000 m a.s.l. in the southwestern part. DOYPmax increased by 1.0 ± 0.1 days/100 m with increasing elevation from 3000 to 5000 m a.s.l., but the elevational gradient in DOYPmax decreased by -0.8 ± 0.2 days/100 m/decade during 2001–2018 due to both direct and indirect effects of climate change. Specifically, at 3000–4000 m a.s.l., DOYPmax was delayed because of the direct effect of the increase in soil water. At 4000–5000 m a.s.l., DOYPmax advanced due to the warming-induced earlier green-up date in the central plateau and the drought-induced later spring phenology in the southwestern plateau. Such a change in plant growth seasonality should alter seasonal carbon cycle of alpine ecosystems, summer diets of the migrant herbivores and alpine plant–animal interactions along elevation gradients, but further efforts are needed to clarify how herbivores that migrate long distances, e.g., Tibetan antelope, adapt to changes in the elevational gradient in peak plant growth timing.

Cascading, interactive, and indirect effects of climate change on aquatic communities, habitats, and ecosystems

AbstractClimate‐change is rapidly and intensively altering aquatic communities and habitats. While previous work has focused on direct effects of potential drivers, indirect and interactive effects on organisms and ecosystems have received less attention. Here, we give an overview of contributions to a special issue in Limnology and Oceanography that addresses this knowledge gap. Contributions covered diverse habitats, from polar to tropical regions, alpine streams to coral reefs. Several studies relied on time‐series to identify indirect effects, thus emphasizing our need to maintain high‐quality time‐series data. Time‐series are particularly crucial now that the pace of climate‐change on aquatic‐ecosystems is accelerating. Another common theme is the role of species‐specific characteristics in physiology, behavior or genetics in aquatic ecosystem function. The addition of inter‐ and intra‐specific variability to investigations of climate‐change may be challenging particularly since ecosystem studies typically involve a large parameter space of environmental and biological variables across spatial and temporal scales. However, the results demonstrate that inclusion of species‐specific dynamics, although challenging, can deliver mechanistic insights into aquatic ecosystem patterns and processes. Some contributions leverage habitat changes from disturbances or climate shifts to document capacity for resilience or recovery of pelagic and benthic communities. Jointly, the results in this special issue document fruitful approaches and provide urgent information needed for deciphering aquatic ecosystem responses to climate forcings. This information is foundational if we wish to tackle the combined effects of climate change and other human impacts with maximum efficacy and minimize unintended consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.