Potential Effects Of Climate Change Research Articles

The Consequences of Unfreedom: Learning from Story Amidst a Global Climate Crisis

As the world navigates the impending consequences of climate change, Canada remains one of the few countries to reject the right to a healthy environment for its citizens within the Canadian Constitution. Although Canada purports itself to be a free and democratic society, many argue that their freedoms are continually neglected by laws that continue to disregard the environment and, therefore, their right to a healthy existence. This article is an investigation into a particular word that is woven throughout Canada’s Constitution: “freedom.” It is an investigation into the conflicting understandings of the word and how these contrasting meanings have impacted Canada’s Constitution and its relationship to land. This article analyzes the history of freedom as seen through a liberal belief system and contrasts this understanding with Indigenous concepts of freedom, as told through Haisla and Nuu-chah-nulth stories. These narratives explore how the differing concepts of freedom have affected relationships with the land and the laws that govern the land. Finally, the discussion of these themes draws upon the possibility of using story within Canada’s laws to change the Constitution’s current relationship with the land in order to mitigate the potential effects of climate change. I argue that the liberal, colonialist world view is ever present in our current legal system and is in fact facilitated through the word “freedom.” Until we begin to re-story our Constitution through a diversity of understandings and world views, Canada will continue to ignore the looming ramifications of climate change.

Biodiversity and Litter Breakdown in a Karstic Freshwater System (Doberdò Lake, Northeast Italy) in Relation to Water Level Fluctuations and Environmental Features

The present study reports seasonal data about chemico-physical trends, macrobenthic invertebrates, and Phragmites australis decomposition rates within a karstic freshwater system in the western classic Karst. Results presented herein were compared with those obtained from the same system five years ago. Chemico-physical data showed higher temperatures and lower levels of pH and conductivity than in the past. The macrobenthic invertebrate community varied through the seasons and through the years, though they are dominated by few taxa, such as Asellus and Gammarus. These shredders were the most abundant functional feeding guild, playing a pivotal role in the decomposition of the vegetal organic matter. Decomposition rates k ranged between 0.009 and 0.016 days−1 and varied seasonally. k values were different from those previously reported for the investigated system. Differences are mainly due to changes in water supply, depending on decreasing rainfall regimes and hydrometric levels of the Soča River, which showed lower levels than in the previous study. Changes in water supply altered the fluctuating pulse that is typical of ephemeral karstic lakes, changing the system dynamics. Potential effects of climate change on local scale are also discussed.

Climate Change Reveals Contractions and Expansions in the Distribution of Suitable Habitats for the Neglected Crop Wild Relatives of the Genus Vigna (Savi) in Benin

Sustainable conservation of crop wild relatives is one of the pathways to securing global food security amid climate change threats to biodiversity. However, their conservation is partly limited by spatio-temporal distribution knowledge gaps mostly because they are not morphologically charismatic species to attract conservation attention. Therefore, to contribute to the conservation planning of crop wild relatives, this study assessed the present-day distribution and predicted the potential effect of climate change on the distribution of 15 Vigna crop wild relative taxa in Benin under two future climate change scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) at the 2055-time horizon. MaxEnt model, species occurrence records, and a combination of climate- and soil-related variables were used. The model performed well (AUC, mean = 0.957; TSS, mean = 0.774). The model showed that (i) precipitation of the driest quarter and isothermality were the dominant environmental variables influencing the distribution of the 15 wild Vigna species in Benin; (ii) about half of the total land area of Benin was potentially a suitable habitat of the studied species under the present climate; (iii) nearly one-third of the species may shift their potentially suitable habitat ranges northwards and about half of the species may lose their suitable habitats by 5 to 40% by 2055 due to climate change; and (iv) the existing protected area network in Benin was ineffective in conserving wild Vigna under the current or future climatic conditions, as it covered only about 10% of the total potentially suitable habitat of the studied species. The study concludes that climate change will have both negative and positive effects on the habitat suitability distribution of Vigna crop wild relatives in Benin such that the use of the existing protected areas alone may not be the only best option to conserve the wild Vigna diversity. Integrating multiple in situ and ex situ conservation approaches taking into account “other effective area-based conservation measures” is recommended. This study provides a crucial step towards the development of sustainable conservation strategies for Vigna crop wild relatives in Benin and West Africa.

Long-Term Trends in Laying date and Fledged Young of Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica in Two Regions of the Netherlands

Since 1992, Dutch volunteers have monitored the breeding attempts of Barn Swallows on a systematic basis. For two regions – Noord-Veluwe and Twente – a dataset of 27 years (1992–2018) was available. This paper examines the timing of breeding and the number of fledglings per successful breeding attempt. As spring and summer weather in Western Europe became on average warmer during this period, we analysed whether Barn Swallows adapted to this shift. The laying date of first broods advanced on average 2.3 days per ten years. The average advancement of laying date of second broods was 2.9 days per decade. The average number of fledglings per successful breeding attempt was constant over time, but showed large inter-year-variation. First broods consistently produced 0.6 fledglings more than second broods. These results are in line with results from similar studies in Western Europe. Contrary to our expectations, neither large scale nor local weather parameters were found to explain the advancement of laying and the number of fledged young. It is essential to study key species like Barn Swallows during all stages of their life cycle over a long time span and large spatial scale to be able to unravel potential effects of climate change. Our study demonstrates that volunteers can contribute essential demographic data. Ideally, these demographic parameters would be monitored with individually marked (colour-ringed) birds. Frequent quality checks and feedback to volunteers are key to maximize the quality of the data collected through long-term volunteer surveys.

Ecological Influences on Coastal Finfish Recruitment

Florida is experiencing many human and climate-related changes to the aquatic environment that can affect fish. Lost or altered habitat, for instance, can lead to changes in fish populations that may impact survival, growth, or recruitment of those populations. Recruitment influences how many adult fish are later available for spawning and continuing the population. Understanding recruitment and how it is affected by ecological influences is important for considering the potential effects of ongoing climate change, as well as restoration and management of water quality and habitat. This publication provides background information useful to anyone interested in understanding more about factors affecting fish populations and should be especially useful to Extension agents and management agency personnel who would like an overview of these topics before engaging with stakeholders.

A temperature‐driven model of phenological mismatch provides insights into the potential impacts of climate change on consumer–resource interactions

Anthropogenic climate change increasingly affects species phenology. Because trophic interactions often occur at specific phenological stages, changes in one species' phenology may affect others through phenological mismatch. When a consumer and a resource both exhibit a seasonal resting period, the synchrony of the end of their respective resting periods is fundamental for the persistence of their interaction. Since the consumer and its resource may react differently to changes in temperature regime, the synchrony between them could be altered. We investigate potential effects of climate change on species' synchrony. We propose a general model that determines the duration of the resting period according to temperature, and its effects on the mismatch between phenological stages of two interacting species. We illustrate our approach using the spruce budworm–balsam fir system in eastern Canada. We find that an increase in temperature advances the end of the resting period. However, the effects of a warm or cold spell during the resting period strongly vary according to the timing and the duration of the spell. Depending on how a consumer and its resource react to the same temperature shift, the mismatch between them may increase or decrease. The spruce budworm–balsam fir model predicts that an increase in temperature may increase the mismatch between the insect and the tree in southern sites, but may increase the synchrony in northern sites. This modelling approach is of prime importance to investigate potential effects of climate change on consumer–resource systems.

Climate change leads to higher NPP at the end of the century in the Antarctic Tundra: Response patterns through the lens of lichens

Poikilohydric autotrophs are the main colonizers of the permanent ice-free areas in the Antarctic tundra biome. Global climate warming and the small human footprint in this ecosystem make it especially vulnerable to abrupt changes. Elucidating the effects of climate change on the Antarctic ecosystem is challenging because it mainly comprises poikilohydric species, which are greatly influenced by microtopographic factors. In the present study, we investigated the potential effects of climate change on the metabolic activity and net primary photosynthesis (NPP) in the widespread lichen species Usnea aurantiaco-atra. Long-term monitoring of chlorophyll a fluorescence in the field was combined with photosynthetic performance measurements in laboratory experiments in order to establish the daily response patterns under biotic and abiotic factors at micro- and macro-scales. Our findings suggest that macroclimate is a poor predictor of NPP, thereby indicating that microclimate is the main driver due to the strong effects of microtopographic factors on cryptogams. Metabolic activity is also crucial for estimating the NPP, which is highly dependent on the type, distribution, and duration of the hydration sources available throughout the year. Under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5, metabolic activity will increase slightly compared with that at present due to the increased precipitation events predicted in MIROC5. Temperature is highlighted as the main driver for NPP projections, and thus climate warming will lead to an average increase in NPP of 167–171% at the end of the century. However, small changes in other drivers such as light and relative humidity may strongly modify the metabolic activity patterns of poikilohydric autotrophs, and thus their NPP. Species with similar physiological response ranges to the species investigated in the present study are expected to behave in a similar manner provided that liquid water is available.

POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY ON CATTLE FARMING IN KENYA

Purpose: Increase in variability and change in temperature and rainfall patterns are being experienced in many parts of the world including Eastern Africa. Changes in temperature and rainfall extremes are already being experienced in many parts of the world and Kenya is not an exception. The overall objective of this study was to assess the potential effects of extreme climate variability and change on livestock in the ASALs of Kenya.
 Methodology: The paper used a desk study review methodology where relevant empirical literature was reviewed to identify main themes and to extract knowledge gaps.
 Results: The study observed that during the period of abnormal wetness, cattle populations were higher than those of the abnormal dryness thus climate affects cattle population. From the projections, the study concludes that there are chances of high negative effect of abnormal dryness for the period 2030-2040 over the study area.
 Unique Contribution to Theory and Practice: Findings from the study can be used in the planning and management of the livestock sector in the ASALs of Kenya and support national sustainable development planning. The information from this study can be used by the policy makers to develop policies that can address the problem of high livestock mortality due to extreme weather and climate conditions in the country. Further studies on the effects of climate change on other aspects of livestock such as forage as well as methodology way to distinguish human factors from climate factors that affect livestock farming should be conducted.

Long-Term Dynamics and Response to Climate Change of Different Vegetation Types Using GIMMS NDVI3g Data over Amathole District in South Africa

Monitoring vegetation dynamics is essential for improving our understanding of how natural and managed agricultural landscapes respond to climate variability and change in the long term. Amathole District Municipality (ADM) in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa has been majorly threatened by climate variability and change during the last decades. This study explored long-term dynamics of vegetation and its response to climate variations using the satellite-derived normalized difference vegetation index from the third-generation Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS NDVI3g) and the ERA5-Land global reanalysis product. A non-parametric trend and partial correlation analyses were used to evaluate the long-term vegetation changes and the role of climatic variables (temperature, precipitation, solar radiation and wind speed) during the period 1981–2015. The results of the ADM’s seasonal NDVI3g characteristics suggested that negative vegetation changes (browning trends) dominated most of the landscape from winter to summer while positive (greening) trends dominated in autumn during the study period. Much of these changes were reflected in forest landscapes with a higher coefficient of variation (CV ≈ 15) than other vegetation types (CV ≈ 10). In addition, the pixel-wise correlation analyses indicated a positive (negative) relationship between the NDVI3g and the ERA5-Land precipitation in spring–autumn (winter) seasons, while the reverse was the case with other climatic variables across vegetation types. However, the relationships between the NDVI3g and the climatic variables were relatively low (R < 0.5) across vegetation types and seasons, the results somewhat suggest the potential role of atmospheric variations in vegetation changes in ADM. The findings of this study provide invaluable insights into potential consequences of climate change and the need for well-informed decisions that underpin the evaluation and management of regional vegetation and forest resources.

Climate change impacts shifting landscape of the dairy industry in Hawai'i.

Proper knowledge and understanding of climatic variability across different seasons are important in farm management. To learn more about the potential effects of climate change on dairying in Hawaii, we conducted a study on site-specific climate characterization using several variables including rainfall, wind speed (WS), solar radiation, and temperature, at two dairy farms located on Hawai`i Island, Hawai`i, in Ookala named “OK DAIRY” and in Upolu Point named “UP DAIRY.” Temperature–humidity index (THI) and WS variations in the hottest four months (June to September) were analyzed to determine when critical thresholds that affect animal health are exceeded. Rainfall data were used to estimate the capacity of forage production in 6-mo wet (November to April) and dry (May to October) seasons. Future projections of temperature and rainfall were assessed using mid- and end-century gridded data products for low (RCP 4.5) and high emissions (RCP 8.5) scenarios. Our results showed that the “OK DAIRY” site received higher rainfall than the “UP DAIRY” site, favoring grass growth and forage availability. In addition, the “UP DAIRY” site was more stressful for animals during the summer (THI 69 to 73) than the “OK DAIRY” site (THI 67 to 70) as the THI exceeded the critical threshold of 68, which is conducive for high-lactating cattle. On the “UP DAIRY” site, the THI did not drop below 68 during the summer nights, which created fewer opportunities for cattle to recover from heat stress. Future projections indicated that air temperature would increase 1.3 to 1.8 °C by mid-century and 1.6 to 3.2 °C by the end-century at both farms, and rainfall will increase at the “OK DAIRY” site and decrease at the “UP DAIRY” site by the end-century. The agriculture and livestock industries, particularly the dairy and beef subsectors in Hawai`i, are vulnerable to climate changes as higher temperatures and less rainfall will have adverse effects on cattle. The findings in this study demonstrated how both observed and projected changes in climate support the development of long-term strategies for breeding and holistic livestock management practices to adapt to changing climate conditions.

Climate change does not decouple interactions between a central‐place‐foraging predator and its migratory prey

AbstractLittle is known about potential cascading effects of climate change on the ability of predators to exploit mobile aggregations of prey with a spatiotemporal distribution largely determined by climatic conditions. If predators employ central‐place foraging when rearing offspring, the ability of parents to locate sufficient prey could be reduced by climate change. In the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, migratory species dominate mammalian herbivore biomass. These migratory herds exploit nutrient‐rich vegetation on the southern plains in the rainy season and surface water in the northwest in the dry season. Female spotted hyenas Crocuta crocuta breed throughout the year and use long‐distance central‐place‐foraging “commuting trips” to migratory herds to fuel lactation for ≥12 months. Changes in rainfall patterns that alter prey movements may decrease the ability of mothers to locate profitable foraging areas and thus increase their overall commuting effort, particularly for high‐ranking females that have priority of access to food resources within their clan territory and thus less commuting experience. In hyena clan territories, this may be reflected by a decrease in migratory herd presence and a decrease in the presence of lactating females, as maternal den presence represents the opposite of commuting effort. We investigated the strength of the relationship between rainfall volume, migratory herd presence in three hyena clan territories, and the responses of lactating females to this climate/prey relationship in terms of maternal den presence, using an observation‐based dataset spanning three decades. The probability of migratory herd presence in hyena clan territories increased with the amount of rainfall 2 months earlier, and maternal den presence increased with migratory herd presence. Rainfall volume substantially increased over 30 years, whereas the presence of migratory herds in hyena clans and the strength of the relationship between rainfall and migratory herd presence decreased. Hyenas thus adjusted well to the climate change‐induced decreased the presence of migratory herds in their territories, since maternal den presence did not decrease over 30 years and still matched periods of high prey abundance, irrespective of female social status. These results suggest a high plasticity in the response of this keystone predator to environmental variability.

How vulnerable are holoparasitic plants with obligate hosts to negative climate change impacts?

One of the anthropogenic causes affecting species distribution is climate change, which has significant implications for species conservation. However, little is known about the effects of changes in parasitic plant distribution on community-level interactions. Parasitic flowering plants make a limited numerical contribution to biodiversity. Their lifestyle may exhibit a moderate to the high degree of host dependence. Because of this host dependence, parasites may be more affected by environmental changes, such as climate change, compared to autotrophic representatives. To our knowledge, the effects of different climate change scenarios and their environmental variables on parasitic plants and their hosts have not yet been studied. This study aimed to construct a model which shows the current and future potential effects of climate change on the distribution of the two holoparasitic plants Hydnora abyssinica A.Br., and H. africana Thunb. in comparison to their respective Fabaceae and Euphorbiaceae hosts. We projected the future distribution of these species and their host plants using five models, nine bioclimatic, and five environmental variables. The global circulation model (CMIP5) for the years 2050 and 2070, applying two representative concentration pathways scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) projected a 41–64% contraction of suitable habitats for H. abyssinica. For H. africana, more stable conditions are estimated, with a 12–28% contraction in suitable habitats, making this species putatively less prone to climate change effects, although this species has a more restricted distribution compared to H. abyssinica. Because climate change could affect the host differently than the parasites, the impact on the parasite could potentially be exacerbated due to host plant dependence. The models predict that the host plant distribution will be less affected, except for Vachelia Karroo, Vachellia xanthophloea, and Euphorbia gregaria, which indicated high contraction (40–66%). The predicted host species distribution ranges will only partially overlap with the respective distribution of the parasite.

A spatial freshwater thermal resilience landscape for informing conservation planning and climate change adaptation strategies

Abstract Identifying thermal resilience hotspots in freshwater systems enables targeted conservation action, and defining relative ecosystem resilience is important for evaluating the potential consequences of climate change for aquatic ecosystems. The thermal resilience of a river is likely to be affected by variables such as stream order, groundwater depth, flow predictability, water yield (precipitation minus evaporation) and catchment transformation. A database of values for these variables indicating resilience against thermal stress was developed for all sub‐catchments in South Africa. Radar plots show the relative importance of the five variables potentially affecting system resilience. The resilience scores (from 0 to 1) for each variable were summed to generate a total resilience score for each sub‐catchment and used to generate a map of system resilience to thermal stress for South Africa. This was extended to show hotspots in South Africa where river systems were most likely to show high resilience. These areas, in association with other criteria such as conservation value, provide an additional metric for prioritizing freshwater focal areas for restoration and conservation intervention, and identifying climate change refugia.

Norovirus Genogroup II Epidemics and the Potential Effect of Climate Change on Norovirus Transmission in Taiwan.

The activity of norovirus varies from season to season, and the effect of climate change on the incidence of norovirus outbreaks is a widely recognized yet poorly understood phenomenon. Investigation of the possible association between climatic factors and the incidence of norovirus is key to a better understanding of the epidemiology of norovirus and early prediction of norovirus outbreaks. In this study, clinical stool samples from acute gastroenteritis outbreaks were collected from January 2015 to June 2019 in Taiwan. Data analysis from our study indicated that more than half of the cases were reported in the winter and spring seasons, including those caused by norovirus of genotypes GII (genogroup II).2, GII.3, GII.6, and GII.17, and 45.1% of the patients who tested positive for norovirus were infected by the GII.4 norovirus in autumn. However, GII.6 norovirus accounted for a higher proportion of the cases reported in summer than any other strain. Temperature is a crucial factor influencing patterns of epidemic outbreaks caused by distinct genotypes of norovirus. The results of this study may help experts predict and issue early public warnings of norovirus transmission and understand the effect of climate change on norovirus outbreaks caused by different genotypes and occurring in different locations.

Assessment of water policies contributions for sustainable water resources management under climate change scenarios

Economic development alongside unsustained population growth are among the leading factors of hydrological depletion. Facing climate change impacts, long-term policy planning via scenario analysis is an essential tool to ensure water security. This investigation utilized an approach based on numerical model experiments and sustainability indexes to assess the impact of public policies for water resources management over a long-term horizon. Streamflow projections (2011–2099) from the hydrological model MHD-INPE (Distributed Hydrological Model – National Institute for Space Research) were evaluated as means to investigate water supply scenarios. Monthly flows were accounted into 30-year moving average intervals. Sustainability Indexes were then calculated to evaluate the performance of a water system as IPCC’s Specific Warming Levels were reached. In this study, the contribution of public policies for water resources sustainability under climate change scenarios in the Paraíba do Sul river basin, which supports the water supply of the two major Brazilian metropolitan areas, were analyzed. Results indicated that the system will operate with more stress facing climate change impacts. Finally, the assessment of water availability scenarios is concluded to benefit decision-makers in incorporating adaptation measures, identifying uncertainties, and foreseeing potential effects of climate change.

Climate change and New Zealand’s groundwater resources: A methodology to support adaptation

Study regionHawke’s Bay and Otago regions, North and South Islands, New Zealand (NZ). Study focusEvidence that climate change affects groundwater is emerging, but a complete understanding of the processes and impacts on the resources remains limited in most countries, including NZ. This paper presents a methodology to explore the potential effects of climate change on groundwater for an envelope of future climate scenarios (i.e., low and high greenhouse gas emissions; mid- and end-century). The methodology uses national and sub-national datasets and models and is applied to two case studies (Hawke’s Bay and Otago). Its structure allows for future implementation in other NZ regions. New hydrological insights for the regionResults are provided as projected changes in precipitation minus evapotranspiration, rainfall recharge to groundwater (RR) and water table elevation. General water quantity reductions are projected for Hawke's Bay (e.g., RR reduced by up to −1.5 mm/d), and more limited and variable changes for Otago (e.g., RR varying between +/- 0.4 mm/d).We then present a discussion about furthering the science of climate change effects on groundwater, characterisation of climate change uncertainty and unique effects, and adaptation in the NZ context. We anticipate that our results, despite limitations and uncertainty, can enable adaptation actions without delay. We recommend integrated and adaptive approaches, including action effectiveness monitoring and community engagement, to develop resilience to climate change threats.

Composition and functioning of the soil microbiome in the highest altitudes of the Italian Alps and potential effects of climate change

As the European Alps are experiencing a strong climate warming, this study analyzed the soil microbiome at different altitudes and among different vegetation types at the Stelvio Pass (Italian Alps), aiming to (i) characterize the composition and functional potential of the microbiome of soils and their gene expression during the peak vegetative stage; (ii) explore the potential short-term (using open-top chambers) and long-term (space-for-time substitutions) effects of increasing temperature on the alpine soil microbiome. We found that the functional potential of the soil microbiome and its expression differed among vegetation types. Microbial α-diversity increased along the altitudinal gradient. At lower altitude, shrubland had the highest proportion of fungi, which was correlated with higher amounts of CAZymes, specific for degrading fungal biomass and recalcitrant plant biopolymers. Subalpine upward vegetation shift could lead a possible loss of species of alpine soils. Shrub encroachment may accelerate higher recalcitrant C decomposition and reduce total ecosystem C storage, increasing the efflux of CO2 to the atmosphere with a positive feedback to warming. A total of 5 years of warming had no effect on the composition and functioning of microbial communities, indicating that longer-term warming experiments are needed to investigate the effects of temperature increases on the soil microbiome.

Assessment of climate change impacts on one of the rarest apes on Earth, the Cao Vit Gibbon Nomascus nasutus

The Cao Vit Gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) is a critically endangered species of gibbon that was historically wide-ranging but is now known to occupy only one forest patch that straddles the China-Vietnam border. While past and current threats to the species include poaching and habitat destruction, the potential effects of global climate change on this species and its current habitat are still poorly known. Species Distribution Modeling (SDM) is often used to predict the risk of potential species distribution shifts in response to climate change and inform conservation planning including restoration and reintroduction efforts. Here, we present optimally tuned SDMs to predict climatically suitable habitat for N. nasutus, projected under a range of future climate change scenarios. Our SDMs showed high predictive performance and successfully predicted the current known range, but also showed expected areas of overprediction to a much wider area that likely reflects the historical distribution of the Cao Vit Gibbon across southern China and northern Vietnam. SDMs that projected across a range of future scenarios estimated an overall loss in total area of climatically suitable habitat, with the average value of about -23,000 km2 in 2041 – 2060 period and about -25,000 km2 in 2061 – 2080 period, compared to the current predicted range, but they also predicted the currently occupied Trung Khanh-Jingxi Forest as suitable across all future scenarios. Thus, some of the predicted climatically suitable areas that are close to the current known range may be worth targeting for future habitat restoration and population re-establishment and recovery efforts, while balancing other threats and management concerns.

Climate change: Will the parties unite or divide?

Climate change: Will the parties unite or divide?

Climate advocacy among Italian pediatric pulmonologists: A national survey on the effects of climate change on respiratory allergies.

Climate change (CC) is expected to negatively impact respiratory health due to air pollution and increased aeroallergen exposure. Children are among the most vulnerable populations due to high ventilation rates, small peripheral airways, and developing respiratory and immunological systems. To assess the current knowledge among Italian pediatric pulmonologists on the potential effects of CC on pediatric respiratory allergic diseases, a national survey was launched online from February 2020 to February 2021. The members of the Italian Pediatric Respiratory Society (SIMRI) were contacted by email and 117 questionnaires were returned (response rate 16.4%). 72.6% of respondents were females, 53.8% were academic pediatricians, 42.7% had been working >10 years. Most of the participants were aware of the potential health effects of CC and stated that they had noticed an increase in the incidence (90.6%) and severity (67.5%) of allergic respiratory diseases among their patients. About 61% and 41% of participants respectively felt that there had been an increase in the number of children sensitized to pollen and molds. When applying latent class analysis to identify the features characterizing participants with greater awareness and knowledge of CC‐related health effects, two classes were identified: almost 60% of the participants were labeled as “poor knowledge” and those with greater awareness were older, had longer work experience, and were those using the Internet to gather information about CC. There is urgent need to increase pediatricians' awareness of the detrimental effects of CC on children's respiratory health and integrate them in the educational programs of healthcare professionals.