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Bibliography on: Climate Change

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ESP: PubMed Auto Bibliography 27 Apr 2025 at 02:01 Created: 

Climate Change

The world is warming up, with 2023 being by far the hottest year since record keeping began and 2024 shaping up to be hotter yet. But these changes only involve one or two degrees. What's the big deal?

The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one liter of water by one degree is one kilocalorie (kcal). Scaling up, the amount of energy required for a one-degree increase in the water temperature of the Gulf of Mexico is 2,434,000,000,000,000,000 kcals. That's 25 million times more energy than released by the WW-II atomic bomb that destroyed the city of Hiroshima and killed more than 100,000 people.

So, for every one degree increase in water temperature, the Gulf of Mexico takes on 25-million atomic bombs worth of new energy, which is then available to fuel hurricanes and other storms. Maybe a one-degree rise in temperature is a big deal.

Created with PubMed® Query: (( "climate change"[TITLE] OR "global warming"[TITLE] )) NOT pmcbook NOT ispreviousversion

Citations The Papers (from PubMed®)

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RevDate: 2025-04-26
CmpDate: 2025-04-25

Casanova-Martínez C, Espino-Paisán E, Buján-de-Gonzalo L, et al (2025)

[Inhaled Respiratory Therapy and Global Warming].

Farmaceuticos comunitarios, 17(2):21-29.

INTRODUCTION: Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) propellants used in current pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs) act as potent greenhouse gases, contributing to global warming. The objective of this study is to analyse the type and pattern of use of inhaler use in the Galician population, as well as to assess its impact on the carbon footprint.

METHODOLOGY: This is an observational, descriptive, and retrospective study conducted in the autonomous community of Galicia in 2023. It included patients receiving pharmaceutical care from the Galician Health Service (SERGAS) who are being treated with bronchial inhalers for the management of their respiratory conditions.

RESULTS: A total of 1.711.344 inhaler units were dispensed, equivalent to a carbon footprint of 15.247.142 kg CO2eq. pMDIs accounted for 43,17% (738.707) of the units dispensed in 2023, corresponding to almost 95,43% of the carbon footprint emitted by inhalers, with HFA-134a being the most used propellant (669.907 units).

CONCLUSIONS: pMDIs contribute to global warming, generating nearly the entire carbon footprint emitted by inhalers used in respiratory therapy. SERGAS has implemented several strategies to reduce the environmental impact caused by pMDIs.

RevDate: 2025-04-26

Hill G, Gauci C, Assis J, et al (2025)

Turning the Tide: A 2°C Increase in Heat Tolerance Can Halve Climate Change-Induced Losses in Four Cold-Adapted Kelp Species.

Ecology and evolution, 15(4):e71271.

Kelp forests are susceptible to climate change, as their sessile nature and low dispersal capacity hinder tracking of suitable conditions. The emergence of a wide array of approaches to increasing thermal tolerance seeks to change the outlook of biodiversity in a changing climate but lacks clear targets of impactful thermal resilience. Here, we utilize species distribution models (SDMs) to evaluate the potential of enhanced thermal tolerance to buffer the effects of climate change on cold-adapted kelp species: Saccharina latissima, Alaria esculenta, Laminaria hyperborea, and Laminaria digitata. For each species, we compared a baseline model-where the thermal niche remained unchanged-to models where the simulated maximum sea surface temperature tolerance was increased by 1°C-5°C. These models were projected into three climate change scenarios: sustainability (Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) 1-1.9, Paris Agreement), regional rivalry (SSP3-7.0), and fossil-fuel development (SSP 5-8.5). Our SDMs demonstrate that an increase of 1°C-2°C in thermal tolerance could recover over 50% of predicted losses of suitable habitat for cold-adapted kelps. However, A. esculenta, a species of growing commercial interest, still faced persistent habitat contraction across all climate change scenarios and simulated tolerance increases, including up to 15% unrecovered losses under SSP5-8.5, even with a simulated 5°C increase in thermal tolerance. Our findings highlight the need for a two-pronged approach to conserve cold-adapted kelp forests: stringent reductions in greenhouse gas emission reductions in line with the SSP1-1.9 scenario, and strategies to boost kelp's thermal tolerance by at least 1°C-2°C. This dual approach is crucial to maintain 90% of the current suitable habitat of S. latissima and L. digitata, and 70% for A. esculenta and L. hyperborea. Relying on mitigation or adaptation alone will likely be insufficient to maintain their historic range under projected climate change.

RevDate: 2025-04-26

Zhang K, Dang Y, Li Y, et al (2024)

Impact of climate change on vaccine responses and inequity.

Nature climate change, 14(12):1216-1218.

Climate change poses a substantial threat to global health by altering environmental conditions and impacting vaccine effectiveness. We explore how climate change impacts vaccines and worsens inequities, highlighting the need for further research and targeted interventions.

RevDate: 2025-04-24
CmpDate: 2025-04-25

Ward N, Robinson K, Jacobs J, et al (2025)

Including climate change in community-based obesity prevention interventions: a qualitative exploration of the perspectives of Australian funders.

BMC public health, 25(1):1526.

BACKGROUND: Community-based obesity prevention interventions (CBOPIs) demonstrate promise as effective, cost-effective approaches to prevent obesity. Whilst CBOPI actions often focus on obesity-related outcomes, they may also have positive impacts on climate change. Actions that simultaneously address obesity and climate change are known as double-duty actions. For example, switching to active modes of transport benefits individual health, while also reducing emissions from vehicle use. Support from CBOPI funding decision-makers is crucial for intervention success; the factors influencing funding decisions are currently not well understood. This study aimed to identify factors that influence funding decisions within organisations, to determine whether funders recognise double-duty actions in CBOPIs, and which double-duty actions are preferred.

METHODS: Potential participants with CBOPI funding decision-making roles were purposively sampled and invited to participate. Potential interview participants from government and non-government organisations were identified by search engine (Google) and invited via email to partake in an interview. Sixty-five invites were emailed and seven interviews with eight participants were conducted between April-May 2023. The participating stakeholders all had health roles; four State-wide and four local government. Semi-structured interviews with eight participants were conducted over Zoom between February-May 2023. Interviews were transcribed using Zoom Transcription and analysed with the assistance of NVivo. Reflexive Thematic Analysis underpinned the data analysis and the Social Ecological Model was used to further develop the theory.

RESULTS: Results suggested that participants recognised double-duty actions and believed inclusion of climate change action in CBOPIs would improve both intervention outcomes and participant acceptability. However, participants believed that stringent funding models limit flexibility to include climate change action. This could be mitigated by incorporating climate change into strategic health plans. Community partnerships may also be an effective tool to enhance double-duty actions in CBOPIs, as they allow participants to tailor interventions to community concerns including climate change.

CONCLUSION: CBOPIs that use double-duty actions to intentionally target obesity prevention and climate change action may play an important role in addressing two critical public health issues at the community level. Whilst CBOPI funders are supportive of double-duty actions, modifications from strategy and partnerships may be required to realise the successful implementation.

RevDate: 2025-04-26
CmpDate: 2025-04-25

Farahat EA, Tashani AF, AR Mahmoud (2025)

The sensitivity and response of the threatened endemic shrub Arbutus pavarii to current and future climate change.

BMC ecology and evolution, 25(1):36.

Climate change is expected to significantly alter and modify the ecological conditions of plant distribution and growth, particularly in the Mediterranean Basin, which is considered one of the hot spots for global warming. Measuring and modeling the response (sensitivity) of wild plants to current and future climate is critical to predicting future biodiversity and ecological values. Arbutus pavarii Pamp. (family Ericaceae) is a narrow endemic Libyan medicinal plant and one of the Red List species according to the IUCN that faces the threats of extinction due to habitat deterioration, overuse, and low reproductive rates. In this study, the species distribution model (SDM) approach was used to model and forecast range shifts in Arbutus pavarii under current and future climate change scenarios at various Shared Socio-economic Pathways SSP1-2.6 (lowest emission scenario) and SSP5-8.5 (highest emission scenario) for the years 2050s and 2070s. The modeling results indicate that the current highly suitable areas of the plant will decrease in the future compared to the low and moderate ones. The distribution range of A. pavarii will increase under lower emission scenarios (SSP1-2.6, 2050s) by 1.12% but under higher emission scenarios (SSP5-8.5, 2070s), the suitability of the habitat will decrease by 1.39%. Given the low reproductive fitness and the anticipated rise in air temperature, A. pavarii is likely to encounter greater challenges in its natural existence and dispersal. Lands with high elevation and precipitation are suitable for its future distribution. We recommend further ecophysiological and tree-ring studies on this species to investigate its growth-climate relationship and performance under drought conditions. The in-situ conservation of A. pavarii as well as its cultivation in the projected high and moderate habitats are recommended. Local community engagement may be beneficial in any conservation program for this species.

RevDate: 2025-04-26

Elshewey AM, Jamjoom MM, EH Alkhammash (2025)

An enhanced CNN with ResNet50 and LSTM deep learning forecasting model for climate change decision making.

Scientific reports, 15(1):14372.

Climate change poses a significant challenge to wind energy production. It involves long-term, noticeable changes in key climatic factors such as wind power, temperature, wind speed, and wind patterns. Addressing climate change is essential to safeguarding our environment, societies, and economies. In this context, accurately forecasting temperature and wind power becomes crucial for ensuring the stable operation of wind energy systems and for effective power system planning and management. Numerous approaches to wind change forecasting have been proposed including both traditional forecasting models and deep learning models. Traditional forecasting models have limitations since they cannot describe the complex nonlinear relationship in climatic data, resulting in low forecasting accuracy. Deep learning techniques have promising non-linear processing capabilities in weather forecasting. To further advance the integration of deep learning in climate change forecasting, we have developed a hybrid model called CNN-ResNet50-LSTM, comprising a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), a Deep Convolutional Network (ResNet50), and a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model to predict two climate change factors: temperature and wind power. The experiment was conducted using three publicly available datasets: Wind Turbine Scada (Scada) Dataset, Saudi Arabia Weather history (SA) dataset, and Wind Power Generation Data for 4 locations (WPG) dataset. The forecasting accuracy is evaluated using several evaluation metrics, including the coefficient of determination ([Formula: see text]), Mean Squared Error (MSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Median Absolute Error (MedAE) and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE). The proposed CNN-ResNet50-LSTM model was also compared to five regression models: Dummy Regressor (DR), Kernel Ridge Regressor (KRR), Decision Tree Regressor (DTR), Extra Trees Regressor (ETR), and Stochastic Gradient Descent Regressor (SGDR). Findings revealed that CNN-ResNet50-LSTM model achieved the best performance, with [Formula: see text] scores of 98.84% for wind power forecasting in the Scada dataset, 99.01% for temperature forecasting in the SA dataset, 98.58% for temperature forecasting and 98.35% for wind power forecasting in the WPG dataset. The CNN-ResNet50-LSTM model demonstrated promising potential in forecasting both temperature and wind power. Additionally, we applied the CNN-ResNet50-LSTM model to predict climate changes up to 2030 using historical data, providing insights that highlight its potential for future forecasting and decision-making.

RevDate: 2025-04-24

Towolawi AT, Oguntoke O, Bada BS, et al (2025)

Thermal stress indication for heat-related illnesses by climate change in Nigeria using multivariate analysis.

International journal of biometeorology [Epub ahead of print].

Biometeorology typifies climate change threats with indices such as the thermal stress index (TSI) for heat-related illnesses. The study aimed to evaluate the actual TSI (which has five categories: TSI < 27 (safe), 27 < TSI < 32 (heat fatigue), 32 < TSI < 41 (sunstroke and heat exhaustion), 41 < TSI < 54 (sunstroke and heat cramps), and TSI > 54 (sunstroke, heat stroke and heat confusion, or delirium) across four rain-fed provinces (Markudi in Benue state, Benin in Edo state, Minna in Niger state and Ondo in Ondo state) using 32-year (1987-2018) monthly temperature and relative humidity data obtained from Nigeria Meteorology Services, Abuja. The TSI was computed for each state, and its average was compared across the states. Pearson's correlation momentum (PCM), Normal probability residual plot (NPRP), Multiple regression analysis (MRA), and Principal component analysis (PCA) were also adopted. The results showed that there were more heat fatigue indications in the dry periods than in the wet period in the Benin environment; nearly one-third of the study years (12 out of 32 years) indicated heat fatigue, denoting prevalence of climate change (CC) effects in Ondo State and environs. The order of occurrences of heat fatigue (27 < TSI < 32) in Minna and its environs were peculiar to April > March > May with 21, 7, and 6 values of occurrences, respectively. Both 2004 and 2018 had 4-month with the highest indication of heat fatigue (27 < TSI < 32) in Makurdi environs. The multivariate analysis: PCM, NPRP, MRA, and PCA indicated various monthly strong TSI associations at 0.01 level of statistics; valid and established homoscedasticity for the model; significant reduced effects in February, June and October while increased effect in September; and the seven wet season, four dry season (November to February), and March had 47, 19 and 10% variance across component 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The study concluded that the most prevalent TSI category was fatigue, against which the study advised healthcare education for dwellers and their environs to cope with the CC effects.

RevDate: 2025-04-24

Kidd SA, Rosenbaum D, Rotenberg M, et al (2025)

Climate change and schizophrenia: Implications and directions.

Schizophrenia research, 280:114-116 pii:S0920-9964(25)00150-1 [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2025-04-24

Chahrour M, Wulf C, P Zapp (2025)

Assessing climate change impact of blue ammonia via carbon capture and utilization in life cycle modelling.

Journal of environmental management, 383:125438 pii:S0301-4797(25)01414-8 [Epub ahead of print].

Ammonia production represents a fundamental aspect of the global chemical industry. It is a significant contributor to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and it is necessary that innovative methods be developed to reduce its climate impact. This study assesses the environmental impact of blue ammonia production incorporating carbon capture and utilization (CCU) through a novel Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach, based on the latest guidelines from the Together for Sustainability (TfS) initiative. This analysis is centred on three systems: grey ammonia (System A), blue ammonia with in-process carbon capture (System B), and blue ammonia utilizing system expansion via direct air capture (DAC) (System C). The results demonstrate that the production of grey ammonia in Germany generates 3.12 kgCO2eq per kg of ammonia, predominantly due to emissions from steam methane reforming (SMR). The incorporation of in-process CO2 capture in blue ammonia (System B) results in a climate impact of 1.79 kgCO2eq for the functional unit of 1 kg ammonia plus 1.85 kg of succesfully captured CO2. The implementation of system expansion via DAC (System C), as recommended by the TfS guidelines, results in a further reduction of ammonia emissions to 2.64 kgCO2eq, in comparison to System A. This approach also yields a net negative impact of -0.85 kgCO2eq for the captured CO2 co-product, enabling the realization of the shared incentivization objective articulated in the suggested guideline. The regional scenarios convincingly demonstrate that the proposed approach achieves varying levels of success, often leading to more polarized incentivization. The future scenario will significantly enhance the benefits of CCU and the utilization of CO2 as a co-product. However, this will be at the expense of incentivizing the production of blue ammonia. This work advances the methodologies for LCA of multi-functional CCU systems, demonstrating the potential for shared incentives in the transition to a new ammonia generation system as a prime example. Nonetheless, it also highlights limitations in regions where the energy source is dominated by fossil fuels or where the energy source is fully renewable. The current TfS framework methodology proposition is therefore a short-term solution to promote the sustainable production of blue ammonia with CCU applications.

RevDate: 2025-04-24

Lin Y, Osman NA, Tang S, et al (2025)

A sustainable industrial waste control with AI for predicting CO2 for climate change monitoring.

Journal of environmental management, 383:125338 pii:S0301-4797(25)01314-3 [Epub ahead of print].

As the challenge of climate change continues to grow, we need creative solutions to predict better and track industrial waste carbon emissions, focusing on sustainable waste management practices. The present study proposes a state-of-the-art Metaverse framework that puts artificial intelligence into action in predicting carbon emissions using energy use patterns and industrial social factors. At the heart of this framework lies a hybrid deep learning model combining convolutional neural networks and Long-term, short-term memory to model complicated spatial and temporal dependencies inherent in data. Further, gradient-boosting machines have been added to improve predictive performance by modeling the nonlinear relationship and interaction between features. The Metaverse environment enables a dynamic and interactive platform for real-time climate monitoring, allowing users to visualize and analyze the impacts of different energy and socio-economic scenarios on carbon emissions. Instead of traditional models, the Metaverse provides an immersive experience with deep knowledge of complex spatial relationships. This interactive capacity allows users to engage with the data more in an adaptable way. The proposed hybrid model achieves 99.5 % predictive accuracy, R2 = 0.995 for carbon emissions, and 99.2 % R[2]=0.992 for energy consumption compared to traditional methods. Such high accuracy underlines how effective deep learning techniques are combined with ensemble methods in capturing multifaceted climate data. Therefore, the outcome that brings out this AI-driven Metaverse is a potent tool for policymakers and researchers to make informed decisions to mitigate the impact of climate change. This framework consolidates diverse data sources in an immersing virtual environment, making it a very advanced tool in the climate science landscape by providing a comprehensive solution for predicting and monitoring carbon emissions.

RevDate: 2025-04-24
CmpDate: 2025-04-24

Stage A, Vermund MC, Bølling M, et al (2025)

The impact of a school garden program on children's food literacy, climate change literacy, school motivation, and physical activity: A study protocol.

PloS one, 20(4):e0320574.

OBJECTIVE: FoodACT aims to investigate how school gardens affect children's food literacy (FL), climate change literacy (CCL), school motivation (SM), and physical activity (PA).

DESIGN: It comprises a multimethod, quasi-experimental inquiry into an existing Danish school garden program, Gardens to Bellies (GtB). Data will be collected using surveys, accelerometry, semi-structured and focus-group interviews. The study is preregistered with ClinicalTrials.gov (#NCT05839080).

SETTING: Six GtB school garden locations across Region Zealand and Region of Southern Denmark.

PARTICIPANTS: Fourth grade pupils attending GtB (approx. 1600) are recruited to the intervention group. Fourth grade pupils from schools not attending GtB (approx. 1600) are recruited to the control group.

INTERVENTION: Pupils grow, prepare and cook foods for meals in the school garden during eight garden sessions.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: FL, CCL and SM are measured using pre- and post-intervention surveys in both groups. Pupils participating in GtB have their PA assessed using accelerometery, and acute SM by text-message-surveys. Semi-structured and focus-groups interviews are held with garden facilitators and pupils focusing on the implementation of GtB and mechanisms related to developing FL and CCL.

ANALYSIS: The effect on FL, CCL and SM is assessed using linear mixed models. PA and acute SM are assessed by comparing data on days with and without GtB in a subsample of 900 pupils. Qualitative data will be analysed using thematic analysis.

RevDate: 2025-04-26
CmpDate: 2025-04-24

Wiemers P, Graf I, Addo MM, et al (2025)

Mothers and mosquitoes: climate change contributes to the spread of vector-borne pathogens posing a substantial threat to pregnant women.

Seminars in immunopathology, 47(1):25.

Infectious diseases have threatened individuals and societies since the dawn of humanity. Certain population groups, including pregnant women, young children and the elderly, are particularly vulnerable to severe infections. Over the past few centuries, advances in medical standards and the availability of vaccines have reduced infection-related mortality and morbidity rates in industrialized countries. However, the global rise in temperatures and increased precipitation present a new challenge, facilitating the broader distribution of disease vectors, such as mosquitoes, bugs and ticks, to higher altitudes and latitudes. Consequently, epidemic and pandemic outbreaks associated with these vectors, such as Zika, West Nile, dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya and malaria, are increasingly impacting diverse populations. This review comprehensively examines how infections associated with climate change disproportionately affect the health and well-being of pregnant women and their unborn children. There has been a noticeable emergence of vector-borne diseases in Europe. Consequently, we stress the importance of implementing measures that effectively protect pregnant women from these increasing infections globally and regionally. We advocate for initiatives to safeguard pregnant women from these emerging threats, beginning with enhanced education to raise awareness about the evolving risks this particularly vulnerable population faces.

RevDate: 2025-04-25
CmpDate: 2025-04-24

Ndhlovu NT, Khuzwayo TN, Minibayeva FV, et al (2025)

Subtropical lichens from the Afromontane can display rapid photosynthetic acclimation to simulated climate change.

Photosynthetica, 63(1):64-72.

Afromontane forests are an important part of the KwaZulu Natal region of southern Africa, having a distinctive flora with a high proportion of endemic species, and lichens are keystone members. Unlike other continental areas, KwaZulu Natal climate change is predicted to increase rainfall and cloudiness. In the present study, hydrated Afromontane lichens from both exposed and shaded microhabitats were given either constant [100 µmol(photon) m[-2] s[-1]] or fluctuating [0, 200, 0 µmol(photon) m[-2] s[-1]] light for 8 h a day for 3 d and changes monitored in nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) and rates of photosynthetic electron transport. In sun but not shade collections, NPQ strongly increased following treatment with constant and fluctuating light. It seems likely that CO2 fixation may be reduced in moist thalli, and the increase in NPQ may reduce ROS formation during exposure to light while hydrated. Sun lichens can readily modify their NPQ in response to increased cloudiness and rainfall expected in KwaZulu Natal.

RevDate: 2025-04-25

Chen L, Teng H, Chen S, et al (2025)

Future Habitat Shifts and Economic Implications for Ophiocordyceps sinensis Under Climate Change.

Ecology and evolution, 15(4):e71327.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis is a vital and unique traditional medicine native to the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and its adjacent regions. Its habitat has significantly diminished in recent years due to commercial harvesting and climate change. Although studies on the habitat of O. sinensis have been conducted, the impact of climate change on its future habitat and economy remains unclear. This study utilizes a comprehensive dataset on O. sinensis occurrences and employs a multi-model approach (constructed by Classification Tree Analysis [CTA], Flexible Discriminant Analysis [FDA], Generalized Boosted Model [GBM], Generalized Linear Models [GLM], Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines [MARS], Random Forest [RF], and MaxEnt models) to simulate its potential suitable habitat distribution on the TP under current and future climate change scenarios (SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5). Through this modeling process, we examined the primary environmental factors influencing its distribution. Our results indicated that China produces 91.9% of the world's O. sinensis, with over 82% of this production concentrated in Sichuan, Tibet, and Qinghai Provinces. Altitude, warmest quarter precipitation, coldest quarter mean temperature, and herbaceous vegetation cover accounted for 90% of the variation in the distribution of O. sinensis. The suitable habitat was primarily concentrated at altitudes of 3500-4500 m above sea level and was expected to shift to higher altitudes in the future. The predicted habitats under different emission scenarios vary. Under the low emission scenario (SSP1-2.6), there was a slight increase in suitable habitat, with a 0.14% increase by the 2050s and a 0.65% increase by the 2100s. Conversely, under the high emission scenario (SSP5-8.5), there was a notable decrease in suitable habitat, with a projected 4.32% reduction by the 2050s and a 5.34% reduction by the 2100s. Additionally, the production of O. sinensis was expected to increase by 0.2%-5.2% under SSP1-2.6 and decrease by 0.5%-7.2% under SSP5-8.5 in the main production areas in China. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the conservation and sustainable harvest of O. sinensis, which is crucial for future conservation efforts, maintaining ecological balance, and supporting the sustainable socio-economic development of local communities.

RevDate: 2025-04-24
CmpDate: 2025-04-24

Schwaiger A, Neururer S, Hackl WO, et al (2025)

Climate Change, Vectors, and Public Health: Predicting Future Disease Risks in the Federal State Tyrol.

Studies in health technology and informatics, 324:213-214.

Population dynamics of vectors are strongly influenced by temperature and precipitation. We hypothesize that global warming and changes in precipitation patterns may lead to an increase in vector abundance and subsequent to a higher risk of specific vector borne disease cases in Austria.

RevDate: 2025-04-24

Atta MHR, AbdELhay ES, AbdELhay IS, et al (2025)

Effectiveness of a web-based educational program on climate change awareness, climate activism, and pro-environmental behavior among primary health care in rural areas: a randomized controlled trial.

BMC nursing, 24(1):449.

BACKGROUND: Climate change-related environmental impacts, such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, and hurricanes, can significantly impact individuals' physical and mental well-being. Therefore, leveraging nurses' awareness of this looming issue is crucial.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the correlation between climate change and health, research is scarce in nursing. Therefore, interactive web-based educational programs can effectively leverage nurses' knowledge of climate change by promoting participatory teaching and expanding their awareness through digital media.

AIMS: To assess the impact of web-based educational programs on improving climate change awareness, climate activism, and pro-environmental behavior of primary health care rural nurses.

METHOD: A randomized control trial design was adopted according to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guidelines (CONSORT). One hundred twenty-four nurses completed pre- and post-intervention assessments using the Climate Change/Global Warming Knowledge Questionnaire, Environmental Self-Efficacy Scale, and Pro-Environmental Behavior Scale. Then, they are equally divided into intervention and control groups.

RESULTS: Effect sizes for climate awareness showed substantial influence, with η² values of 0.351 and 0.229; climate self-efficacy and Pro-Environmental Behavior PEBS demonstrated notable effect sizes (η²=0.292 and 0.141, respectively).

CONCLUSION: Participants who received the web-based educational program demonstrated significant improvements in climate change knowledge, environmental self-efficacy, and pro-environmental behavior. These findings highlight the effectiveness of digital-based interventions in enhancing climate-related competencies among primary healthcare nurses. Future initiatives should explore the scalability of such programs to broader healthcare settings to further promote climate literacy and sustainable practices.

IMPLICATION FOR NURSING: Providing primary care nurses working in rural areas with comprehensive knowledge can enable nurse managers to advocate for environmental sustainability and stewardship, promoting community health resilience.

Implementing a web-based educational program related to climate change will enable policymakers and decision-makers to ensure that primary care nurses in rural areas optimally contribute to climate advocacy and environmental health initiatives. This approach aligns with the World Health Organization's Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery 2021-2025, which aims to achieve global health goals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT: 06196476.

RevDate: 2025-04-24
CmpDate: 2025-04-24

Zhang WD, Liu YY, Li MM, et al (2025)

Decoding endosperm endophytes in Pinus armandi: a crucial indicator for host response to climate change.

BMC microbiology, 25(1):239.

BACKGROUND: Plant-associated microorganisms significantly contribute to plant survival in diverse environments. However, limited information is available regarding the involvement of endophytes in responding to climate change and their potential to enhance host plants' adaptation to future environmental shifts. Pinus armandi, endemic to China and widely distributed in climate-sensitive regions, serves as an ideal subject for investigating microbiome interactions that assist host plants in climate change response. Despite this, a comprehensive understanding of the diversity, community composition, and factors influencing endosperm endophytes in P. armandi, as well as the response of these endophytes to climate change, remains elusive.

RESULTS: In this study, transcriptome data from 55 P. armandi samples from 13 populations were analyzed to evaluate the composition and diversity of active endosperm endophytes and predict their response to future climate change. The results revealed variations in community composition, phylogenetic diversity, and interaction network between the northern and southern groups. Temperature and precipitation correlated with endosperm endophytic species richness and diversity. Under projected future climate conditions, the northern group exhibits greater genomic vulnerability and anticipates increased threats, reflecting a corresponding trend in endosperm endophytes, particularly within the Ascomycota community.

CONCLUSION: The consistent threat trend from climate change impacting both hosts and endophytes emphasizes the potential importance of host-related fungi as crucial indicators for predicting future climate impacts. Meanwhile, this study establishes an initial framework for exploring host-microbial interactions within the context of climate warming and provides valuable insights for studies related to plant protection.

RevDate: 2025-04-24

Hamid T, Arif A, FM Khalid (2025)

Climate change and surgical care in Pakistan: An understudied relation.

JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 75(4):677.

RevDate: 2025-04-23

Qu J, Qin G, Huang H, et al (2025)

Corrigendum to "Redistribution of vocal snapping shrimps under climate change" [Sci. Total. Environ. 954 (2024) 176191].

RevDate: 2025-04-23

Albert PR, Marotel M, Doré C, et al (2025)

Greening the lab: fighting climate change to enhance mental health.

Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN, 50(2):E142-E144 pii:50/2/E142.

RevDate: 2025-04-23

Bank MS, Zayas ZP, Somerset V, et al (2025)

Climate change, mercury pollution, and global ecology.

RevDate: 2025-04-23

Ji Q, Wang X, Shi A, et al (2025)

Insights into the potential enhanced cadmium toxicity in marine fish Centroprostis striata in the context of global warming.

Marine pollution bulletin, 216:118013 pii:S0025-326X(25)00488-6 [Epub ahead of print].

Cadmium (Cd[2+]), a pollutant from industrial activities, poses significant health risks to aquatic organisms, especially fish. Combined with global warming, its impact on marine ecosystems requires further investigation. This research examined the combined toxic effects of Cd[2+] exposure and heat stress on the liver of black sea bass (Centropristis striata). Fish were subjected to varying Cd[2+] concentrations (0, 0.83, and 6.4 mg/L) and temperatures (17 and 30 °C). Results indicated that heat stress markedly augmented Cd[2+] bioaccumulation in the liver, exacerbating hepatotoxicity. Histological analysis revealed more severe liver damage under combined exposure than Cd[2+] alone. Furthermore, a significant decrease in antioxidant enzyme activities (T-AOC, SOD, CAT, GSH) and a concomitant increase in oxidative stress marker (MDA) levels indicated enhanced oxidative stress. The co-exposure resulted in aberrant levels of apoptotic genes (e.g., P53, Bax etc.), disrupting the liver apoptotic process, as confirmed by TUNEL staining. Additionally, elevated TNF-α, IL-6, and HSP90 mRNA expression, coupled with decreased TGF-β levels, suggested an inflammatory response. These findings demonstrate that heat stress exacerbates Cd[2+] toxicity in fish, highlighting a synergistic interaction between the two stressors. This research provides insights for managing heavy metal pollution under global warming.

RevDate: 2025-04-23

Khan TU, Luan X, Nabi G, et al (2025)

Forecasting the Impact of Climate Change on Apis dorsata (Fabricius, 1793) Habitat and Distribution in Pakistan.

Insects, 16(3): pii:insects16030289.

Climate change has led to global biodiversity loss, severely impacting all species, including essential pollinators like bees, which are highly sensitive to environmental changes. Like other bee species, A. dorsata is also not immune to climate change. This study evaluated the habitat suitability of A. dorsata under climate change in Pakistan by utilizing two years of occurrence and distribution data to develop a Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model for forecasting current and future habitat distribution. Future habitat projections for 2050 and 2070 were based on two shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP245 and SSP585) using the CNRM-CM6-1 and EPI-ESM1-2-HR-1 global circulation models. Eight bioclimatic variables (Bio1, Bio4, Bio5, Bio8, Bio10, Bio12, Bio18, and Bio19) were selected for modeling, and among the selected variables, the mean temperature of the wettest quarter (Bio8) and precipitation of the warmest quarter (Bio18) showed major contributions to the model building and strongest influence on habitat of A. dorsata. The model estimated 23% of our study area as a suitable habitat for A. dorsata under current climatic conditions, comprising 150,975 km[2] of moderately suitable and 49,792 km[2] of highly suitable regions. For future climatic scenarios, our model projected significant habitat loss for A. dorsata with a shrinkage and shift towards northern, higher-altitude regions, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Himalayan foothills. Habitat projections under the extreme climatic scenario (SSP585) are particularly alarming, indicating a substantial loss of the suitable habitat for the A. dorsata of 40% under CNRM-CM6-1 and 79% for EPI-ESM1-2-HR-1 for the 2070 time period. This study emphasizes the critical need for conservation efforts to protect A. dorsata and highlights the species' role in pollination and supporting the apiculture industry in Pakistan.

RevDate: 2025-04-23

DeGrandi-Hoffman G, Graham H, Corby-Harris V, et al (2025)

Adapting Overwintering Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Colony Management in Response to Warmer Fall Temperatures Associated with Climate Change.

Insects, 16(3): pii:insects16030266.

Management strategies are needed that mitigate the effects of climate change on honey bee colony losses. Extended periods of warmer fall temperatures prolong periods of honey bee flight and parasitic Varroa mite immigration into colonies. We report on a management strategy using Varroa-resistant Russian honey bees overwintered in indoor cold storage facilities, and compare colony survival and growth with that of unselected European bees. Fat body metrics that are key to overwintering survival were also measured in Russian and unselected bees. Comparisons between overwintering Russian colonies in cold storage versus apiaries were also conducted. Russian and unselected colonies overwintered in cold storage had comparable overwintering survival and percentages rented for almond pollination. However, more Russian colonies overwintered in cold storage were alive after almond bloom than those overwintered in apiaries. Fat bodies in Russian and unselected bees gained weight while in cold storage. Protein concentrations increased and lipids decreased. Changes in lipid concentrations were inversely related to the number of brood bees reared while in cold storage. Similar percentages of colonies overwintered in cold storage or outdoor apiaries survived and were rented for almond pollination. An economic analysis indicated that overwintering Russian colonies in cold storage costs less than in apiaries. Our study indicates that cold storage can be a viable management strategy for mitigating the effects of climate change on colony survival.

RevDate: 2025-04-23

Nguyen HT, Khan MAR, Nguyen TT, et al (2025)

Advancing Crop Resilience Through High-Throughput Phenotyping for Crop Improvement in the Face of Climate Change.

Plants (Basel, Switzerland), 14(6): pii:plants14060907.

Climate change intensifies biotic and abiotic stresses, threatening global crop productivity. High-throughput phenotyping (HTP) technologies provide a non-destructive approach to monitor plant responses to environmental stresses, offering new opportunities for both crop stress resilience and breeding research. Innovations, such as hyperspectral imaging, unmanned aerial vehicles, and machine learning, enhance our ability to assess plant traits under various environmental stresses, including drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, and pest and disease infestations. These tools facilitate the identification of stress-tolerant genotypes within large segregating populations, improving selection efficiency for breeding programs. HTP can also play a vital role by accelerating genetic gain through precise trait evaluation for hybridization and genetic enhancement. However, challenges such as data standardization, phenotyping data management, high costs of HTP equipment, and the complexity of linking phenotypic observations to genetic improvements limit its broader application. Additionally, environmental variability and genotype-by-environment interactions complicate reliable trait selection. Despite these challenges, advancements in robotics, artificial intelligence, and automation are improving the precision and scalability of phenotypic data analyses. This review critically examines the dual role of HTP in assessment of plant stress tolerance and crop performance, highlighting both its transformative potential and existing limitations. By addressing key challenges and leveraging technological advancements, HTP can significantly enhance genetic research, including trait discovery, parental selection, and hybridization scheme optimization. While current methodologies still face constraints in fully translating phenotypic insights into practical breeding applications, continuous innovation in high-throughput precision phenotyping holds promise for revolutionizing crop resilience and ensuring sustainable agricultural production in a changing climate.

RevDate: 2025-04-23

Solakis-Tena A, Hidalgo-Triana N, Boynton R, et al (2025)

Phenological Shifts Since 1830 in 29 Native Plant Species of California and Their Responses to Historical Climate Change.

Plants (Basel, Switzerland), 14(6): pii:plants14060843.

Climate change is affecting Mediterranean climate regions, such as California. Retrospective phenological studies are a useful tool to track biological response to these impacts through the use of herbarium-preserved specimens. We used data from more than 12,000 herbarium specimens of 29 dominant native plant species that are characteristic of 12 broadly distributed vegetation types to investigate phenological patterns in response to climate change. We analyzed the trends of four phenophases: preflowering (FBF), flowering (F), fruiting (FS) and growth (DVG), over time (from 1830 to 2023) and through changes in climate variables (from 1896 to 2023). We also examined these trends within California's 10 ecoregions. Among the four phenophases, the strongest response was found in the timing of flowering, which showed an advance in 28 species. Furthermore, 21 species showed sequencing in the advance of two or more phenophases. We highlight the advances found over temperature variables: 10 in FBF, 28 in F, 17 in FS and 18 in DVG. Diverse and less-consistent results were found for water-related variables with 15 species advancing and 11 delaying various phenophases in response to decreasing precipitation and increasing evapotranspiration. Jepson ecoregions displayed a more pronounced advance in F related to time and mean annual temperature in the three of the southern regions compared to the northern ones. This study underscores the role of temperature in driving phenological change, demonstrating how rising temperatures have predominantly advanced phenophase timing. These findings highlight potential threats, including risks of climatic, ecological, and biological imbalances.

RevDate: 2025-04-24

Schneider S, Reinmuth J, S Leer (2025)

An unbeatable opponent? Coaches' perspectives on the impact of climate change in outdoor sports.

BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation, 17(1):89.

BACKGROUND: Athletes in outdoor sports particularly experience several consequences of climate change.

OBJECTIVES: To take up the experiences and expectations of coaches in outdoor sports regarding climate-related health risks in sport and to systematize them.

METHODS: This nationwide, cross-sectional study was conducted among adult outdoor sports coaches from the ten largest outdoor sports associations in Germany. Their experiences with climate-related changes where were collected and qualitative content analysis was conducted.

RESULTS: Out of 1,771 participating coaches, the content-analytical evaluation resulted in eight disjointed topics. These comprise heat-related risks, accident and injury risks, UV-related risks, respiratory risks, infection risks, mental risks and also positive effects of climate change. Besides, statements of respondents not expecting any significant changes due to climate change were recorded.

CONCLUSIONS: In the course of climate change, sport-specific risks will continue to increase and especially the risk setting of outdoor sports will be confronted to them. In order to be able to practice sports successfully and safely in the future, the study results emphasize the necessity to develop comprehensive, flexible and cost-effective prevention concepts for climate adaptation in sports.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Clinical trial number: The study protocol was pre-registered with the German Clinical Trials Registry (registration number DRKS00027815) on January 18, 2022 (https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00027815).

RevDate: 2025-04-24
CmpDate: 2025-04-23

Lee ASG, Kirkland K, Stanley SK, et al (2025)

A thematic analysis of what Australians state would change their minds on climate change.

Scientific reports, 15(1):12989.

What do Australians believe would change their current opinions about climate change? In this study, we used audience segmentation analysis through the Six Americas Short Survey to identify groups of climate opinion holders within a representative sample of Australians. We had 4857 participants tell us what it would take to change their current opinions about climate change and leveraged OpenAI's Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (GPT) to identify the presence or absence of themes (Nothing, Evidence and Information, Trusted Sources, Action, and Unsure) and subthemes in their responses. GPT performed at near-human levels, proving to be a highly useful tool for thematic analysis. Our analyses revealed that strong climate denialists and believers tended to display greater dogmatism, with increased likelihood of stating that nothing would change their mind and lower likelihood of being unsure. Results also highlighted the need for diverse forms of evidence and information and the importance of trusted sources of information across audience segments. These findings provide support for GPT's utility in managing large datasets in the social sciences and offer participant-informed insights into climate opinion change.

RevDate: 2025-04-22

Zhang Z, Liu Y, L He (2025)

Impacts of dams and reservoirs on riparian vegetation in China under climate change.

Journal of environmental management, 383:125403 pii:S0301-4797(25)01379-9 [Epub ahead of print].

China has built over 100,000 dams by 2020, with the total capacity of reservoirs reaching 989 billion cubic meters. The effects of reservoirs on the ecological environment of riparian zones need thorough study, yet current research covers only a small portion of China's completed dams. This study uses fixed effects vector decomposition and structural equation modeling to quantify the response of riparian vegetation to reservoirs near 921 completed dams in China, within a range of 1-10 km. The results reveal spatial variations in the response of vegetation to dam construction. Within a 1 km of the reservoir, riparian vegetation is negatively affected by habitat fragmentation and altered hydrological conditions (Coeff -0.14, P < 0.05). However, with increasing distance from the reservoirs, the effects diminish (P > 0.05, 2-5 km) or even become positive (Coeff > 0, P < 0.05, 5-10 km). Within the 1-10 km buffers, the negative effects of dams and reservoirs on riparian vegetation through climate and soil also show a distance decay (P < 0.05). This study provides new evidence of the long-term effects of hydraulic engineering development on riparian vegetation and explores the pathways and spatial scope of these impacts, which has important implications for hydropower planning and river ecosystem management.

RevDate: 2025-04-22

Burton GA, JR Rohr (2025)

A Plea for Cumulative Stressor Risk Assessments in Light of Climate Change.

Environmental science & technology [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2025-04-22

Johnson S, Sims T, Obichere E, et al (2025)

The Impact of Climate Change on Cancer Surgery and Healthcare Delivery: A Review of Environmental and Surgical Challenges.

Cancer causes & control : CCC [Epub ahead of print].

PURPOSE: More than 10 million annual global cancer deaths are exacerbated by the impact of climate change and environmental determinants of health. This brief report provides a summary of and mitigating recommendations for the complex intersection between climate change and surgical cancer care.

METHODS: A review of scientific literature from the last 10 years was conducted to assess the current impact of climate change on cancer care with a focus on surgical interventions. Studies with an impact score of 6 or higher and the keywords of climate change, extreme weather, cancer care, and surgery were reviewed. After removing duplicates and excluded studies, 30 studies remained and were reviewed by two reviewers.

RESULTS: Climate-related factors impacting surgical care result in a myriad of healthcare impacts, including disruption of services, impact on patient outcomes and survival, as well as an overburdening of hospital and surgical services.

CONCLUSION: Climate change, including extreme weather events, threatens cancer surgical care and delivery by exacerbating comorbidities, disrupting healthcare systems, and increasing disparities in cancer care. Climate change is a burgeoning threat to global health, cancer care, patients, and communities.

RevDate: 2025-04-22

Dzau VJ, Laitner MH, Balatbat CA, et al (2025)

Climate Change and Human Health - A Research Agenda for Action.

The New England journal of medicine [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2025-04-23

Siddiolo C, Rosso A, Orecchio G, et al (2025)

Heat Nests: The Impact of Climate Change on Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) Nesting Distribution in Sicily (Italy).

Ecology and evolution, 15(4):e71177.

This study aims to update and establish a comprehensive list of nesting sites in Sicily and its minor islands, investigate the distribution and environmental suitability of the loggerhead sea turtles' nesting in Sicily using spatial distribution models (SDMs), and perform a gap analysis considering the protected area network in Sicily. Location: Sicily (Italy). Time period: 1979-2022. Data on Loggerhead seaturtle's nests were collected through several sources, including literature, monitoring records from WWF's Progetto Tartarughe, reports from the local fauna haunting, online articles, referrals on websites and social networks often related to monitoring activities. GIS was used to realize distribution maps. Bioclimatic indicators were downloaded through Copernicus Climate Change Service. Predictors were eventually projected on the WorldClim's dataset. Suitability distribution models (SDMs) were realized using the maximum entropy model (MaxEnt software). Caretta caretta's nests distribution map and environmental suitability map were overlaid with the Natura 2000 sites map in Sicily. The results confirm that the main nesting areas are mostly concentrated along the southern and eastern coasts of Sicily, with increasing numbers observed over recent years. Additionally, global warming has made some beaches even more suitable along the north coast of the main island. The variable affecting this species the most is the Mean Temperature of the Coldest Quarter (Bio11). Overlaying nesting distribution and environmental suitability maps with Natura 2000 sites revealed significant portions of nests occurring outside protected areas, highlighting the need for expanded conservation efforts.The demographic increase of nesting events in Sicily is induced by a northward shift of the species distribution led by rising temperatures and probably due to climate change.

RevDate: 2025-04-24
CmpDate: 2025-04-21

Abdallah N, OA Oluwaseun (2025)

Socio-economic and production dynamics of Guinea fowl farming in Northern Ghana: insights into health management, challenges, and climate change impacts.

Tropical animal health and production, 57(4):181.

Guinea fowl farming is vital to the livelihoods of rural communities in northern Ghana, yet its socio-economic and production dynamics remain underexplored, especially concerning health management and climate change. This study bridges this gap by investigating the socio-economic profiles, production practices, and health challenges of guinea fowl farmers in three towns in northern Ghana. A total of 137 farmers participated in structured interviews, with data analyzed using one-way and two-way ANOVA tests in SPSS version 21. The results highlighted variations in farmer demographics, with most being married, involved in crop farming, and having non-formal education. Guinea fowl production served for both sale and home consumption, with adult birds, keets, and young birds priced at > 69, 9-10, and 18-30 Cedis, respectively, while fertile and table eggs cost 4-4.5 Cedis. Flock sizes ranged from 10-60, predominantly of the Lavender breed. Farmers favored semi-intensive systems with traditional poultry shelters, supplemented feed, and pond or river serving as water sources. Disease symptoms, such as wing drooping, and high mortality rates were major challenges, with climate change exacerbating disease prevalence and management costs. These findings highlight the need for enhanced disease management, climate-resilient practices, and targeted interventions to ensure sustainable guinea fowl production and improved livelihoods.

RevDate: 2025-04-24
CmpDate: 2025-04-21

Obeagu EI, Isiko I, GU Obeagu (2025)

Climate change and HIV prevention: Towards sustainable solutions - a narrative review.

Medicine, 104(16):e42198.

Climate change, with its pervasive environmental, social, and economic impacts, is emerging as a significant factor influencing global health outcomes, including the prevention and management of HIV. The intersection of these 2 critical issues presents unique challenges, particularly in terms of increased vulnerability among populations, disruptions to healthcare infrastructure, and the exacerbation of social inequalities. This narrative review examines the multifaceted relationship between climate change and HIV prevention, emphasizing the need for sustainable solutions that integrate climate resilience into public health strategies. The review highlights how climate change exacerbates vulnerabilities that contribute to the spread and impact of HIV. Factors such as displacement and migration due to extreme weather events, food insecurity from altered climate patterns, and economic instability directly affect individuals' susceptibility to HIV and their access to necessary healthcare services. Additionally, the strain on healthcare infrastructure, resulting from climate-related damages and resource reallocations, further hinders effective HIV prevention and treatment efforts.

RevDate: 2025-04-21

Gredebäck G, Astor K, Ainamani H, et al (2025)

Infant Gaze Following Is Stable Across Markedly Different Cultures and Resilient to Family Adversities Associated With War and Climate Change.

Psychological science [Epub ahead of print].

Gaze following in infancy allows triadic social interactions and a comprehension of other individuals and their surroundings. Despite its importance for early development, its ontology is debated, with theories suggesting that gaze following is either a universal core capacity or an experience-dependent learned behavior. A critical test of these theories among 809 nine-month-olds from Africa (Uganda and Zimbabwe), Europe (Sweden), and Asia (Bhutan) demonstrated that infants follow gaze to a similar degree regardless of environmental factors such as culture, maternal well-being (postpartum depression, well-being), or traumatic family events (related to war and/or climate change). These findings suggest that gaze following may be a universal, experience-expectant process that is resilient to adversity and similar across a wide range of human experiences-a core foundation for social development.

RevDate: 2025-04-21

Cruz-Gispert A, García-Del-Amo D, Junqueira AB, et al (2025)

Indigenous peoples and local community reports of climate change impacts on biodiversity.

Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology [Epub ahead of print].

Climate change impacts on biodiversity have been primarily studied through ecological research methods, largely ignoring other knowledge systems. Indigenous and local knowledge systems include rich observations of changes in biodiversity that can inform climate change adaptation planning and environmental stewardship. We reviewed literature documenting local observations of climate change impacts on biodiversity reported by Indigenous peoples and local communities. We examined whether reported impacts varied across taxa, geographic regions, and people's main livelihood activities and assessed whether local reports followed geographic and taxonomic patterns found in the natural sciences literature. We also compared taxa reportedly affected by climate change by Indigenous peoples and local communities and by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Our analyses included 2452 observations of climate change impacts on 1715 taxa from 203 documents describing 291 case studies. Changes in taxon abundance, phenotype, phenology, and distribution were widely reported, and most climate change impacts were reported for plants, fishes, and mammals. Reported impacts differed by geographic region and by livelihood, and most species reported as affected by climate change by Indigenous peoples and local communities were not considered threatened by climate change by the IUCN. Our results showed that Indigenous and local knowledge systems can contribute to a more complete understanding of climate change impacts on biodiversity.

RevDate: 2025-04-22

Zhang J, Jiang F, Gao H, et al (2025)

Dynamics of Suitable Habitats for Typical Predators and Prey on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Driven by Climate Change: A Case Study of Tibetan Fox, Red Fox, and Plateau Pika.

Ecology and evolution, 15(4):e71295.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is a biodiversity hotspot highly sensitive to global climate change. The Tibetan fox (Vulpes ferrilata), red fox (V. vulpes), and plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) are key species of the plateau, serving as typical representatives of predators and prey among its diverse wildlife. To evaluate the impact of climate change, we employed the maximum entropy model with 1237 distribution points and various environmental variables to predict habitat suitability under three global climate models and four representative concentration pathways for the 2050s and 2070s. The results revealed that the suitable habitats for two predators were projected to decline, with reductions ranging from 0.23% to 5.64% and 4.12% to 6.63%, respectively, with most reductions occurring in the central-western and southern regions of the QTP. The decline was anticipated to be more pronounced in the 2070s compared to the 2050s. Conversely, the suitable habitat for prey species, plateau pikas, was expected to experience only a slight decrease (0.45%-0.98%) under scenarios of moderate greenhouse gas emissions. Habitat centroid analyses indicated a consistent northward migration of suitable areas for both predators and prey in response to climate change on the QTP. Furthermore, future overlap analysis between predator and prey habitats showed uncertain trends; however, the overlap between the Tibetan fox and Plateau pika habitats was notably lower compared to that of the red fox and plateau pika habitats. Regarding the current conservation efforts of both predators and prey, evaluation results highlighted the critical significant role of Sanjiangyuan National Park, China's first national park located in Qinghai Province, and Qiangtang Nature Reserve in Xizang as critical areas for the protection of these species on the QTP in China. The findings and methodologies of this research hold significant reference value for the conservation of predator and prey habitats in other global biodiversity hotspots.

RevDate: 2025-04-22

Hassan MM, Maruf MFI, Nohor N, et al (2025)

Factors Determining Bangladeshi University Students' Perception, Knowledge and Attitude About Climate Change: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Health science reports, 8(4):e70722.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Climate change refers to long-term shifts in weather patterns and is one of the greatest global threats. Bangladesh is among the most vulnerable countries, facing severe climate-induced events. Understanding climate change is crucial for identifying risks, developing adaptation strategies, and mitigating long-term impacts. University students, as future leaders, play a vital role in addressing climate change. This study assesses their knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of climate change in Bangladesh.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among students from four universities in Bangladesh. A total of 1500 participants were selected based on inclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic characteristics, and perception regarding climate change, while univariate and multivariate logistic regression identified factors associated with good knowledge and positive attitudes.

RESULTS: Overall, 73% of students had good knowledge of climate change, while 27% demonstrated poor knowledge. A majority (84%) expressed a positive attitude toward climate change initiatives. Participants correctly identified key climate-related events in Bangladesh, such as increased cyclones, tidal waves, and salinity. However, awareness of rising snakebite incidents and related deaths was low, with many perceiving no change or disagreeing with their significance. Factors associated with good knowledge included gender, source of information, and mother's education. Gender, source of information, and both parents' education were associated with positive attitudes among the participants.

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides baseline evidence on climate change knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions among Bangladeshi university students. To our knowledge, it is the first comprehensive assessment of this issue in this population. Given their strong awareness and positive attitudes, targeted initiatives can harness students' potential in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, contributing to long-term solutions for Bangladesh's climate challenges.

RevDate: 2025-04-22

Imberti L, Tiecco G, Logiudice J, et al (2025)

Effects of Climate Change on the Immune System: A Narrative Review.

Health science reports, 8(4):e70627.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Human activities have greatly influenced global temperatures, leading to climate change and global warming. This narrative review aims to explore the relationship between climate change and the immune system, focusing on how environmental stressors can affect immune regulation, leading to both hyperactivity and suppression.

METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar for peer-reviewed studies published up to June 2024. The search terms included "climate change," "human health," "infection," "immunity," and "disease." Inclusion criteria were based on relevance, originality, and accessibility.

RESULTS: Exposure to elevated temperatures can significantly impair immune system cells, leading to an overproduction of signaling molecules that promote inflammation. Temperature fluctuations have been shown to influence various aspects of the adaptive immune response, including immune cell mobilization, antigen processing and presentation, lymphocyte trafficking and activation, and the functionality of B and T cells. Notably, some research suggests that heat stress negatively impacts B lymphocyte differentiation, replication, and proportion, resulting in decreased immunoglobulin and cytokine production, and contributing to immunosuppression. Additionally, climate change-related exposures can compromise epithelial barriers in the skin, lungs, and gut, leading to microbial dysbiosis, and immune dysregulation. Furthermore, environmental factors such as temperature variations, humidity, and air pollutant levels may exacerbate the prevalence of infectious diseases, including measles and HIV, with varying impacts on acute, chronic, and latent infections, further contributing to immune variability.

CONCLUSION: Climate change, particularly increased temperatures, significantly impacts immune system function, leading to both heightened inflammatory responses, and immunosuppression. Future research should focus on developing comprehensive and sustainable management strategies to enhance health resilience in the face of ongoing climatic changes.

RevDate: 2025-04-21
CmpDate: 2025-04-21

Calabria RA (2025)

An introduction to climate change for nurses.

Nursing, 55(5):45-48.

Climate change and sustainability represent new areas of nursing content for many nurses. Health-focused interventions are needed to address the health of the planet and mitigate the health impacts of climate change. However, research shows that nursing curricula and nurses' knowledge related to climate change are limited. This article discusses climate change and its health impacts across 10 categories and provides recommendations for personal and organizational sustainability practices.

RevDate: 2025-04-20

Sprague NL, Scott SN, Mehranbod CA, et al (2025)

Changing Degrees: a weight-of-evidence scoping review examining the impact of childhood exposures to climate change on educational outcomes.

Environmental research pii:S0013-9351(25)00890-4 [Epub ahead of print].

Climate change negatively impacts several dimensions of education (including student achievement, educational infrastructure, school readiness, and other factors). Further, climate change may act as a threat multiplier for existing educational disparities. While theory links climate change to educational disparities, empirical research remains scarce and there is no current weight-of-evidence review examining climate change and education. This weight of evidence scoping review evaluates the current state of evidence assessing the effect of climate change exposures on aspects of education for youth. Studies were categorized and evaluated using the CHANGE (Climate Health ANalysis Grading Evaluation) tool for weight-of-evidence reviews and adaptions of frameworks developed for previous systematic reviews on associations between climate change and education. Thirty-one studies met review criteria and were grouped into five thematic categories based on reported outcomes: Student Learning in the Humanities, Student Learning in Math and Science, Executive Function and Cognition, Attendance and School Closures, and Educational Advancement Milestones. All studies in this review suggest that climate change exposures during childhood negatively impact aspects of education; however, in some instances the mechanisms and ways in which these climate change exposures impacted aspects of education varied by country or geographic setting. The geographic distribution of studies revealed that the United States accounted for the highest number of studies (n = 6), followed by China, India, Nigeria, Cameroon, and South Africa (n = 2 each), with 18 other countries contributing only one study each, highlighting disparities in global research coverage. Twelve of the studies included in this review examined the concept of climate change as a threat multiplier of educational disparities, but no study had it as a primary focus. Future research directions include extending studies beyond traditional test metrics, integrating diverse academic disciplines, exploring a broader array of geographic regions, delving into place-specific nuances, incorporating indigenous and community knowledge, and focusing explicitly on climate change as a threat multiplier for educational disparities.

RevDate: 2025-04-20

Achouri H, Derguini A, Idres T, et al (2025)

Impact of climate change on the toxicity of bisphenol A in Mytilus galloprovincialis and assessment of phycoremediation using Nannochloropsis salina via a multi-biomarker strategy and modeling.

Marine pollution bulletin, 216:118010 pii:S0025-326X(25)00485-0 [Epub ahead of print].

In the current study, the mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis, exposed to four varying temperatures (17, 20, 23, and 26 °C), were contaminated with 50 μg/L of bisphenol A both with and without Nannochloropsis salina. The toxicity evaluation is determined by quantifying various biomarkers related to oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, and cellular damage. The key findings indicate that the toxicity of bisphenol A is heightened by rising temperature. The impact of bisphenol A is most evident at 26 °C, leading to excessive production of reactive oxygen species, depletion of non-enzymatic antioxidants, and activation of antioxidant enzymes (catalase and glutathione-S-transferase). The rise in malondialdehyde levels confirms lipid peroxidation caused by bisphenol A and intensified by thermal stress. These findings have been supported by strong molecular interactions between bisphenol A and lectin mytilec apo-form and proximal thread matrix protein 1 from M. galloprovincialis following the computational modeling assay. The incorporation of N. salina as a food additive helped, firstly, to mitigate the stress effects and, secondly, resulted in a noticeable enhancement of oxidative balance and filtration ability, along with decreased lipid peroxidation.

RevDate: 2025-04-19

Su Y, Chen S, Sui Y, et al (2025)

Gaining water bodies by climate change benefits water crisis mitigation in central Asia.

Science bulletin pii:S2095-9273(25)00336-6 [Epub ahead of print].

Central Asia (CA) faces a severe water crisis exemplified by the shrinking Aral Sea. However, little is known about the entire region, particularly the numerous small water bodies that are vulnerable to climate change yet vital for regional sustainability. We examined water bodies as small as 0.0045 km[2] across CA from 1992 to 2020, identifying 66,215 water bodies in 2020, 82.2% of which were previously unstudied. In contrast to the well-documented decline of the Aral Sea, other water bodies have expanded by 10.7% (8714.3 km[2]), with a net gain of 15,831 lakes since 1992. These findings challenge the perception of a drying CA and provide evidence of a warm-wet climate trend, which is redistributing water resources and creating opportunities for transforming water management to address the long-standing water crisis in CA.

RevDate: 2025-04-19
CmpDate: 2025-04-19

Krah CY, Burke DT, Bahramian M, et al (2025)

Quantifying metabolic food waste and associated global warming potential attributable to overweight and obese adults in a temperate high-income region.

Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.), 209:116309.

Traditional discussions on food waste often excludes metabolic food waste (MFW), which occurs when individuals consume food beyond their caloric needs. This study is the first to quantify MFW among adults with excess body weight (overweight and obese) in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and globally the first to explore its socioeconomic and health-related predictors. Using an online food frequency questionnaire, MFW was estimated via the excess energy intake method, and Generalized Linear Model (GLM) was applied to identify significant predictors of MFW volumes. Median per capita MFW was 121.84 kg/year, with potatoes being the most wasted food item (23.4 kg/year). Significant predictors of higher MFW included higher body weight (B = 0.024, p < 0.001), male gender (B = -0.812, p < 0.001), younger age (25-34 years) (B = 0.151, p = 0.035), omnivorous diets (B = 0.277, p < 0.001), and higher grocery shopping frequency (B = 0.032, p < 0.001). Conversely, individuals who prioritized price over taste in food purchases exhibited significantly lower MFW volumes (B = -0.137, p = 0.025). The annual total volumes of MFW (0.3 Mt./yr) generated by excess body weight adults in ROI is also responsible for 1.5 Mt. CO2e/yr emissions nationally. These findings position MFW as a critical yet underexplored dimension of food waste with profound implications for public health and environmental policies, aligning with SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

RevDate: 2025-04-19

Wang D, Kim BF, Nachman KE, et al (2025)

Impact of climate change on arsenic concentrations in paddy rice and the associated dietary health risks in Asia: an experimental and modelling study.

The Lancet. Planetary health pii:S2542-5196(25)00055-5 [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Rising global atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations and surface temperatures could negatively affect rice yields and nutritional quality; however, their effects on arsenic accumulation in paddy rice have not been assessed concurrently. We aimed to assess the impact of increases in CO2 and temperature (individually and in combination) on arsenic concentrations in rice, characterise soil properties that might influence arsenic uptake, and model the associated risks of cancer and other health outcomes due to increased arsenic exposure.

METHODS: For this modelling study we performed in-situ multi-varietal trials using Free-Air CO2 Enrichment platforms with and without supplemental temperature to examine the bioaccumulation of arsenic in paddy rice and the underlying biogeochemical mechanisms from 2014 to 2023. We modelled dietary inorganic arsenic exposure and the associated risks of cancer and non-cancer health outcomes via rice consumption for seven of the leading rice-consuming countries in east and southeast Asia.

FINDINGS: Concomitant increases in CO2 and temperature resulted in a synergistic increase of inorganic arsenic in rice grain. The observed increase is likely to be related to changes in soil biogeochemistry that favoured reduced arsenic species. Modelled consumption of rice under these conditions resulted in projected increases in inorganic arsenic exposure and lifetime cancer and health risks for multiple Asian countries by 2050.

INTERPRETATION: Inorganic arsenic exposure and the associated health consequences might increase in rice grain grown in flooded systems with mid-century climate projections. The current assessment reinforces the urgent need for mitigation of arsenic exposure in rice relative to near-term climate change.

FUNDING: National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province, China, Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality Special Fund for Science and Technology from Nanjing Science and Technology Bureau, Key Research and Development Program of Jiangsu Province, Erdos City Science and Technology Major Project, Science Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality Special Fund for Science and Technology from Jiangsu Science and Technology Department, and "0-1" Original Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

RevDate: 2025-04-19
CmpDate: 2025-04-19

Mohamed M, Amin S, Lever E, et al (2025)

Climate change and child wellbeing: a systematic evidence and gap map on impacts, mitigation, and adaptation.

The Lancet. Planetary health, 9(4):e337-e346.

We developed a systematic evidence and gap map (2014-24) to assess how climate change impacts, mitigation, and adaptation affect the wellbeing of children aged 0-18 years globally, and discussed findings with the Children in All Policies 2030 Youth Advisory Board. Health was the most researched child wellbeing domain (84%; 948 of 1127 studies), followed by education (15%; n=171), and food security and nutrition (14%; n=160). Research on children's agency and resilience, displacement, socioeconomic distress, and safety received less attention. Health research gaps included limited studies on vector-borne diseases, children's mental health beyond post-traumatic stress disorder, and health outcomes for children aged 5-18 years. Mitigation and adaptation research focused largely on educational (45%; 114 of 252 studies) and behavioural changes (31%; n=79), with gaps in the evaluation of financing, infrastructure, technology, clean energy, and policy actions. Youth advisory board members emphasised the importance of schools, social media, and intergenerational dialogue in driving climate action while protecting children's wellbeing.

RevDate: 2025-04-22
CmpDate: 2025-04-19

Fisher G, Smith CL, Pagano L, et al (2025)

Leveraging implementation science to solve the big problems: a scoping review of health system preparations for the effects of pandemics and climate change.

The Lancet. Planetary health, 9(4):e326-e336.

As the planet warms and pandemics become more common, health systems will face disruptions to both their service delivery and their workforce. To minimise the severity of these impacts, health systems will need to efficiently and rapidly prepare, adapt, and respond. Implementation science will be crucial to the success of these actions. However, the extent to which health systems are using implementation science to address the pressures of pandemics and climate change is not currently known. In this scoping review, we aimed to address this research gap. We reviewed empirical studies that used implementation science to adapt, respond to, or prepare a health-care setting for a pandemic or climate-related event, defining components of implementation science (as proposed by Nilsen [2015]) and implementation evaluation outcomes (as proposed by Proctor and colleagues [2011]). We found a growing evidence base describing the use of implementation science in health system responses to pandemics (n=54 studies), but a dearth of similar evidence for climate change (n=2 studies). Future research could benefit from applying the principles of implementation science in pre-implementation phases and purposefully planning for long-term, ongoing evaluations, which will facilitate tailored and sustainable health system responses to climate-related and pandemic events.

RevDate: 2025-04-19
CmpDate: 2025-04-19

Viennet E, Dean MM, Kircher J, et al (2025)

Blood under pressure: how climate change threatens blood safety and supply chains.

The Lancet. Planetary health, 9(4):e304-e313.

Climate change substantially threatens public health, including the blood supply chain, which is crucial for medical treatments such as surgeries, trauma care, and chronic disease management. Extreme weather events, vector-borne disease shifts, and temperature fluctuations can disrupt blood collection, testing, transport, and storage, threatening both the safety and sufficiency of blood products. Although studies have highlighted some connections between climate change, transfusion-transmissible infections, and blood safety, there remains a lack of comprehensive understanding of the climate effects on each supply chain stage. In this Personal View, we address the potential climate-driven challenges across the blood supply chain, from donor health to blood component stability, emphasising the importance of proactive measures. To protect the availability and safety of blood supplies in an evolving climate, further research and adaptive strategies are needed to build a resilient blood supply system that can withstand emerging climate-related disruptions.

RevDate: 2025-04-19
CmpDate: 2025-04-19

Wan K, Gampe D, S Hajat (2025)

Disentangling the contributions of anthropogenic climate change, greenhouse gases, and aerosols to heat-related mortality in Great Britain: a climate change impact attribution study.

The Lancet. Planetary health, 9(4):e274-e283.

BACKGROUND: Anthropogenic aerosols are a critical contributor to climate change and their net cooling effects can partially counter the warming effects of greenhouse gases, but they are rarely considered in health impact attribution studies of climate change. The aim of this study was to attribute heat-related deaths in Great Britain to anthropogenic climate change and individual forcings of greenhouse gases and aerosols.

METHODS: Using a special suite of climate simulations, past and future heat-related deaths in Great Britain attributable to the relative contributions of anthropogenic greenhouse gas and aerosol forcings were estimated under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway SSP2-4.5. Empirical confidence intervals were quantified combining uncertainties from climate models and health risk functions.

FINDINGS: Emergence of heat-related mortality associated with anthropogenic climate change was partially counteracted by the cooling effects of aerosols, with the time of emergence being approximately four decades later compared with the greenhouse gas-only simulation. We estimate that around 700 annual heat-related deaths during 1961-1980 were masked by the cooling effects of aerosols. There was a sharp increase in heat-deaths between 1980 and 2020 due to the combined effects of greenhouse gas increases and large aerosol reductions. By the end of the 21st century, a 2-6-fold increase in heat-related deaths due to greenhouse gases is projected, with a negligible counteracting contribution of aerosols.

INTERPRETATION: In addition to greenhouse gases, the potential contributions of aerosols should be considered when assessing climate change risks and mitigation pathways. This is crucial due to their opposing temperature effects, diverging future emission trajectories, and varying geographical scales. Separate attribution of climate change impacts to the global effects of greenhouse gases and local effects of aerosols can enhance transparency and equity, and can inform loss and damage funding models. Such impact attribution assessments can help to optimise health co-benefits and prevent unintended negative consequences of environmental policies on heat-related and air pollution-related health outcomes.

FUNDING: Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Change and Health, National Institute for Health and Care Research.

RevDate: 2025-04-19

Epstein TEG, Rorie AC, Ramon GD, et al (2025)

Impact of climate change on aerobiology, rhinitis, and allergen immunotherapy: Work Group Report from the Aerobiology, Rhinitis, Rhinosinusitis & Ocular Allergy, and Immunotherapy, Allergen Standardization & Allergy Diagnostics Committees of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology pii:S0091-6749(25)00268-4 [Epub ahead of print].

Climate change is imposing a profound effect on health conditions triggered by environmental exposures. Climate change has affected aeroallergens in numerous ways, including: (1) changes in the vegetation microbiome distribution, (2) increases in C4 grasses globally, (3) increased occurrence of acute weather events, (4) increases in ambient temperature that amplify fungal spore concentration and pollen season duration, and (5) increased allergenicity of pollen and fungi due to exposure to higher levels of carbon dioxide, ozone, and diesel exhaust particles. In addition, greenhouse gases and air pollutants disrupt the epithelial barrier, trigger eosinophilic inflammation, and serve as adjuvants that stimulate IgE-mediated responses. All of these factors have influenced the prevalence and morbidity of allergic rhinitis, nonallergic rhinitis, and chronic rhinosinusitis. Data regarding changes in aeroallergen exposures due to climate change are lacking, and longitudinal sensitization data are rarely available. Allergists need to adapt diagnostic and treatment strategies to limit aeroallergen and air pollutant exposure and facilitate desensitization. Steps needed to address these challenges include: (1) expanding local measurement of pollen and fungal spores, (2) increasing the intensity of allergen avoidance measures, (3) addressing supply chain issues, and (4) promoting collaboration between allergists, insurance companies, aeroallergen manufacturers, and regulatory agencies.

RevDate: 2025-04-21
CmpDate: 2025-04-19

Wen S, Chen H, J Su (2025)

Engaging health professionals in climate change: a cross-national study of psychological distance across 12 countries.

BMC public health, 25(1):1455.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the psychological distance (PD) of health professionals toward climate change is essential to promote effective climate action and informed health policy. While climate change poses a global health threat requiring urgent collaboration, limited cross-national research exists on health professionals' perspectives, particularly on how they perceive PD in relation to climate change.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide initial insights into how health professionals perceive climate change across different countries, focusing on key factors influencing PD, including personal experiences, uncertainty, perceptions, information environments, global interconnectedness, and climate-resilient infrastructure.

METHODS: This research employed an exploratory mixed-methods approach, combining descriptive surveys and in-depth semi-structured interviews with 18 early-to-mid-career health professionals from 12 countries. This design facilitated a nuanced exploration of the dimensions of PD-temporal, spatial, social, and uncertainty-related-by integrating quantitative data with qualitative insights to uncover emerging trends and hypotheses.

RESULTS: Findings reveal diverse perceptions of PD among health professionals, shaped by contextual factors such as exposure to extreme weather, information environments, and infrastructure development. These results challenge the oversimplified view that professionals in developing countries consistently perceive climate change impacts as more distant, underscoring the need for localized understandings of PD.

CONCLUSION: Assessing PD requires consideration of its diverse dimensions to inform effective climate-related behaviors and interventions. Tailored communication strategies reflecting unique national and regional contexts are essential to engage health professionals, enabling them to drive climate discourse and policy advocacy. This study highlights the potential of the early-to-mid-career health professionals in bridging the gap between public awareness and climate action. Their unique position enables them to drive long-term climate adaptation and policy implementation, fostering both global and localized solutions to climate challenges.

RevDate: 2025-04-18

Nogueira LM, Sakka R, C Jovanovic (2025)

A recipe for a disaster: food, climate change, and cancer.

Cancer causes & control : CCC [Epub ahead of print].

Climate change impacts each step of the cancer control continuum, from prevention to survivorship. Importantly, several human activities driving greenhouse gas emissions also impact cancer risk and outcomes. Therefore, there is significant overlap between climate and cancer control solutions. This article describes the connection between the current food system, climate change, and cancer; one realm of human activities with enormous potential for modifications and implementation of win-win solutions.

RevDate: 2025-04-21

Turner S, Hannaford J, Barker LJ, et al (2025)

ROBIN: Reference observatory of basins for international hydrological climate change detection.

Scientific data, 12(1):654.

Human-induced warming is modifying the water cycle. Adaptation to posed threats requires an understanding of hydrological responses to climate variability. Whilst these can be computationally modelled, observed streamflow data is essential for constraining models, and understanding and quantifying emerging trends in the water cycle. To date, the identification of such trends at the global scale has been hindered by data limitations - in particular, the prevalence of direct human influences on streamflow which can obscure climate-driven variability. By removing these influences, trends in streamflow data can be more confidently attributed to climate variability. Here we describe the Reference Observatory of Basins for INternational hydrological climate change detection (ROBIN) - the first iteration of a global network of streamflow data from national reference hydrological networks (RHNs) - comprised of catchments which are near-natural or have limited human influences. This collaboration has established a freely available global RHN dataset of over 3,000 catchments and code libraries, which can be used to underpin new science endeavours and advance change detection studies to support international climate policy and adaptation.

RevDate: 2025-04-21
CmpDate: 2025-04-18

Alves-Ferreira G, Heming NM, Talora D, et al (2025)

Climate change is projected to shrink phylogenetic endemism of Neotropical frogs.

Nature communications, 16(1):3713.

Climate change is widely recognized as one of the main threats to biodiversity[1] and predicting its consequences is critical to conservation efforts. A wide range of studies have evaluated the effects of future climate using taxon-based metrics[3,4], but few studies to date have applied a phylogenetic approach to forecast these impacts. Here, we show that future climate change is expected to significantly modify not only species richness, but also phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic endemism of Neotropical frogs. Our results show that by 2050, the ranges of 42.20% (n = 213) of species are projected to shrink and the range of 1.71% of species (n = 9) are projected to disappear. Furthermore, we find that areas of high SR and PD are not always congruent with areas of high PE. Our study highlights the projected impacts of climate change on Neotropical frog diversity and identifies target areas for conservation efforts that consider not just species numbers, but also distinct evolutionary histories.

RevDate: 2025-04-17

Liu G, Snell JC, Griffiths TL, et al (2025)

Binary climate data visuals amplify perceived impact of climate change.

Nature human behaviour [Epub ahead of print].

For much of the global population, climate change appears as a slow, gradual shift in daily weather. This leads many to perceive its impacts as minor and results in apathy (the 'boiling frog' effect). How can we convey the urgency of the crisis when its impacts appear so subtle? Here, through a series of large-scale cognitive experiments (N = 799), we find that presenting people with binary climate data (for example, lake freeze history) significantly increases the perceived impact of climate change (Cohen's d = 0.40, 95% confidence interval 0.26-0.54) compared with continuous data (for example, mean temperature). Computational modelling and follow-up experiments (N = 398) suggest that binary data enhance perceived impact by creating an 'illusion' of sudden shifts. Crucially, our approach does not involve selective data presentation but rather compares different datasets that reflect equivalent trends in climate change over time. These findings, robustly replicated across multiple experiments, provide a cognitive basis for the 'boiling frog' effect and offer a psychologically grounded approach for policymakers and educators to improve climate change communication while maintaining scientific accuracy.

RevDate: 2025-04-20
CmpDate: 2025-04-17

González C, Calderón JM, López AM, et al (2025)

Species-specific variation in predicted distribution and habitat suitability of phlebotomine sand flies in Italy under different climate change scenarios.

Scientific reports, 15(1):13297.

The incidence of human and canine leishmaniasis in Europe is increasing and is a key indicator in the Lancet Countdown report on health and climate change 2024. While the potential distribution of the disease on a continental scale has been assessed under climate change scenarios, local analyses of vector species distribution are crucial for effective prevention strategies. Italy is endemic for Leishmania infantum, and expansions in the latitudinal and altitudinal distribution of canine cases and vector species have been recorded. This study evaluated the potential distribution of six phlebotomine sand fly species, known or suspected vectors of L. infantum, under climate change scenarios using ecological niche modeling and the maximum entropy (MaxEnt v. 3.4.1) modeling algorithm. We analyzed 410 records from 1979 to 2013 and projected future distributions for 2041-2060 and 2061-2080 using five CMIP5 models and two representative concentration pathways. Historical data from 1968 to 1972 were also examined to confirm suitable areas. The predictions indicate suitable habitats for sand flies throughout Italy, and variations among the different scenarios evaluated. All species show potential for expansion, such as the main vector, P. perniciosus, which shows an increase in the percentage of suitable habitat over time. On the other hand, predictions for P. perfiliewi don't show a clear pattern, with an initial decrease and subsequent increase in suitable areas. Shifts in the distribution of insect vectors may affect the dynamics of Leishmania transmission, highlighting the need for improved surveillance strategies.

RevDate: 2025-04-17

O'Reilly S, Griffiths J, Fox L, et al (2025)

Climate change impacts and sustainability integration among breast international group members.

Breast (Edinburgh, Scotland), 81:104469 pii:S0960-9776(25)00486-2 [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Integration of sustainability measures into clinical research would translate into less healthcare related climate impacts.

METHODS: We assessed climate change impacts, existing sustainability engagement, and challenges and facilitators to climate change mitigation strategies among Breast International Group (BIG) members. A 30 item web based survey assessing climate impacts, sustainability engagement, challenges to and facilitators of engagement, and sustainability integration in funding applications was developed, and circulated electronically between November 2023 and March 2024.

RESULTS: Thirty four members (research groups and data centres) and participating sites across 5 continents, and BIG headquarters responded. Twenty six responses were received from 21 organisations, 20 from 17 participating sites. No responses were obtained from 28 groups. Trial conduct at a third of member groups had been impacted by climate change impacts such as destroyed infrastructure. 78 % of groups agreed that sustainability should feature in future funding applications. Most respondents engaged in sustainability initiatives at a host institute and organisational level. However, 39 % of coordinating centres and 65 % of representative sites had none within clinical trials conducted by their organisation. The majority of respondents foresaw challenges to sustainability engagement including competing time pressure, staff attitudes and resource constraints. Of nine potential facilitators to engagement, funding, an evidence base for sustainable research practice and training were the leading themes.

CONCLUSION: In the first global survey of its kind, a third of respondents reported that climate change had impacted trial conduct. Integration of sustainability measures was absent in a significant minority. Funding and dedicated resourcing would facilitate increased engagement in cancer clinical trials.

RevDate: 2025-04-17

Dias CG, Martins FB, Martins MA, et al (2025)

Breaking new ground: First AquaCrop calibration and climate change impact assessment on Arabica coffee.

The Science of the total environment, 978:179418 pii:S0048-9697(25)01055-1 [Epub ahead of print].

Climate change threatens global coffee yield stability, especially in Brazil, the largest Arabica exporter. Yield modeling is key to climate-resilient strategies and effective planning. To this end, the AquaCrop model was parameterized, calibrated, and validated for Arabica coffee in Brazil and subsequently applied to project yield under future climate scenarios. These processes were carried out across 58 municipalities in Brazil's two largest coffee-growing regions, covering the growing years from 2014 to 2019. AquaCrop accurately simulated Arabica coffee yield during calibration and validation processes, with root mean square error values of ∼0.15 t ha[-1], mean bias error of ∼0.007 t ha[-1], and d-index of ∼0.76. To project yield, AquaCrop used as input daily near-surface air temperature (minimum and maximum), precipitation, and reference evapotranspiration data from 9 General Circulation Models (GCMs) from the NASA Earth Exchange Global Daily Downscaled Projections (NEX-GDDP), which are derived from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), under three Shared Socioeconomic Pathways scenarios (SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5). Under future climate conditions, reductions in the coffee growing cycle duration and heterogeneous yield changes are projected, with increases (between 0.25 and 0.55 t ha[-1]) along a belt extending from southeastern São Paulo to southern Minas Gerais, and decreases (between -0.05 and -0.15 t ha[-1]) in northeastern Minas Gerais. Even though yield increases are projected for much of the study region, adopting effective adaptive measures will be essential to address climate change threats.

RevDate: 2025-04-19
CmpDate: 2025-04-17

Martínez ML, Silva R, Chávez V, et al (2025)

The challenges of climate change and human impacts faced by Mexican coasts: A comprehensive evaluation.

PloS one, 20(4):e0320087.

The extensive shoreline of Mexico is heterogeneous and diverse, but it is increasingly exposed to degradation and loss. This is the first study performed at a national level and with a multidisciplinary approach, that aims to assess the impact of climate change and human-related pressures affecting Mexican coasts. From 1863 to 2022, 386 tropical cyclones have landed on Mexican coasts, six of them of category 5 (most on the Atlantic). Sea level rise projections showed that the Atlantic coast is the most vulnerable, whereas intense coastal erosion (> 25m/year) is more widespread on the northern Pacific coast. Human impacts include coastal urbanization, ecosystem degradation and coastal armouring. Six million people live on Mexican coasts, mostly in the Caribbean. Mangroves and coastal dunes each cover nearly 800,000 ha. The mangroves are relatively well preserved, but almost half the area of the coastal dunes is degraded. Coastal armouring is widespread along the coasts, but most of these structures (55%) are found on the Yucatan peninsula. Activities required to improve the condition of Mexican coasts and make them a sustainable place to live would include: adaptation of human settlements to the conditions of the dynamic coasts; appropriate coastal protection measures that do not induce downdrift erosion; dealing with coastal risks by restoring and preserving coastal ecosystems.

RevDate: 2025-04-17
CmpDate: 2025-04-17

Vercammen A, Wray B, Crider YS, et al (2025)

Psychological impacts of climate change on US youth.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 122(16):e2311400122.

Awareness of the threats of climate change is causing distress in increasingly documented ways, with youth particularly affected. Experiences such as climate distress and eco-anxiety have implications for the health and well-being of societies and economies, including individuals' mental health and future planning, as well as their agency beliefs. Here, we show in a large sample of US youth (n = 2,834, ages 16 to 24) that the majority of US youth experience moderate climate distress and some functional interference from climate-related thoughts and feelings and a neutral to slightly positive sense of agency. They feel concern, interest, disappointment, frustration, sadness, anxiousness, and anger as affective responses to the crisis, and a majority report that their climate awareness may influence their plans for education, travel, and family planning. The key takeaway of this study is that the psychological impacts of climate change in US youth can have either impairing or strengthening effects, especially in the face of increased perceived direct exposure. Results show that self-reported direct experience of climate-related events is associated with increased eco-anxiety, climate distress, and impact of climate change on future planning, but also fortifying responses such as psychological adaptation and agency. These findings highlight the need for health systems and communities to prepare to address increased climate distress and related concerns in US youth as perceived exposure to climate-related hazards increases, in ways that strengthen healthy coping and agency to act. These findings have implications for the mental health of populations, climate behaviors, and life choices of young people experiencing these threats.

RevDate: 2025-04-19
CmpDate: 2025-04-17

Kapazoglou A, Tani E, Papasotiropoulos V, et al (2025)

Enhancing Abiotic Stress Resilience in Mediterranean Woody Perennial Fruit Crops: Genetic, Epigenetic, and Microbial Molecular Perspectives in the Face of Climate Change.

International journal of molecular sciences, 26(7):.

Enhanced abiotic stresses such as increased drought, elevated temperatures, salinity, and extreme weather phenomena severely affect major crops in the Mediterranean area, a 'hot spot' of climate change. Plants have evolved mechanisms to face stressful conditions and adapt to increased environmental pressures. Intricate molecular processes involving genetic and epigenetic factors and plant-microbe interactions have been implicated in the response and tolerance to abiotic stress. Deciphering the molecular mechanisms whereby plants perceive and respond to stress is crucial for developing strategies to counteract climate challenges. Progress in determining genes, complex gene networks, and biochemical pathways, as well as plant-microbiota crosstalk, involved in abiotic stress tolerance has been achieved through the application of molecular tools in diverse genetic resources. This knowledge could be particularly useful for accelerating plant improvement and generating resilient varieties, especially concerning woody perennial crops, where classical breeding is a lengthy and labor-intensive process. Similarly, understanding the mechanisms of plant-microbe interactions could provide insights into innovative approaches to facing stressful conditions. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview and discuss the recent findings concerning the genetic, epigenetic, and microbial aspects shaping abiotic stress responses, in the context of enhancing resilience in important Mediterranean woody perennial fruit crops.

RevDate: 2025-04-17
CmpDate: 2025-04-17

Tavares-Cohén GA, Simões-Castro AP, Andrade-Sales C, et al (2025)

Impact of climate change and social determinants on the spatial and epidemiological distribution of tuberculosis in the state of Pará: a perspective for COP 30.

Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia, 85:e293623 pii:S1519-69842025000100155.

Tuberculosis is a critical public health challenge in Brazil, with the state of Pará reporting high incidence rates driven by social inequalities, rapid urbanization, and adverse climatic conditions. This study analyzes the epidemiology of tuberculosis in the Metropolitan Region of Belém from 2018 to 2022, correlating social and environmental determinants with the impacts of climate change. Georeferenced data, temporal analysis, and predictive modeling were employed to identify epidemiological patterns and high-incidence clusters. Belém accounted for 60.1% of cases in the region, highlighting the influence of population density and socioeconomic vulnerabilities exacerbated by extreme climatic events. The findings underscore the need to integrate public policies and sustainability, emphasizing COP30 as an opportunity to catalyze both local and global actions.

RevDate: 2025-04-17

Erkan FM, F Kavak Budak (2025)

The correlation between global climate change anxiety and death anxiety in women: A case study from the zone of 6 February earthquake.

The International journal of social psychiatry [Epub ahead of print].

AIM: This study aims to determine the correlation between global climate change anxiety and death anxiety in women.

METHOD: The population of this correlational descriptive study consisted of women who lived in a informal living conditions in a province due to the earthquake. Five hundred women were included in the study. The data were collected using a Descriptive Characteristics Form, the Climate Change Anxiety Scale, and the Death Anxiety Scale by holding face-to-face interviews with women who lived in the informal living conditions between June and September 2024.

FINDINGS: The total mean score of the women on the climate change anxiety scale was 20.73 ± 8.05. The total mean score of the participants on the death anxiety scale was 9.55 ± 3.34 (Table 2). A statistically significant positive weak correlation was found between the total mean score of the participants on the Climate Change Anxiety Scale and their total mean score on the Death Anxiety Scale (p < .05).

CONCLUSION: The anxiety level of the participants about climate change could be considered to be low. The death anxiety score of the women was 'severe'. As the climate change anxiety of the participants increased, so did their death anxiety.

RevDate: 2025-04-18

Aziz M, G Anjum (2025)

Rethinking knowledge systems in psychology: addressing epistemic hegemony and systemic obstacles in climate change studies.

Frontiers in psychology, 16:1533802.

Climate psychology has emerged as a critical field examining how individuals and societies perceive, respond to, and engage with the climate crisis. However, the discipline remains deeply influenced by Western epistemologies, which privilege individualistic, anthropocentric, and positivist approaches to knowledge production. This perspective paper critically examines how Western bias shapes the theoretical frameworks, methodological approaches, and policy implications within climate psychology, often to the exclusion of non-Western epistemologies, particularly those from Indigenous and Global South communities. We argue that dominant Western paradigms, rooted in individualism, cognitive-behavioral models, and human-exceptionalist perspectives, constrain the field's ability to fully capture the complex, relational, and context-specific ways in which diverse populations engage with climate change. Moreover, the overreliance on quantitative and experimental methodologies systematically marginalizes Indigenous methodologies, such as storytelling, relational worldviews, and participatory research approaches, thereby limiting the inclusivity and ecological validity of climate psychology research. To address these limitations, we propose a decolonial approach to climate psychology, advocating for the integration of Indigenous epistemologies, pluralistic methodologies, and equitable research collaborations. By diversifying epistemic foundations and methodological tools, climate psychology can move beyond its Western biases, leading to more culturally responsive research and more effective and just climate interventions. This paper calls for a fundamental reorientation in climate psychology, one that values epistemic diversity as essential for addressing the multifaceted human dimensions of climate change.

RevDate: 2025-04-19
CmpDate: 2025-04-17

Shen Z, Giljohann K, Liu Z, et al (2025)

Novel wildfire regimes under climate change and human activity: patterns, driving mechanisms and ecological impacts.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences, 380(1924):20230446.

Fire regime refers to the statistical characteristics of fire events within specific spatio-temporal contexts, shaped by interactions among climatic conditions, vegetation types and natural or anthropogenic ignitions. Under the dual pressures of intensified global climate changes and human activities, fire regimes worldwide are undergoing unprecedented transformations, marked by increasing frequency of large and intense wildfires in some regions, yet declining fire activity in others. These fire regime changes (FRC) may drive responses in ecosystem structure and function across spatio-temporal scales, posing significant challenges to socio-economic adaptation and mitigation capacities. To date, research on the patterns and mechanisms of global FRC has rapidly expanded, with investigations into driving factors revealing complex interactions. This review synthesizes research advancements in FRC by analysing 17 articles from this special issue and 249 additional publications retrieved from the Web of Science. We systematically outline the key characteristics of FRC, geographical hotspots of fire regime transformation, critical fire-prone vegetation types, primary climatic and anthropogenic drivers and ecosystem adaptations and feedbacks. Finally, we highlight research frontiers and identify key approaches to advance this field and emphasize an interdisciplinary perspective in understanding and adapting to FRC.This article is part of the theme issue 'Novel fire regimes under climate changes and human influences: impacts, ecosystem responses and feedbacks'.

RevDate: 2025-04-19
CmpDate: 2025-04-17

Ruffatto K, Minello LVP, Furtado BG, et al (2025)

Nanoparticles as tools for enhancing plant resistance to biotic stress in the context of climate change.

Physiologia plantarum, 177(2):e70227.

In the face of climate change, agriculture is increasingly challenged by shifting dynamics of biotic stresses, including the intensified spread of pests and pathogens. Traditional control methods, often reliant on chemical pesticides, are associated with environmental degradation and potential health risks. Nanoparticles (NPs) present a promising, sustainable alternative for enhancing plant resistance to biotic stresses, potentially revolutionizing agricultural practices. This mini-review explores the mechanisms through which NP-based formulations (such as metal-based NPs, chitosan, and silica) induce plant responses and bolster defences against pathogens and pests. By enhancing plant resilience without the environmental downsides of conventional pesticides, NPs could support a more sustainable approach to crop protection. This review also highlights the potential risks in expanding the use of NPs in agriculture, urging more studies to explore these technologies as a sustainable approach to managing crops in a changing climate.

RevDate: 2025-04-16

Shacheri F, Czuba JA, MA Perkins (2025)

Isolating the compounding effects of dam hydropeaking and climate change on freshwater mussel recruitment.

The Science of the total environment, 977:179390 pii:S0048-9697(25)01027-7 [Epub ahead of print].

Dam hydropeaking events, which are short-term variations in river flow because of turning turbines on and off to satisfy the sub-daily energy demand, affect riverine ecosystems. Our study area is the mostly forested Dan River in North Carolina where upstream dam operations affect streamflow and where the endangered James spinymussel (Parvaspina collina, JSM) has declined over time; conditions characteristic of many rivers. Wildlife managers across the Eastern U.S., and in North Carolina specifically, are seeking actionable knowledge to improve habitat conditions for freshwater mussels. Here, water is a key societal resource for power generation, but a risk factor during certain time periods of a freshwater mussel's life cycle. This study evaluates the relative contribution of hydropeaking and climate change in affecting freshwater mussel populations, in general, and freshwater mussel recruitment, specifically. We isolated hydropeaking events and calculated various hydrological metrics from the hydrograph (15-min interval) between 2001 and 2022 of the regulated Dan River and compared them to those from the adjacent unregulated Mayo River. Our major finding is that low-flow events, which are decreasing in part due to climate change, are important for freshwater mussel recruitment, and these low flows are being disrupted by dam releases, which are occurring more frequently, that together are correlated with a decrease in the JSM population in the Dan River. This study provides actionable knowledge for decision-makers and river managers to promote sustainable coexistence of human needs (e.g., hydropower generation) and ecological conservation.

RevDate: 2025-04-16

Fanzo J, Carducci B, Louis-Jean J, et al (2025)

Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events, Food Security, and Nutrition: Evolving Relationships and Critical Challenges.

Annual review of nutrition [Epub ahead of print].

Climate change, also known as global warming, poses significant challenges for both the planet and humanity. With further warming, every region across the world is projected to increasingly experience concurrent and multiple changes in climate, compounding overall risk. Long-term climate change and near-term extreme weather events have multiple negative effects on food security, diets, and nutrition via complex, multidirectional pathways through food, health, water, and social protection systems. However, measuring climate-attributable malnutrition impacts, especially among the most vulnerable populations, remains challenging. Changes in climate across a range of geographies have been modeled, projected, and observed showing detrimental associations with dietary and nutrition outcomes, particularly undernutrition. Many of these undernourished populations are climate vulnerable due to a variety of determinants challenging their ability to adapt to impending risks. While nutrition integration within climate adaptation plans have lagged, there is momentum for robust collaboration between climate and nutrition communities to fill data gaps that are critical for joint decision-making.

RevDate: 2025-04-19
CmpDate: 2025-04-16

Nasab FK, A Zeraatkar (2025)

Assessing the impact of global warming on the distributions of Allium stipitatum and Kelussia odoratissima in the Central Zagros using a MaxEnt model.

PloS one, 20(4):e0321167.

Global warming is an undeniable fact occurring in different parts of the world. Climate changes can have irreversible effects on plant communities, particularly on endemic and endangered species. Therefore, it is important to predict the impact of climate change on the distribution of these species to help protect them. This study utilized the MaxEnt model to forecast the impact of climate change on the distributions of two medicinal, edible, and aromatic species, Kelussia odoratissima and Allium stipitatum, in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. The study used the CCSM4 general circulation model along with two climate scenarios, RCP2.6 and RCP8.5, for the 2050s and 2070s to predict the potential impact of climate change on the distribution of the species studied. The research findings indicated that the model performed effectively for prediction (AUC≥0.9). The primary environmental variables influencing species distribution were found to be isothermality (Bio3), soil organic carbon, and pH for A. stipitatum, and soil organic carbon, precipitation seasonality (Bio15), and precipitation of the wettest month (Bio13) for K. odoratissima. The findings suggest that the distribution of the studied species is expected to decline in the 2050s and 2070s due to climate change, under both the RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 climate scenarios. The research indicates that climate change is likely to have a significantly negative effect on the habitats of these species, leading to important ecological and socio-economic impacts. Therefore, our study emphasizes the urgent need for conservation efforts to prevent their extinction and protect their habitats.

RevDate: 2025-04-16
CmpDate: 2025-04-16

Sack TL, Thiravialingam AR, Zubizarreta CS, et al (2025)

Heat Illness and Extreme Weather Health Literacy: Communication Preferences and Effectiveness for Patients Living in Climate-Change-Vulnerable Communities.

International journal of environmental research and public health, 22(3):.

Health professionals are trusted information sources and could be valuable for improving climate change health literacy. Few studies address teaching patients about health risks associated with climate change, and no studies have focused on the medical office waiting room as a teaching site for populations from heat-vulnerable neighborhoods. We gave adult patients in primary care office waiting rooms printed teaching materials about heat-related illnesses. We asked them to read these at home and then complete an online confidential survey concerning their preferences among teaching methods and their preferences for communication during health emergencies. Ninety-one surveys were received from patients residing in heat-vulnerable neighborhoods. Patients liked receiving information in waiting rooms. Printed brochures were favored statistically by patients, but other teaching methods that are feasible for waiting rooms also rated well, including single-page printed fliers, posters, and video screens. Digital options were far less favored. We conclude that printed teaching materials may improve decisions that impact human health. The medical office waiting room appears to be an accepted, time-efficient, and effective site to communicate knowledge on climate change and health. Additionally, medical offices could play a role supporting government agencies to communicate with patients during weather-related health emergencies.

RevDate: 2025-04-17

Eilam E (2024)

Considering the role of behaviors in sustainability and climate change education.

Frontiers in psychology, 15:1394326.

At the heart of sustainability and climate change education discourse is the notion of student behavioral change, as an emphasized goal. The central positioning of behavior modification raises moral and ethical concerns, as well as concerns regarding the impacts on student well-being. In addressing these issues, this conceptual paper interrogates the role ascribed to student behavior in sustainability education and climate change education. Multiple lenses are applied to critique the behavioral modification approach. Finally, it is proposed to reframe the role of behavior and to conceptualize behavior as forming part of ethics education, where the focus shifts from assigning behavior an instrumental role to conceptualizing its intrinsic educational value.

RevDate: 2025-04-15

Reis J, Öztürk Ş, Ayta S, et al (2025)

Corrigendum to "Health challenges of climate change in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region, with a focus on Türkiye. An environmental neurological and brain health perspective of article" [Journal of the Neurological Sciences, Vol 470 (2025), 123423].

Journal of the neurological sciences, 473:123494 pii:S0022-510X(25)00111-X [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2025-04-15

Editors T (2025)

There Are No Climate Havens: Special regions or areas people can move to that are untouched by climate change do not exist.

Scientific American, 332(5):76.

RevDate: 2025-04-17

Anonymous (2025)

Correction to: Dryland microbiomes reveal community adaptations to desertification and climate change.

The ISME journal, 19(1):.

RevDate: 2025-04-17

Zhang L, Wang P, Xie GL, et al (2025)

Assessing the Potential Distribution of Pseudoechthistatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in China Under Climate Change Using Species Distribution Models.

Ecology and evolution, 15(4):e71303.

Climate change will lead to changes in biological ecosystems, which may affect the geographic distribution of Pseudoechthistatus and thus alter the extent and spatial pattern of its habitat. Pseudoechthistatus plays an important role in biodiversity and has significant ecological value. This study utilized an optimized MaxEnt model to predict the predicted distribution of Pseudoechthistatus in China for the current and future (2050s and 2070s). The results show that the MaxEnt model has high prediction accuracy with AUC values higher than 0.97 for both training and testing. The most influential factors contributing to the distribution of Pseudoechthistatus were temperature seasonality (Bio4) and isothermality (Bio3), accounting for 38.8% and 28.2%, respectively. Furthermore, southern China remains a region of high suitability for Pseudoechthistatus species diversity. However, the Beijing climate center climate system model (BCC-CSM2-MR) predicts a decrease in suitable areas for Pseudoechthistatus, while the model for interdisciplinary research on climate (MIROC6) predicts an increase in medium and low suitable areas for Pseudoechthistatus. Additionally, future climate change will significantly alter its distribution pattern, with Pseudoechthistatus predicted to decrease its suitable area by 6.64%-28.01% under the BCC-CSM2-MR model and increase its suitable area by 6.14%-18.61% under the MIROC6 model. The results show that the MaxEnt model can improve the understanding of the geographical distribution of Pseudoechthistatus in the context of climate change and provide a scientific basis for the identification of potentially suitable habitats and the development of stable suitable areas for conservation.

RevDate: 2025-04-15
CmpDate: 2025-04-15

Kang LF, Zhao RF, Lu HT, et al (2025)

[Quantitative Identification of Impact of Climate Change and Anthropogenic Activities on the Ecological Quality of Vegetation in the Shiyang River Basin over Past 20 Years].

Huan jing ke xue= Huanjing kexue, 46(4):2439-2449.

Climate change and a series of anthropogenic activities have caused significant changes in vegetation. Quantitative identification of the relative contributions of climate change and anthropogenic activities to the interannual changes in vegetation ecological quality in the Shiyang River Basin is of great value for coping with future climatic challenges and implementing ecological protection measures in the Shiyang River Basin. Based on vegetation ecological quality (EQI), combined with multi-source remote sensing data, this study utilized slope trend analysis, partial correlation analysis, and residual analysis to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of vegetation ecological quality change and the partial correlation relationship with climate factors in the Shiyang River Basin and explored the relative contribution of climate change and anthropogenic activities to EQI trend change. The results showed that: ① EQI in the Shiyang River Basin increased steadily from 2002 to 2021, and the growth rate of EQI in the mountain area and oasis was significantly higher than that in the desert area. From southwest to northeast, the distribution pattern increased first and then decreased, and the regions with a faster increase in EQI were distributed around the oasis edge. ② Both temperature and precipitation in the Shiyang River Basin increased during the recent 20 years, and the positive effect of precipitation factor on vegetation greening was greater than that of temperature. ③ Climate change and anthropogenic activities contributed 33% and 67%, respectively, to the increase of EQI in the Shiyang River Basin in the past 20 years, and the positive impact of anthropogenic activities on vegetation ecological quality was continuously strengthened. The research results provide important reference for the formulation of vegetation ecological protection and management policies in the Shiyang River basin.

RevDate: 2025-04-14

Zhang J, RG Cong (2025)

Designing an effective incentive scheme for climate change mitigation in energy forests.

Journal of environmental management, 381:125316 pii:S0301-4797(25)01292-7 [Epub ahead of print].

Energy forests play a crucial role in carbon sequestration and biodiesel production, offering significant potential for mitigating climate change while enhancing energy security. However, current payment schemes are inefficient due to short durations and failure to consider the heterogeneity among private forest owners, leading to suboptimal budget utilisation. This study introduces an innovative "carrot and stick" incentive scheme that integrates subsidies and taxation within a unified framework. By incorporating the social carbon price concept and a principal-agent mechanism into the Land Expectation Value model, the proposed scheme incentivises private forest owners to optimize carbon reductions by accounting for soil quality. Soil quality influences timber yield-contributing to carbon storage in wood biomass-and seed yield, which reduces carbon emissions by substituting diesel with biodiesel. An empirical analysis of Pistacia chinensis forests demonstrates that the proposed scheme can extend optimal rotation ages, especially for forests on low-quality soil. Tailored subsidies that reflect forest heterogeneity further prolong rotation ages, albeit at the cost of government payments in information rents. Meanwhile, taxation ensures alignment between sustainable forest management, biodiesel utilisation, and carbon neutrality objectives. This approach offers actionable insights for policymakers in designing future incentive schemes that promote sustainable forest management and enhance the contribution of forests to climate change mitigation.

RevDate: 2025-04-14

Marcos M, Amores A, Agulles M, et al (2025)

Global warming drives a threefold increase in persistence and 1 [°]C rise in intensity of marine heatwaves.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 122(16):e2413505122.

Marine heatwaves are extreme climatic events consisting of persistent periods of warm ocean waters that have profound impacts on marine life. These episodes are becoming more intense, longer, and more frequent in response to anthropogenic global warming. Here, we provide a comprehensive and quantitative assessment on the role of global warming on marine heatwaves. To do so, we construct a counterfactual version of observed global sea surface temperatures since 1940, corresponding to a stationary climate without the effect of long-term increasing global temperatures, and use it to calculate the contribution of global air temperature rise on the intensity and persistence of marine heatwaves. We determine that global warming is responsible for nearly half of these extreme events and that, on a global average, it has led to a three-fold increase in the number of days per year that the oceans experience extreme surface heat conditions. We also show that global warming is responsible for an increase of 1 [°]C in the maximum intensity of the events. Our findings highlight the detrimental role that human-induced global warming plays on marine heatwaves. This study supports the need for mitigation and adaptation strategies to address these threats to marine ecosystems.

RevDate: 2025-04-14

Machado J, da Silva MN, Vasconcelos MW, et al (2025)

The Impact Of Climate Change-Induced Abiotic Stresses on the Nutritional Quality of Legume Seeds.

Journal of experimental botany pii:8113200 [Epub ahead of print].

Legumes are integral to agricultural sustainability, offering multifaceted benefits ranging from enhanced yields to companion crops to improved soil health. Despite their recognized advantages, challenges such as technological lock-ins, limited breeding resources, and adverse environmental conditions pose threats to their cultivation. Herein, the complex interaction between climate change stressors - specifically drought, high temperatures, and elevated CO2 levels - and their individual and combined impacts on the nutritional quality of legumes will be discussed. This topic has not been reviewed very often for multiple legume crops, despite its importance under climate change. This review critically examines the impact of environmental stresses on the nutritional quality of legume seeds and explores the underlying regulatory mechanisms, encompassing protein, amino acids, minerals, carbohydrates, lipids, and bioactive compounds. Key insights indicate a general need to shift legume cultivation practices, and the necessity of field studies beyond controlled environments for results that are more readily translated to the target population of environments for legume cultivation.

RevDate: 2025-04-15

Woywodt A, Kuruvilla R, S Stoneman (2025)

Climate change and continued professional development (CPD): Is it time for all CPD diaries to include carbon footprint estimates?.

Future healthcare journal, 12(2):100242.

The triple threat of changing climate, loss of biodiversity and pollution poses a significant challenge to our patients and the planet, and healthcare contributes to all three elements of the threat. The carbon footprint of continued professional development (CPD) is increasingly recognised, although a cognitive dissonance exists whereby climate change is acknowledged but air travel to conferences continues unabated. A CO2 allowance for CPD activities has been suggested previously. We suggest that CO2 footprint estimates could be incorporated into existing CPD diaries as a step towards visualising the environmental impact of CPD. Electronic CPD diaries are already widely used and typically contain dates and locations for CPD activities. It would be relatively easy and inexpensive to add an estimate of CO2 footprint to these diaries. Such an approach would initiate reflection, promote insight and help facilitate behavioural change. We call on institutions involved in CPD licensing, administration and documentation to trial this approach and share their experience.

RevDate: 2025-04-15
CmpDate: 2025-04-14

Schlatter L, Kumar M, P Kumar (2025)

Climate Change and Mental Health Nexus in National Climate Policy-Gaps and Challenges.

Annals of global health, 91(1):19.

Background: Climate change is increasingly recognized as a driver of mental health disorders, exacerbating conditions such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. However, climate policies rarely address mental health considerations. Objective: This study investigates the extent to which mental health is incorporated into national climate adaptation policies, specifically Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), from countries classified as high or very high risk according to the INFORM index. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review and policy analysis of NDCs from 38 high-risk countries. A keyword-based approach was used to assess the frequency and depth of mental health references in climate policies. Findings: Only 8 of 38 countries explicitly referenced mental health in their NDCs. Most policies prioritized physical health, with little attention given to the psychological impacts of climate-related disasters. Vulnerable populations, including children, women, and individuals with preexisting mental health conditions, remain largely unaddressed in these national policies. Conclusions: There is a significant gap in the integration of mental health impact and interventional indicators within climate change policies. Greater investment in interdisciplinary research and policy reforms are needed to ensure climate adaptation strategies address both physical and mental health concerns.

RevDate: 2025-04-16
CmpDate: 2025-04-13

Salmanpour F, Shakoori Z, Rahbarizadeh A, et al (2025)

Climate change impacts on altitudinal movements of society large mammals in the Alborz.

Scientific reports, 15(1):12735.

This study examines the impact of climate change on the altitudinal movement patterns and number of individuals of four large mammal species within the Central Alborz Protected Area (CAPA) region of the Alborz Mountains, a biodiversity hotspot, over a 23-year period (1999 to 2022). During the warm season (May 25-September 29), temperatures were reported to have increased by 2-2.5 °C, while relative humidity was observed to have decreased by 4-4.5%. Compared to the past two decades (2000-2022), Caspian red deer were observed to initiate their annual high-altitude migrations 15-20 days earlier, with the number of individuals in the summer range increasing more than threefold. Wild goats also migrated earlier, with peak arrivals increasing from 20-36 (1999-2003) to 36-57 (2018-2022) between May 25 and May 31, highlighting temperature as the primary driver of herbivore movement. In contrast, brown bears exhibited more subtle altitudinal movement, likely influenced by both temperature and humidity. Wild boars, with an approximate 40% increase in the number of individuals, tended to return to lower elevations earlier than in previous years (1999-2003). These patterns highlight the role of climate as a significant regulator of movement ecology, influencing high-altitude habitat use. However, human-induced barriers, such as roads and settlements, present additional threats to these seasonal migrations. This underscores the urgent need for adaptive management strategies, including the protection of movement corridors, the expansion of core zones, and enhanced community engagement, to support the resilience of these species under changing climatic conditions.

RevDate: 2025-04-16
CmpDate: 2025-04-13

Di Bartolomeo F, Ligresti R, Pettenuzzo S, et al (2025)

Shewanella putrefaciens, an emerging foe from climate change: a case report.

Journal of medical case reports, 19(1):105.

BACKGROUND: Shewanella putrefaciens is a Gram negative, facultatively anerobic bacterium commonly found in aquatic environments and is associated with decomposing organic matter. Although typically nonpathogenic, it has been recognized as an opportunistic pathogen capable of causing rare infections in humans, particularly immunocompromised individuals or those with underlying health conditions.

CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 74-year-old white Italian female who developed a soft tissue infection after sustaining a leg injury and subsequently bathing in the coastal waters of Valencia, Spain. Despite initial treatment with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and wound debridement, the infection persisted. Microbiological analysis revealed the presence of Shewanella putrefaciens and Bacteroides fragilis. The patient required a second-line antibiotic regimen with ciprofloxacin, which successfully resolved the infection, although the patient experienced chronic ankle edema owing to underlying lymphatic insufficiency.

CONCLUSION: This case underscores several critical considerations: the emerging pathogenic potential of S. putrefaciens, the implications of environmental antibiotic resistance, and the increased risk of such infections in the context of global warming and rising sea temperatures. With climate change contributing to warmer aquatic environments, the proliferation of marine bacteria, such as S. putrefaciens, may lead to a growing number of opportunistic infections, emphasizing the need for vigilance in both clinical and environmental health settings.

RevDate: 2025-04-13

Estrada F, Tol RSJ, W Botzen (2025)

Economic consequences of spatial variation and temporal variability of climate change.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences [Epub ahead of print].

Damage functions in integrated assessment models (IAMs) map changes in climate to economic impacts and are central to estimating the social cost of carbon (SCC). However, these functions assume no spatial variation (Svar) and temporal variability (Tvar) in climate changes, potentially biasing estimates and policy advice. While the effects of Tvar have been studied, those of Svar and their interactions with Tvar have not. Here, we allow for Tvar, Svar, and seasonality of damages and show that ignoring these factors significantly biases loss and SCC estimates. Under a high emissions scenario, losses are underestimated by 17-45%, representing US$1.9-US$9.7 trillion by 2050 and US$19-US$70 trillion by 2100 (17-35%). The present value of losses over this century exceeds previous estimates by US$38-US$222 trillion, representing 37-218% of 2020 global gross domestic product (GDP). The present value of losses including climate variability represents about 1.2-11.7% of the present value of global GDP over 2020-2100. The SCC increases by US$20/tCO2, reaching US$106/tCO2. There is large sectoral and regional heterogeneity regarding losses and SCC, with India, Africa, and China accounting for 50% of global SCC, and health and other markets contributing 40%. A more complete climate description than global mean temperature is needed in IAMs to adequately estimate climate change costs.

RevDate: 2025-04-13

Wang B, Tian X, Stranks SD, et al (2025)

Transitioning Photovoltaics to All-Perovskite Tandems Reduces 2050 Climate Change Impacts of PV Sector by 16.

Environmental science & technology [Epub ahead of print].

Solar photovoltaics (PVs) are projected to supply up to 79% of global electricity by 2050. The mass production of energy-intensive silicon PV may lead to significant environmental impacts and material demands. Adopting metal halide perovskite tandem PV can further enhance the sustainability of the PV sector due to their potentially higher efficiency yet lower fabrication emissions than silicon PV. Here, we assess the climate and material demand impacts of perovskite tandem deployment on global and regional PV sectors from 2030 to 2050. In addition to the deployment of perovskite tandem into the silicon-dominated PV sector, we consider the fast, slow, and no transitions from perovskite-silicon tandem as a stepping stone to the final all-perovskite tandem PV. The transition can reduce up to 0.43 Mt tin requirement and 16.2% of cumulative carbon emissions from the PV fabrication process. Even without all-perovskite deployment, perovskite-silicon PV can still generate up to a 10.8% cumulative carbon reduction compared to silicon PV scenarios. Besides, the deployment of perovskite tandem systems can reduce energy costs by up to 21.2%, achieving a levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) as low as 3.66 cents/kWh. Achieving these results requires replacing resource-limiting components, such as substituting indium-tin-oxide with fluorinated-tin-oxide analogs.

RevDate: 2025-04-15
CmpDate: 2025-04-12

Ferrer Obiol J, Bounas A, Brambilla M, et al (2025)

Evolutionarily distinct lineages of a migratory bird of prey show divergent responses to climate change.

Nature communications, 16(1):3503.

Accurately predicting species' responses to anthropogenic climate change is hampered by limited knowledge of their spatiotemporal ecological and evolutionary dynamics. We combine landscape genomics, demographic reconstructions, and species distribution models to assess the eco-evolutionary responses to past climate fluctuations and to future climate of an Afro-Palaearctic migratory raptor, the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni). We uncover two evolutionarily and ecologically distinct lineages (European and Asian), whose demographic history, evolutionary divergence, and historical distribution range were profoundly shaped by past climatic fluctuations. Using future climate projections, we find that the Asian lineage is at higher risk of range contraction, increased migration distance, climate maladaptation, and consequently greater extinction risk than the European lineage. Our results emphasise the importance of providing historical context as a baseline for understanding species' responses to contemporary climate change, and illustrate how incorporating intraspecific genetic variation improves the ecological realism of climate change vulnerability assessments.

RevDate: 2025-04-14

Xu Y, Guan BQ, Chen R, et al (2025)

Investigating the Distribution Dynamics of the Camellia Subgenus Camellia in China and Providing Insights into Camellia Resources Management Under Future Climate Change.

Plants (Basel, Switzerland), 14(7):.

Rapid climate change has significantly impacted species distribution patterns, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of dominant tree dynamics for effective forest resource management and utilization. The Camellia subgenus Camellia, a widely distributed taxon in subtropical China, represents an ecologically and economically important group of woody plants valued for both oil production and ornamental purposes. In this study, we employed the BIOMOD2 ensemble modeling framework to investigate the spatial distribution patterns and range dynamics of the subgenus Camellia under projected climate change scenarios. Our analysis incorporated 1455 georeferenced occurrence records from 15 species, following the filtering of duplicate points, along with seven bioclimatic variables selected after highly correlated factors were eliminated. The ensemble model, which integrates six single species distribution models, demonstrated robust predictive performance, with mean true skil l statistic (TSS) and area under curve (AUC) values exceeding 0.8. Our results identified precipitation of the coldest quarter (Bio19) and temperature seasonality (Bio4) as the primary determinants influencing species distribution patterns. The center of species richness for the subgenus Camellia was located in the Nanling Mountains and eastern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The projections indicate an overall expansion of suitable habitats for the subgenus under future climate conditions, with notable scenario-dependent variations: distribution hotspots are predicted to increase by 8.86% under the SSP126 scenario but experience a 2.53% reduction under the SSP585 scenario. Furthermore, a westward shift in the distribution centroid is anticipated. To ensure long-term conservation of Camellia genetic resources, we recommend establishing a germplasm conservation center in the Nanling Mountains region, which represents a critical biodiversity hotspot for this taxon.

RevDate: 2025-04-15

Qaderi MM, Evans CC, MD Spicer (2025)

Plant Nitrogen Assimilation: A Climate Change Perspective.

Plants (Basel, Switzerland), 14(7):.

Of all the essential macronutrients necessary for plant growth and development, nitrogen is required in the greatest amounts. Nitrogen is a key component of important biomolecules like proteins and has high nutritive importance for humans and other animals. Climate change factors, such as increasing levels of carbon dioxide, increasing temperatures, and increasing watering regime, directly or indirectly influence plant nitrogen uptake and assimilation dynamics. The impacts of these stressors can directly threaten our primary source of nitrogen as obtained from the soil by plants. In this review, we discuss how climate change factors can influence nitrogen uptake and assimilation in cultivated plants. We examine the effects of these factors alone and in combination with species of both C3 and C4 plants. Elevated carbon dioxide, e[CO2], causes the dilution of nitrogen in tissues of non-leguminous C3 and C4 plants but can increase nitrogen in legumes. The impact of high-temperature (HT) stress varies depending on whether a species is leguminous or not. Water stress (WS) tends to result in a decrease in nitrogen assimilation. Under some, though not all, conditions, e[CO2] can have a buffering effect against the detrimental impacts of other climate change stressors, having an ameliorating effect on the adverse impacts of HT or WS. Together, HT and WS are seen to cause significant reductions in biomass production and nitrogen uptake in non-leguminous C3 and C4 crops. With a steadily rising population and rapidly changing climate, consideration must be given to the morphological and physiological effects that climate change will have on future crop health and nutritional quality of N.

RevDate: 2025-04-14
CmpDate: 2025-04-11

Novielli P, Magarelli M, Romano D, et al (2025)

Leveraging explainable AI to predict soil respiration sensitivity and its drivers for climate change mitigation.

Scientific reports, 15(1):12527.

Global warming is one of the most pressing and critical problems facing the world today. It is mainly caused by the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide (CO2). Understanding how soils respond to rising temperatures is critical for predicting carbon release and informing climate mitigation strategies. Q10, a measure of soil microbial respiration, quantifies the increase in CO2 release caused by a [Formula: see text] Celsius rise in temperature, serving as a key indicator of this sensitivity. However, predicting Q10 across diverse soil types remains a challenge, especially when considering the complex interactions between biochemical, microbiome, and environmental factors. In this study, we applied explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) to machine learning models to predict soil respiration sensitivity (Q10) and uncover the key factors driving this process. Using SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) values, we identified glucose-induced soil respiration and the proportion of bacteria positively associated with Q10 as the most influential predictors. Our machine learning models achieved an accuracy of [Formula: see text], precision of [Formula: see text], an AUC-ROC of [Formula: see text], and an AUC-PRC of [Formula: see text], ensuring robust and reliable predictions. By leveraging t-SNE (t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding) and clustering techniques, we further segmented low Q10 soils into distinct subgroups, identifying soils with a higher probability of transitioning to high Q10 states. Our findings not only highlight the potential of XAI in making model predictions transparent and interpretable, but also provide actionable insights into managing soil carbon release in response to climate change. This research bridges the gap between AI-driven environmental modeling and practical applications in agriculture, offering new directions for targeted soil management and climate resilience strategies.

RevDate: 2025-04-11

Furlow B (2025)

Climate change fuels deadly dust storms worldwide.

The Lancet. Respiratory medicine pii:S2213-2600(25)00123-7 [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2025-04-11
CmpDate: 2025-04-11

Bowen CD, Coscia KA, Aadnes MG, et al (2025)

Undergraduate Biology Students' Climate Change Communication Experiences Indicate a Need for Discipline-Based Education Research on Science Communication Education about Culturally Controversial Science Topics.

CBE life sciences education, 24(2):ar24.

Science communication is a key skill for undergraduates, but little research explores how biology students communicate about societally important, yet controversial topics like climate change. In this study, we explored whether and how biology students took on the role of science communicators about climate change. We surveyed 191 biology students at 38 universities about their climate change communication frequency and preparedness. We interviewed 25 of the survey participants about their experiences communicating about climate change and their needs when learning about climate change communication. We found that students were communicating about climate change and felt confident discussing the causes and effects of climate change, but they were less confident discussing the solutions to climate change. Students tended to "preach to the choir" by mostly communicating with those who already accepted climate change and avoiding interacting with others who disagreed with them about climate change. Students described a lack of science communication training but had a desire to be taught effective communication skills. Our interviews indicate that if these students felt more prepared to communicate, it may make them more willing to discuss climate change and particularly with people who have different views from them.

RevDate: 2025-04-13

Jones JL, Berube DM, Cuchiara M, et al (2024)

Positioning nanotechnology to address climate change.

Environment systems & decisions, 44:1039-1053.

One of society's most pressing challenges in the twenty-first century is that of climate change. In fact, climate change is seen as the most defining issue of our time as we are witness to an anthropogenic perturbation in geology and earth sciences of global scale. To move forward in this new era, solutions will be sought to both mitigate the effects of climate change (e.g., reduce greenhouse gasses) as well as adapt and build resilience (e.g., improve infrastructure and agriculture to resist damage from extreme weather or floods). The immediacy of the needed solutions dictates that the response must use the full force of society's current knowledge base, science, technology, and innovation. Nanotechnology, an enabling technology that has matured over the past few decades and now considered for general-purpose and mass use, is ideal for addressing climate change and its impacts. To position nanotechnology to address such complex challenges, this Perspective integrates collective insights from a broad range of viewpoints and presents recommendations for how research can be motivated and scoped, organized, and implemented to achieve beneficial outcomes and innovations in the most efficient ways. While this Perspective was created with a focus on the research landscape within the United States, the findings are also relevant in other international contexts. Research that can effectively advance nanotechnology solutions will be use-inspired basic research, incorporate systems-level thinking, apply a convergence research approach, engage stakeholders, and require advanced nanotechnology infrastructure. By illuminating this compelling and complex research topic, this Perspective aims to direct, inform, and accelerate needed actions in the research community to advance nanotechnology solutions for addressing climate change.

RevDate: 2025-04-12

Li M, Sun Y, Yang Y, et al (2025)

Impacts of Climate Change and Human Activity on the Habitat Distribution of Metasequoia glyptostroboides.

Ecology and evolution, 15(4):e71269.

Extensive evidence supports that global climate change influences shifts in species habitats due to alterations in hydrothermal conditions; however, neglecting dispersal capacities and limits significantly heightens uncertainties regarding spatial distribution patterns among different organisms. In this study, we compared the spatial distribution of Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu & W.C. Cheng (M. glyptostroboides) in the current Anthropocene context to that in a climate-only context, providing new insights into the effects of climate change, dispersal potential, and dispersal barriers on the habitat changes for M. glyptostroboides. By utilizing optimized MaxEnt and MigClim models, we predicted Mid-Holocene (MH) conditions and potential colonizable habitats under three emission scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585) for both the medium and long term. We also assessed habitat distribution and variation differences in future warm-wet conditions and the Anthropocene context. The results revealed that (1) The Precipitation of driest month (BIO14), Mean diurnal range (Bio2) and human footprint (HFP) are the primary factors influencing the expansion or contraction of the habitats of M. glyptostroboides. Human footprint, farmland, roads, and construction land are the main contributors to habitat loss and fragmentation. (2) Habitats of M. glyptostroboides are expected to experience significant loss in the future. There is potential for recovery in South China under the SSP126 emission scenario, but human activities may hinder this recovery. Moderate human intervention is necessary in regions, such as Hubei, Hunan, Anhui, and Sichuan basins. (3) Due to human influence, the habitat and high-suitability areas for M. glyptostroboides are projected to migrate northeastward. Under the SSP126 scenario, a trend of reverse migration may be observed in the long term. This study minimizes the uncertainty in predicting species distribution under climate change while providing theoretical support for future habitat conservation of M. glyptostroboides.

RevDate: 2025-04-12

Muhammad I, Steinberg F, Larsen J, et al (2025)

Global warming and obesity: External heat exposure as a modulator of energy balance.

FASEB bioAdvances, 7(4):e1487.

In obesity research, the importance of core body temperature (CBT) regulation is often neglected. CBT thermogenic regulation, however, plays a crucial role in heat management through convection, radiation, and conduction processes to remove heat from the body, as well as metabolic processes that sequester heat through lipogenesis. This review emphasizes that even small changes in CBT can significantly impact metabolic events ranging from ATP production to fat deposition. Accordingly, a case is made that physical events, such as external heat exposure, also impact body compositional changes, as do work and metabolic processes. Examples are provided that suggest that independent diet and exercise, where one lives, can have an impact on body composition and obesity. For example, below 35 degrees of the earth's latitude, obesity rates are often 40 percent or greater among adults. However, in regions between 45 and 50 degrees latitude, such as the US-Canadian border, obesity rates are 25%-30%.

RevDate: 2025-04-11

Katz GM, Jain A, Kokorelias KM, et al (2025)

Prioritization of Older Adults in Canadian Climate Change Adaptation Policies: A Policy Document Analysis.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2025-04-13

Gu X, Jiang Z, Guan Y, et al (2025)

Frequent land-ocean transboundary migration of tropical heatwaves under climate change.

Nature communications, 16(1):3400.

Anthropogenic warming has exacerbated atmospheric heatwaves globally, yet the transboundary migration of heatwaves between land and ocean, along with the anthropogenic influence on this process, remain unclear. Here, we employ a Lagrangian tracking approach to identify and track spatiotemporally contiguous warm-season heatwaves in both reanalyses and simulations. This way, we show that land-ocean transboundary heatwaves, especially in the tropics, exhibit longer persistence, wider areal extent, and greater intensity than those confined to land or ocean. These transboundary migrations are primarily driven by the movement of high-pressure systems (such as the westward extension of subtropical highs) and the propagation of Rossby waves. Associated with increasing greenhouse gas concentrations, the frequency of tropical heatwave migrations has increased over the past four decades, and is projected to accelerate further in the twenty-first century under the high-emissions scenario. Anthropogenically-driven landward migrations are amplified by stronger landward winds that drive heat advection, while oceanward processes are likely intensified by increased land-ocean temperature gradient. These intensified transboundary heatwaves not only accentuate humid heat risks for humans but also threaten ecosystems.

RevDate: 2025-04-10

Chandrashekhar V (2025)

A global warming 'hole' where you'd least expect it.

Science (New York, N.Y.), 388(6743):136.

India has so far warmed at about half the global average. Scientists aren't sure why.

RevDate: 2025-04-10

Skogeng LP, Blévin P, Breivik K, et al (2025)

Investigating the impact of climate change on PCB-153 exposure in Arctic seabirds with the nested exposure model.

Environmental science. Processes & impacts [Epub ahead of print].

At the same time Arctic ecosystems experiences rapid climate change, at a rate four times faster than the global average, they remain burdened by long-range transported pollution, notably with legacy polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The present study investigates the potential impact of climate change on seabird exposure to PCB-153 using the established Nested Exposure Model (NEM), here expanded with three seabird species, i.e. common eider (Somateria mollissima), black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) and glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus), as well as the filter feeder blue mussel (Mytulis edulis). The model's performance was evaluated using empirical time trends of the seabird species in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, and using tissue concentrations from filter feeders along the northern Norwegian coast. NEM successfully replicated empirical PCB-153 concentrations, confirming its ability to simulate PCB-153 bioaccumulation in the studied seabird species within an order of magnitude. Based on global PCB-153 emission estimates, simulations run until the year 2100 predicted seabird blood concentrations 99% lower than in year 2000. Model scenarios with climate change-induced altered dietary composition and lipid dynamics showed to have minimal impact on future PCB-153 exposure, compared to temporal changes in primary emissions of PCB-153. The present study suggests the potential of mechanistic modelling in assessing POP exposure in Arctic seabirds within a multiple stressor context.

RevDate: 2025-04-10

O'Keeffe S, Stein S, Curran M, et al (2025)

How to square the circle? A conceptual framework synergising strategies for circular agriculture to tackle climate change and enhance overall on-farm sustainability.

Ambio [Epub ahead of print].

There is an urgent need to change the current extractive and resource-intensive agricultural practices. Adopting circular practices within the agricultural system could provide multiple benefits of slowing global climate change, reducing extractive practices and helping farmers to adapt to a changing climate. However, there are still many barriers for farmers to adopt these desired circular agriculture (CA) practices, among others, a lack of information about on-farm circular practices. There is a need to support farmers in recognising which strategies can increase the circularity of their farm and what this means in terms of their farms' climate neutrality and its long-term sustainability. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to develop a novel conceptual framework to facilitate a broader and integrated understanding of how on-farm CA strategies and practices contribute to the goals of climate change mitigation and on-farm sustainability, thus supporting farmers in transitioning their farms towards greater circularity.

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ESP Quick Facts

ESP Origins

In the early 1990's, Robert Robbins was a faculty member at Johns Hopkins, where he directed the informatics core of GDB — the human gene-mapping database of the international human genome project. To share papers with colleagues around the world, he set up a small paper-sharing section on his personal web page. This small project evolved into The Electronic Scholarly Publishing Project.

ESP Support

In 1995, Robbins became the VP/IT of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA. Soon after arriving in Seattle, Robbins secured funding, through the ELSI component of the US Human Genome Project, to create the original ESP.ORG web site, with the formal goal of providing free, world-wide access to the literature of classical genetics.

ESP Rationale

Although the methods of molecular biology can seem almost magical to the uninitiated, the original techniques of classical genetics are readily appreciated by one and all: cross individuals that differ in some inherited trait, collect all of the progeny, score their attributes, and propose mechanisms to explain the patterns of inheritance observed.

ESP Goal

In reading the early works of classical genetics, one is drawn, almost inexorably, into ever more complex models, until molecular explanations begin to seem both necessary and natural. At that point, the tools for understanding genome research are at hand. Assisting readers reach this point was the original goal of The Electronic Scholarly Publishing Project.

ESP Usage

Usage of the site grew rapidly and has remained high. Faculty began to use the site for their assigned readings. Other on-line publishers, ranging from The New York Times to Nature referenced ESP materials in their own publications. Nobel laureates (e.g., Joshua Lederberg) regularly used the site and even wrote to suggest changes and improvements.

ESP Content

When the site began, no journals were making their early content available in digital format. As a result, ESP was obliged to digitize classic literature before it could be made available. For many important papers — such as Mendel's original paper or the first genetic map — ESP had to produce entirely new typeset versions of the works, if they were to be available in a high-quality format.

ESP Help

Early support from the DOE component of the Human Genome Project was critically important for getting the ESP project on a firm foundation. Since that funding ended (nearly 20 years ago), the project has been operated as a purely volunteer effort. Anyone wishing to assist in these efforts should send an email to Robbins.

ESP Plans

With the development of methods for adding typeset side notes to PDF files, the ESP project now plans to add annotated versions of some classical papers to its holdings. We also plan to add new reference and pedagogical material. We have already started providing regularly updated, comprehensive bibliographies to the ESP.ORG site.

Electronic Scholarly Publishing
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Papers in Classical Genetics

The ESP began as an effort to share a handful of key papers from the early days of classical genetics. Now the collection has grown to include hundreds of papers, in full-text format.

Digital Books

Along with papers on classical genetics, ESP offers a collection of full-text digital books, including many works by Darwin and even a collection of poetry — Chicago Poems by Carl Sandburg.

Timelines

ESP now offers a large collection of user-selected side-by-side timelines (e.g., all science vs. all other categories, or arts and culture vs. world history), designed to provide a comparative context for appreciating world events.

Biographies

Biographical information about many key scientists (e.g., Walter Sutton).

Selected Bibliographies

Bibliographies on several topics of potential interest to the ESP community are automatically maintained and generated on the ESP site.

ESP Picks from Around the Web (updated 28 JUL 2024 )