The world’s frogs, salamanders, newts and other amphibians remain in serious trouble.

A new global assessment has found that 41% of amphibian species that scientists have studied are threatened with extinction, meaning they are either vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. That’s up from 39% reported in the last assessment, in 2004.

“Amphibians are the world’s most threatened animals,” said Duke University’s Junjie Yao, a frog researcher who was not involved in the study. “Their unique biology and permeable skin make them very sensitive to environmental changes.”

The study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, found that the loss of habitat from the expansion of farming and ranching is the single biggest threat to amphibians worldwide. But a growing percentage of amphibian species are now also pushed to the brink by novel diseases and climate change, the study found.

Amphibians are especially vulnerable animals. They have distinct life stages that each often require separate habitats, so they can be disrupted by changes in either aquatic or land environments, said University of Texas biologist Michael Ryan, who was not involved in the study.

They are also at risk because of their delicate skin. Most amphibians absorb oxygen to breathe through their skin, and so they do not have scales, feathers or fur to protect them. Chemical pollution, bacteria and fungal infections impact them quickly, as do heightened swings in temperature and moisture levels due to climate change.

For example, frogs are usually nocturnal. If it’s too hot, they won’t come out even at night because they would lose too much water through their skin, said Patricia Burrowes, a study co-author and researcher at the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid. But remaining in sheltered resting places limits frogs’ ability to eat and to breed.

This summer was the hottest on record for the Northern Hemisphere, and 2023 is on track to be the 2nd hottest globally, after 2016.

Juan Manuel Guayasamin, a frog biologist at the University San Francisco of Quito, Ecuador, said that advances in technology to track animals and climate variations allowed the new study to use much more precise data than the 2004 assessment.

“We have a much better understanding of some risks,” said Guayasamin, who was not involved in the report.

The study identified the greatest concentrations of threatened amphibian species in several biodiversity hotspots, including the Caribbean islands, the tropical Andes, Madagascar and Sri Lanka. Other locations with large numbers of threatened amphibians include Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, southern China and the southeastern United States.

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Our daily view of the world through the lens of design.

‘Come Home Again’ by Es Devlin at Tate Modern. Photograph by Max Alexander

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Es Devlin illuminates the Tate Modern with its vibrant drawings of endangered species.

“British designer Es Devlin created Come back home, a lighted dome illustrated with her own pencil drawings of the 243 species of flora and fauna on London’s priority conservation list. Located outside the Tate Modern gallery in London, the large-scale public installation is a scale model of the domed St Paul’s Cathedral across the River Thames. Devlin created the Come Home Again installation using recycled steel and her own pencil drawings of London’s endangered species arranged in illuminated decorative clusters. These include birds, beetles and moths, as well as mushrooms, fish and wildflowers – all of which are on London’s priority conservation list set by the City of London’s Biodiversity Action Plan. [H/T Dezeen]

A huge disused gas platform attracts interest and anger as an art installation.

“It looms high over the Grand Pier and dwarfs the big wheel on the boardwalk. As it took shape on the beach at Weston-super-Mare, See monsters– a disused North Sea gas platform transformed into one of the UK’s largest public art installations – has provoked a head-scratching mix of head-scratching, interest and anger. Finally, after delays caused by the unpredictability of this summer’s extreme weather, visitors are invited to climb aboard. The installation is the ninth to be produced as part of the Unboxed: Creativity in the UK series, which has drawn widespread criticism and derision, not least because of the project’s cost: a whopping $128 million to the taxpayers of the four british nations. [H/T The Guardian]

New Mutina headquarters in Fiorano, designed by Patricia Urquiola

Tile specialist Mutina unveils its new headquarters designed by Patricia Urquiola.

“To coincide with Cersaie in Bologna, ceramic tile specialist Mutina is presenting its latest products at its renovated headquarters in Fiorano, Modena. The new Spazio Mutina was designed by Urquiola Studio in collaboration with the Mutina Projects Division as a space for the entire universe of brands: Mutina Collections, Mutina Interiors, Mutina Editions.As part of this robust renovation, the showroom will present installations that showcase the brand’s relationships with designers as Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec celebrate. Patricia Urquiola, Konstantin Grcic, Tokujin Yoshioka, Raw Edges, Hella Jongerius and Barber & Osgerby. New products in the Mutina range include small tiles by Tokujin Yoshioka as well as a collection of Vincent van Duysen.” [H/T Wallpaper]

The Guggenheim Museum is canceling the closely watched biennial Hugo Boss Prize.

“New York’s Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is canceling its $100,000 Hugo Boss Prize. The institution gave no reason for the cancellation of the biennial prize, which was organized with German luxury fashion company Hugo Boss in 1996 to reward innovation and influence in contemporary art by nationality or age, the award often included a solo exhibition at the museum and had become a mainstay of the international art world, bringing international prestige to emerging and established talent alike.” [H/T Artforum]

In Houston, the country’s first multi-story 3D printed building is beginning to take shape.

“Construction of the first multi-story 3D-printed building in the United States is underway in Houston. Designed by two assistant professors of architecture at Cornell’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning (AAP), the two-story single-family home fuses 3D-printed concrete with a traditional timber frame creating what designers Leslie Lok and Sasa Zivkovic believe sets a precedent for future 3D printed multi-family and mixed-use developments. Upon completion, the 4,000-square-foot home will have three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a two-car garage , while a 40-foot tall chimney will make the home one of the tallest 3D-printed buildings in the United States. [H/T Archinect]

Miller & Lux Steakhouse by Ken Fulk and MBH Architects in San Francisco. Photography by Douglas Friedman

Ken Fulk, MBH Architects and Tyler Florence team up at a San Francisco steakhouse.

“MBH Architects recently completed Miller & Lux, a new upscale steakhouse in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood. MBH Architects was commissioned as executive architect to implement the overall concept of the restaurant design by Ken Fulk and celebrity chef and operator Tyler Florence. Spread over two floors, the 7,000-square-foot waterfront restaurant offers diners the ceremonial experience of visiting a steakhouse. The team framed the restaurant’s interior with brasswork and dark marble surfaces with a palette of caramel and gold to create a sense of elegance. ” [H/T Dexigner]

Amanita Gallery opens in the former building of the famous CBGB club in the East Village.

“New York City mourned when the famous rock club CBGB closed in 2006. The legendary home of rock ‘n’ roll, punk and dance, CBGB was where Johnny Rotten dealt with the disbanding of the Sex Pistols and where the police and Patti Smith began their careers, often singing for you for the most part empty club. When the space was acquired by menswear brand John Varvatos two years later, many New Yorkers saw it as emblematic of the endless gentrification of the East Village. But rejoice! The Amanatia art gallery is opening soon at 313 Bowery in a reinvention that the founders hope will bring the famed venue back to its roots. The CBGB premises were originally home to the 313 Gallery art gallery. Amanita, which already has a space in Florence, is opening its New York space with “Place Holder” featuring works by up-and-coming Italian painter Leonardo Meoni, opening September 29.” [H/T ARTnews]

Compact Disc Chair by Boris Dennler. Stage design by Karen Pisoni

Today’s Attractive Distractions:

Kurt Steiner dedicated his entire adult life to him skip stones.

This artist turns discarded trash into a strange phantasmagoria.

The new one by Boris Dennler includes almost 900 CDs Compact disc chair.

eccentricity remains a characteristic element of English interior design.

The post Es Devlin’s Drawings of Endangered Species Gentle Up Tate Trendy, and Different Information – SURFACE appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

For the second year in a row, the drought has created another catastrophic fear. Wildfire seasonThe lack of rain and snow also threatens the survival of the salmon.

Captain Sara Bates has hoisted salmon off the California coast for nearly a decade. She looks forward to it every time she goes out to sea.

“No matter how often you go, it doesn’t get old. Even if you catch more than 100 fish a day, catching the next is fun, ”said Bates.

Commercial and recreational salmon fishing in California ranks over $ 900 million annually. But many states Punish the drought The fishery is stressed.

“We cannot survive the entire season that looks like this, which means we expect a reduction of more than 50% from the traditional commercial fishing season,” said Bates.

The state has had one of the driest years on record, so the waterways that normally bring young salmon into the sea are now breeding grounds of dirt and dust. California Governor Gavin Newsom Drought emergency From a cracked lake bed in April.

More

The iconic Chinook salmon needs cold running water to survive. They hatch in rivers and then move into the sea to mature. A few years later, they swim back to where life began to breed or spawn. However, according to this year’s study, fish born in the wild are more likely to die.

Environmental scientist Jason Julienne told CBS News that “survival rates are highly dependent on both temperature and current, and the temperature currently observed is the survival of the fish released into the river. The rate is expected to be quite low. “Jonathan Vigliotti.

Therefore the hatchery is active. To save the species, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has launched a large-scale operation that will suck 700,000 young animals into tubes and place them in one of seven tankers. The fish hitchhiked in 146 trucks and traveled more than 160 kilometers to the Pacific Ocean. In total, more than 17 million salmon are released in San Francisco Bay. It’s not natural, but it is the best chance they will survive.

John McManus heads an association of fishermen who work to protect salmon and ecosystems. He said efforts to move the salmon would bring a dim light of hope.

“Well, in the short term, this gives us hope and we’re glad they’re moving these fish, but it’s also ours in the middle of this state. It’s very sad evidence of what’s going on in the river, ”said McManus.

What happened to the California rivers was worrying nearly a century before the dam was built to distribute water to the Central Valley crops. It is believed that dams destroyed 95% of wild salmon habitat. The hatchery helped make up some of the losses, but this year drought That means they have to catch up on everything now. The release site is rotated to prevent small fish from becoming a sea bird buffet.

It is estimated that around 80% of the young salmon taken on board are fully grown. Bates said he was grateful for the work done to protect fish and maintain a way of life.

“Every fish feels like a small win,” she said. “In reality, they’re just part of a much larger ecosystem that depends on the flow of the rivers in California.”

Over 17 million salmon have been released in large numbers into San Francisco Bay to save species

Source Link Over 17 million salmon released in large numbers into San Francisco Bay to save species

The post Over 17 million salmon launched in massive numbers into San Francisco Bay to save lots of species appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

As winters get warmer, tropical mosquitoes like Aedes aegypti move north, potentially increasing the spread of diseases like dengue, yellow fever, and zika. Photo by Muhammad Mahdi Karim Photo.

Notwithstanding the February cold snap in Texas and Louisiana, climate change is causing warmer winter weather across the southern United States, which is a golden opportunity for many tropical plants and animals to move north, according to a new study in the journal Global Change Biology.

Some of these species are welcome, such as sea turtles and the Florida manatee, which expand northward along the Atlantic coast.

Others, like the invasive Burmese python – in the Florida Everglades, the largest measured 18 feet, end-to-end – maybe less.

Insects, including mosquitoes, which transmit diseases such as West Nile virus, Zika, dengue and yellow fever, and beetles, which destroy native trees, are equally undesirable and among the fastest-spreading in warming areas.

“Quite a few mosquito species are expanding northward, as are forestry pests: bark beetles, the southern mountain pine beetle,” said Caroline Williams, associate professor of integrative biology at the University of California at Berkeley, and co-author of the paper. “In our study, we really focused on the US border where we are seeing this rapid transition from tropical to temperate. Changes in winter conditions are one of the main drivers, if not the main drivers, of the shift in distributions.”

That transition zone, north of which freezes occur every winter, has always been a barrier to species that evolved at more stable temperatures, said Williams, who specializes in insect metabolism – specifically, how winter freezes and snow affect species survival .

“For the vast majority of organisms, they die when they freeze,” she said. “Cold snap like the recent one in Texas might not happen for 30, 50, or even 100 years, and then you see these widespread mortality events where tropical species crawling north are suddenly repelled. But as return times get longer and longer for these extreme cold events, it enables tropical species to gain a foothold, and perhaps even for local populations to adapt so that they can tolerate more cold extremes in the future. “

The study, conducted by a team of 16 scientists led by the US Geological Survey (USGS), focused on the effects of winter warming on the movement of a wide range of cold-sensitive tropical plants and animals in the southern United States, in particular to the south The eight subtropical mainland US states: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Williams and Katie Marshall of the University of British Columbia at Vancouver jointly wrote the insect section for the study.

The team found that a number of tropical species, including insects, fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, grasses, shrubs, and trees, are expanding their range to the north. Among them are species native to the United States such as mangroves, which are tropical salt tolerant trees; and snook, a sport fish on the coast with warm water; and invasive species such as Burmese pythons, Cuban tree frogs, Brazilian pepper trees, and buffalo grass.

“We don’t expect a continuous process,” said USGS research ecologist Michael Osland, the study’s lead author. “There will be an expansion north, then a contraction with extremely cold events like the one that just happened in Texas, and then movement again. However, we expect tropization by the end of this century. ”

The authors document decades worth of changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme cold snaps in San Francisco, Tucson, New Orleans, and Tampa – all cities with temperature records dating back to at least 1948. In every city, they found, winter means temperatures have risen over time, the coldest winter temperatures have gotten warmer, and there are fewer days each winter when mercury drops below freezing.

For example, temperature records from San Francisco International Airport show that prior to 1980, each winter was typically several days below freezing. In the last 20 years there has only been one day with temperatures below freezing.

Changes already ongoing or anticipated in the home areas of 22 species of plants and animals from California to Florida include:

– Continuous displacement of temperate salt marsh plants by mangrove forests that are sensitive to the cold along the Gulf and South Atlantic coast. While this encroachment has occurred over the past 30 years with sea level rise, mangroves can also move inland, displacing temperate and freshwater forests.
Buffalo grass and other annual grasses that migrate to southwestern deserts and cause wildfire in native plant communities that have not evolved in association with frequent fire.
– The likelihood that tropical mosquitoes, which can transmit encephalitis, West Nile virus, and other diseases, will continue to expand, putting millions of people and wildlife at risk for these diseases.
– Likely southern pine beetle moving north with warming winters, a pest that can damage commercially valuable pine forests in the southeast.
– Disruption of recreational and commercial fishing due to changes in migration patterns and the movement of inshore fish to the north.

The changes are expected to result in the replacement of some of the temperate plant and animal communities found today in the southern United States with tropical communities.

“Unfortunately, the general story is that the species that do really well are the more general species – their hosts or food sources are very diverse or widespread, and they have a relatively large thermal tolerance so they can tolerate a wide range the terms, “said Williams. “And by definition, these are usually the pest species – that’s why they are pests: They are adaptable, widespread, and relatively undisturbed by changing conditions, while the more specialized or boutique species tend to decline when driven out of their relatively narrow niche. “

She warned that insect populations around the world are declining overall.

“We’re seeing an alarming decline in total numbers in natural areas, managed areas, national parks and tropical rainforests – worldwide,” she said. “While we are seeing some common pest species increasing, the overall pattern is that insects are declining extremely quickly.”

The authors suggest in-depth laboratory studies to learn how tropical species can adapt to extreme conditions and to show how extended intervals between cold spells affect plant and animal communities.

“It is hopeful that as climates, including winter climates, change, we must prepare for sweeping changes in the distribution of biodiversity as the climates, including winter climates, change, rather than heading towards the extinction of absolutely everything,” Williams said. “The actions we take over the next 20 years will be critical to determining our trajectory. In addition to obvious changes like reducing our carbon footprint, we need to protect and restore habitat for insects. Individuals can have their own habitat create backyards for insects by growing native plants that aid pollinators and other native insects – these are little things humans can do that can be important in creating corridors for species to move through our highly fragmented habitats. “

Robert Sanders writes for the UC Berkeley News Center.

The post Lake County Information,California – Tropical species are shifting northward as winters heat appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Despite last month’s cold snap in Texas and Louisiana, climate change is leading to warmer winter weather throughout the southern United States and providing a unique opportunity for many tropical plants and animals to migrate north. That’s according to a new study published this week in the journal Global Change Biology.

Some of these species are welcome, such as sea turtles and the Florida manatee, which expand northward along the Atlantic coast. Others, like the invasive Burmese python – in the Florida Everglades, the largest at 18 feet (end-to-end) in length – may be less affected.

Insects, including mosquitoes, which transmit diseases such as West Nile virus, Zika, dengue and yellow fever, and beetles that destroy native trees, are equally undesirable and among the fastest-spreading in warming areas.

“Quite a few mosquito species are expanding northward, as are forestry pests: bark beetles, the southern mountain pine beetle,” said Caroline Williams, associate professor of integrative biology at the University of California at Berkeley, and co-author of the paper. “In our study, we really focused on the border in the US where we get this rapid transition from tropical to temperate. Changes in winter conditions are one of the main drivers, if not the main driver, of shifting distributions. “

This transition zone, north of which freezes occur every winter, has always been a barrier to species that evolved at more stable temperatures, said Williams, who specializes in insect metabolism – specifically, how winter freezes and snow affect species survival .

“For the vast majority of organisms, they die when they freeze,” she said. “Cold spells like the recent one in Texas might not happen for 30, 50, or even 100 years, and then you see these widespread mortality events where tropical species crawling north are suddenly pushed back. However, as the return times for these extreme cold events become longer, tropical species can gain a foothold and local populations may be able to adapt to tolerate more cold extremes in the future. “

The study, conducted by a team of 16 scientists led by the US Geological Survey (USGS), focused on the effects of winter warming on the movement of a wide range of cold-sensitive tropical plants and animals in the southern United States, in particular to the south The eight subtropical mainland US states: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Williams and Katie Marshall of the University of British Columbia at Vancouver jointly wrote the insect section for the study.

The team found that a number of tropical species, including insects, fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, grasses, shrubs, and trees, are expanding their range to the north. Among them are species native to the United States such as mangroves, which are tropical salt tolerant trees; and snook, a hot water sport fish on the coast; and invasive species such as Burmese pythons, Cuban tree frogs, Brazilian pepper trees, and buffalo grass.

“We don’t expect a continuous process,” said USGS research ecologist Michael Osland, the study’s lead author. “There will be an expansion north, then a contraction with extremely cold events like the one that just happened in Texas, and then movement again. However, we expect tropization by the end of this century. “

The authors document decades worth of changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme cold snaps in San Francisco, Tucson, New Orleans, and Tampa – all cities with temperature records dating back to at least 1948. In every city, they found, winter means temperatures have risen over time, the coldest winter temperatures have gotten warmer, and there are fewer days each winter when mercury drops below freezing.

For example, temperature records from San Francisco International Airport show that prior to 1980, each winter was typically several days below freezing. In the last 20 years there has only been one day with temperatures below freezing.

Changes already ongoing or anticipated in the home areas of 22 species of plants and animals from California to Florida include:

• Continuous displacement of temperate salt marsh plants by cold-sensitive mangrove forests along the Gulf and South Atlantic coast. While this encroachment has occurred over the past 30 years with sea level rise, mangroves can also move inland, displacing temperate and freshwater forests.
• Buffalo grass and other annual grasses that migrate to southwestern deserts and cause wildfire in native plant communities that have not evolved in association with frequent fire.
• The likelihood that tropical mosquitoes, which can transmit encephalitis, West Nile virus, and other diseases, will continue to expand, putting millions of people and wildlife at risk for these diseases.
• Likely northern pine beetle movement with warming winters, a pest that can damage commercially valuable pine forests in the southeast.
• Disruption of recreational and commercial fishing due to changes in migration patterns and the movement of inshore fish to the north.

The changes are expected to result in the replacement of some of the temperate plant and animal communities found today in the southern United States with tropical communities.

“Unfortunately, the general story is that the species that do really well are the more general species – their hosts or food sources are very different or widespread, and they have a relatively large thermal tolerance so they can tolerate a wide variety Conditions, ”said Williams. “And by definition, these are usually the pest species – that’s why they are pests: They are adaptable, widespread, and relatively undisturbed by changing conditions, while the more specialized or boutique species tend to decline when driven out of their relatively narrow niche. “

She warned that overall insect populations are falling worldwide.

“We’re seeing an alarming decline in total numbers in natural areas, managed areas, national parks and tropical rainforests – worldwide,” she said. “While we are seeing some common pest species increasing, the overall pattern is that insects are declining extremely quickly.”

The authors suggest in-depth laboratory studies to learn how tropical species can adapt to extreme conditions and to show how extended intervals between cold spells affect plant and animal communities.

“It is hopeful that as climates, including winter climates, change, we must prepare for sweeping changes in the distribution of biodiversity as the climate changes, including winter climates,” said Williams. “The actions we take over the next 20 years will be critical to determining our trajectory. In addition to obvious changes like reducing our carbon footprint, we need to protect and restore habitat for insects. Individuals can create habitat for insects in their own backyards by cultivating native plants that aid pollinators and other native insects. These are little things that humans can do that can be important in creating corridors for species to move through our very fragmented habitats. “

The post Tropical Species Are Shifting Northward In US As Winters Heat appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Despite last month’s cold snap in Texas and Louisiana, climate change is leading to warmer winter weather throughout the southern United States and providing a unique opportunity for many tropical plants and animals to migrate north. That’s according to a new study published this week in the journal Global Change Biology.

Some of these species are welcome, such as sea turtles and the Florida manatee, which expand northward along the Atlantic coast. Others, like the invasive Burmese python – in the Florida Everglades, the largest at 18 feet (end-to-end) in length – may be less affected.

Insects, including mosquitoes, which transmit diseases such as West Nile virus, Zika, dengue and yellow fever, and beetles that destroy native trees, are equally undesirable and among the fastest-spreading in warming areas.

“Quite a few mosquito species are expanding northward, as are forestry pests: bark beetles, the southern mountain pine beetle,” said Caroline Williams, associate professor of integrative biology at the University of California at Berkeley, and co-author of the paper. “In our study, we really focused on the border in the US where we get this rapid transition from tropical to temperate. Changes in winter conditions are one of the main drivers, if not the main driver, of shifting distributions. “

This transition zone, north of which freezes occur every winter, has always been a barrier to species that evolved at more stable temperatures, said Williams, who specializes in insect metabolism – specifically, how winter freezes and snow affect species survival .

A 2017 photo of USGS researchers handling a Burmese python in the Florida Everglades. The snake has decimated communities of mammals, birds, and other animal communities in the Everglades. (Courtesy photo of USGS)

“For the vast majority of organisms, they die when they freeze,” she said. “Cold spells like the recent one in Texas might not happen for 30, 50, or even 100 years, and then you see these widespread mortality events where tropical species crawling north are suddenly pushed back. However, as the return times for these extreme cold events become longer, tropical species can gain a foothold and local populations may be able to adapt to tolerate more cold extremes in the future. “

Fewer days below freezing enable tropical invasions

The study, conducted by a team of 16 scientists led by the US Geological Survey (USGS), focused on the effects of winter warming on the movement of a wide range of cold-sensitive tropical plants and animals in the southern United States, in particular to the south The eight subtropical mainland US states: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Williams and Katie Marshall of the University of British Columbia at Vancouver jointly wrote the insect section for the study.

A monarch caterpillar. Monarchs cannot tolerate freezing weather and usually winter in Mexico. Thanks to milder winter temperatures, they now hibernate in California. (UC Berkeley photo by Noah Whiteman)

The team found that a number of tropical species, including insects, fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, grasses, shrubs, and trees, are expanding their range to the north. Among them are species native to the United States such as mangroves, which are tropical salt tolerant trees; and snook, a hot water sport fish on the coast; and invasive species such as Burmese pythons, Cuban tree frogs, Brazilian pepper trees, and buffalo grass.

“We don’t expect a continuous process,” said USGS research ecologist Michael Osland, the study’s lead author. “There will be an expansion north, then a contraction with extremely cold events like the one that just happened in Texas, and then movement again. However, we expect tropization by the end of this century. ”

The authors document decades worth of changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme cold snaps in San Francisco, Tucson, New Orleans, and Tampa – all cities with temperature records dating back to at least 1948. In every city, they found, winter means temperatures have risen over time, the coldest winter temperatures have gotten warmer, and there are fewer days each winter when mercury drops below freezing.

For example, temperature records from San Francisco International Airport show that prior to 1980, each winter was typically several days below freezing. In the last 20 years there has only been one day with temperatures below freezing.

A map showing North America’s transition zone from tropical to temperate. Red, orange, and yellow represent the more tropical zones, and blue indicates the more temperate zones, based on the coldest recorded temperature for each area between 1980 and 2009. Photos show some cold-sensitive plants and animals with northern range limits determined by winter cold temperature extremes. (Map courtesy of USGS)

Changes already ongoing or anticipated in the home areas of 22 species of plants and animals from California to Florida include:

• Continuous displacement of temperate salt marsh plants by cold-sensitive mangrove forests along the Gulf and South Atlantic coast. While this encroachment has occurred over the past 30 years with sea level rise, mangroves can also move inland, displacing temperate and freshwater forests.
• Buffalo grass and other annual grasses that migrate to southwestern deserts and cause wildfire in native plant communities that have not evolved in association with frequent fire.
• The likelihood that tropical mosquitoes, which can transmit encephalitis, West Nile virus, and other diseases, will continue to expand, putting millions of people and wildlife at risk for these diseases.
• Likely northern pine beetle movement with warming winters, a pest that can damage commercially valuable pine forests in the southeast.
• Disruption of recreational and commercial fishing due to changes in migration patterns and the movement of inshore fish to the north.

Tropical species can displace natives

The changes are expected to result in the replacement of some of the temperate plant and animal communities found today in the southern United States with tropical communities.

The southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis), native to the forests of the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America, continues to move north as winter temperatures rise with climate change. The bark beetles leave behind destroyed pine forests.

“Unfortunately, the general story is that the species that do really well are the more general species – their hosts or food sources are very different or widespread, and they have a relatively large thermal tolerance so they can tolerate a wide variety Conditions, ”said Williams. “And by definition, these are usually the pest species – that’s why they are pests: They are adaptable, widespread, and relatively undisturbed by changing conditions, while the more specialized or boutique species tend to decline when driven out of their relatively narrow niche. “

She warned that overall insect populations are falling worldwide.

“We’re seeing an alarming decline in total numbers in natural areas, managed areas, national parks and tropical rainforests – worldwide,” she said. “While we are seeing some common pest species increasing, the overall pattern is that insects are declining extremely quickly.”

The authors suggest in-depth laboratory studies to learn how tropical species can adapt to extreme conditions and to show how extended intervals between cold spells affect plant and animal communities.

“It is hopeful that as climates, including winter climates, change, we must prepare for sweeping changes in the distribution of biodiversity as the climate changes, including winter climates,” said Williams. “The actions we take over the next 20 years will be critical to determining our trajectory. In addition to obvious changes like reducing our carbon footprint, we need to protect and restore habitat for insects. Individuals can create habitat for insects in their own backyards by cultivating native plants that aid pollinators and other native insects. These are little things that humans can do that can be important in creating corridors for species to move through our very fragmented habitats. “

The post Tropical species are transferring northward as winters heat appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.