ecology
Assessment Outlines Future Climate Changes, Impacts in SW
The Southwest U.S. will continue to get warmer over the 21st century, with fewer cold waves and longer, hotter heat waves, according to an expansive new book published by Island Press.
Warmer Droughts Change How Trees Die
Trees are more stressed under warmer conditions due to higher vapor pressure deficits (VPDs)—a measure of how much water the air can hold compared to what is already there—according to a study soon to be published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.
Warming First Increases Plant Growth, Then Stunts It
Global warming may initially increase plant growth in Arizona grasslands, but then will stunt growth as more time passes, according to a recent Nature Climate Change publication.
Timing of Droughts, Heat Waves Influences Ecosystem Effects
The timing of extreme precipitation events and heat waves makes a big difference on how they affect ecosystems, according to a new study in PNAS.
CO2 Boosts Tree Growth Rate Longer Than Previously Thought
Elevated CO2 concentration increases production and growth of developing North American forest communities, according to a new study in Ecology Letters.
New Eco-Network Will Advance Understanding of Large-Scale Environmental Change
The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) will begin construction on their new ecological monitoring network with a $434 million grant from the National Science Foundation, according to the organization.
Shortened Wildflower Season Hurting Pollinators
Climate change in the Rocky Mountains is impacting the length of the wildflower season, according to new research published in Journal of Ecology.
Fisheries Mapping in Mexico to Improve Sustainability
Between 50 and 70 percent of fishery production in Mexico occurs in northwestern Mexico, in the provinces of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Sinaloa, and Nayarit. Across this large area, fisheries are all managed the same way—like large-scale, industrial fisheries.
Report Lists SW Desert as Endangered Ecosystem