(Press-News.org)
Globally, more than 13,000 plant species, equivalent to the entire native flora of Europe, have been naturalized outside their native ranges. A recent study, jointly conducted by scientists from China and the USA, has provided new insights about biodiversity, exotic invasion, and their relationship to climate change.
Published in Nature Plants, the research uncovers the climatic niche mechanisms that shape both the vulnerability of native ecosystems and the invasiveness of exotic species in a warming world.
A long-standing debate exists over the impact of exotic species on native ecosystems and how to manage it. Some researchers argue that exotic species are simply “hitchhiking” on environmental change rather than driving ecosystem transformation. Understanding whether climate change drives both the loss of native biodiversity and the increase in exotic invasions is critical to addressing this debate.
Researchers from Wuhan Botanical Garden, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Rice University analyzed global distribution records of 142 plant species in the Yangtze River Valley and found substantial differences between the climatic niches of exotic and native species.
Compared to native species, exotic species tend to thrive in warmer, drier, and more isothermal climates. These climatic preferences, particularly temperature, were key predictors of invasion intensity in the Yangtze River Valley.
The study also predicted that global warming would intensify exotic species invasions over the next century, especially in colder regions.
The findings suggest that the loss of native biodiversity and the increase in exotic species invasions are both driven by climate change. As a result, researchers caution against oversimplifying the relationship between exotic species and native biodiversity. The decline in native biodiversity is more strongly influenced by rising temperatures and, to a lesser extent, human activity, according to the research.
Intriguingly, the study also reveals that moderate levels of exotic species invasion may help maintain high biodiversity within ecosystems. This suggests that exotic species invasions could be part of a broader ecological response to climate change, representing a form of natural species turnover.
The authors of the study include CHEN Pengdong, SHEN Changchao, TAO Zhibin, QIN Wenchao, and HUANG Wei from Wuhan Botanical Garden, and Evan Siemann from Rice University.
This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
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The Arctic frequently experiences temperatures that support the formation of mixed-phase clouds that contain supercooled liquid droplets and ice crystals. The composition of such clouds plays a crucial role in the region's energy balance and climate system. Clouds with more liquid last longer and reflect more sunlight than those with more ice crystals.
With Arctic warming, meteorologists have been interested in determining the effect of rising temperatures on cloud composition and its broader effect on the region. Climate models generally predict that as the Arctic warms, clouds in the region will ...
A researcher from the University of Southampton (UK) has found evidence that the treeless, rugged, grassland landscape of the Falkland Islands was home to a lush, diverse rainforest up to 30 million years ago.
A study by Dr Zoë Thomas, leading an international team of scientists, reveals that the South Atlantic archipelago was once covered in cool, wet woodland – similar to the present day rainforests found in Tierra del Fuego, off the tip of South America.
The scientists conducted the research after clues to the whereabouts of buried remains of the ancient forest reached them via word-of-mouth in the tight knit community of Port Stanley, the Falklands’ ...
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Dizziness in older adults is linked to higher risk of future falls
Researchers say it’s not just a normal part of ageing
The first meta-analysis of its kind has shown a conclusive link between older adults experiencing spells of dizziness and a dramatically elevated risk of falling.
Dizziness is a term used to describe sensations such as vertigo, imbalance, light-headedness, and disorientation. It is common in older adults, affecting one in three of those aged 65 years and older. For the first time, dizziness ...
Some triptans are a more effective treatment for acute migraines than newer, more expensive drugs, finds an analysis of the latest evidence published by The BMJ today.
Triptans work by narrowing blood vessels in the brain and preventing the release of chemicals that cause pain and inflammation.
The findings show that four triptans - eletriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, and zolmitriptan - were better at relieving migraine pain than the recently marketed and more expensive drugs lasmiditan, rimegepant, and ubrogepant, which were comparable to paracetamol ...
Researchers found that a medicine called ferric carboxymaltose given in drip through the vein works faster and better than an iron tablet taken by mouth for the treatment of anaemia – and it is as safe as the tablet. The findings were published in Lancet Global Health.
Anaemia (low blood level) is a common cause of ill-health or death in mothers and their babies, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia where more than four out of ten pregnant women have the condition. A sizeable proportion of pregnant women in Nigeria proceed to giving birth while still anaemic ...
Between 1990 and 2021, the number of people who had a new stroke (up by 70%), died from a stroke (up by 44%), and stroke-related health loss (up by 32%), has risen substantially worldwide.
Stroke is highly preventable, with 84% of the stroke burden in 2021 attributable to 23 modifiable risk factors, including air pollution, excess body weight, high blood pressure, smoking, and physical inactivity—presenting a public health challenge and an opportunity for action.
Notably, the contribution of high temperatures to poor health and early death due to stroke has ...
A new study in the peer-reviewed Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology estimated the incidence of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a potentially fatal adverse effect of antipsychotic treatment, among individuals ages 5-24 years. Click here to read the article now.
Wayne Ray, PhD, from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and coauthors, used national Medicaid data from 2004-2013 to identify patients beginning antipsychotic treatment and calculated the incidence of NMS during antipsychotic use. The investigators identified five ...
Cyclists choosing a new helmet can see how much protection different helmets offer, thanks to new safety testing and ratings from Imperial College London.
Researchers at Imperial College London have developed a simple new cycle helmet safety rating system with simple-to-understand scores from 0-5, designed to help buyers select which helmet to buy and assist manufacturers in future helmet design. The system is based on extensive new safety testing experiments on medium-sized helmets at Imperial.
Testing on the UK’s 30 most popular helmets, funded by The Road Safety Trust, revealed significant ...
Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are continuing to fall behind their peers with the gap widening despite the introduction of SEND legislation.
This is according to a new study by Durham University which analysed data on 2.5 million Year 6 pupils across four school years from 2014-2019.
The research suggests there is a need to re-evaluate the policies for SEND provision and how pupils with SEND are supported in schools.
It calls for more investment to support SEND pupils and for increased professional development for teachers and teaching assistants.
Using ...
Half of heavier drinkers say calorie labels on alcohol would lead to a change in their drinking habits
Just over half of heavier drinkers in England say they would make changes to their drinking if calorie labels for alcohol were introduced, according to a new study by UCL researchers.
The findings, the researchers said, suggested calorie labels could help some drinkers maintain a healthier weight.
The study, published in the journal BMJ Open, looked at survey responses from 4,683 adults in England to assess the impact that alcohol calorie labelling might have on people’s attitudes and drinking ...
