Declining insect abundance and diversity in Germany 2008-2017

Insect abundance and diversity Germany 2008-2017 Nature — (a) Insect diversity (total number of species across all grassland or forest sites) (b), biomass, (c) abundance and (d) number of species (d) in 30 forest and 150 grassland sites across Germany

In this article insect abundance data collected from 150 grassland and 140 forest sites in 3 regions of Germany from 2008 to 2017 was analyzed. A total of about 2,700 species were identified. ), from standardized inventories taken between 2008 and 2017 at 150 grassland and 140 forest sites in 3 regions of Germany. Insect abundance, total biomass of insects, number of species and diversity were calculated for wach year. It was found that diversity in grasslands and forests decreased over time, indicating loss of species across sites and regions. In annually sampled grasslands, biomass, abundance and number of species declined by 67%, 78% and 34%, respectively. In 30 forest sites with annual inventories, biomass and number of species, but not abundance, decreased by 41% and 36%, respectively.

Seibold, S., Gossner, M.M., Simons, N.K. et al. Arthropod decline in grasslands and forests is associated with landscape-level drivers. Nature 574, 671–674 (2019) doi:10.1038/s41586-019-1684-3

From Our Files

Arctic temperature anomaly oct nov 2016 NSIDC

Rapid Arctic warming connected to cooler winters in Northern mid-latitudes

A recent study presents evidence that regional warming over the Arctic Ocean can affect mid-latitude Northern Hemisphere continental weather. This study shows that there are two key Arctic regions where regional warming can induce distinguishable cold winters over northern continents. Warming over the Barents–Kara Sea region is likely to lead to East Asian cooling, whereas northern North America cooling is closely related to warming over the East Siberian–Chukchi Sea region.

Greenland ice core records reveal periods of rapid warming across globe during last deglaciation

Air bubbles in Greenland ice cores are analyzed to compare changes in Greenland surface temperature and atmospheric methane concentration during a rapid warming event lasting 200 years during the last deglaciation. It is found that changes in Greenland surface temperature and atmospheric methane emissions occurred essentially synchronously indicating that this warming event included the tropics.

Evidence for sea level rise of 17 meters in less than 350 years

During the last deglaciation there was several episodes of rapid and substantial sea level rise. A recent study has found that during one of these, sea level rose by about 17 meters over a period that does not exceed 350 years, but could be as low as a century.

Location of core site on the Bermuda Rise

Changes in Atlantic current triggered abrupt Northern hemisphere warming events during last ice age

This study reports measurements from ocean floor sediments that provide the first direct evidence that not only do variations in the primary North/South Atlantic current correlate with periods of rapid warming and slower cooling in the Northern Hemisphere during the last ice age, but that the changes in the Atlantic overturning current occurred before and likely initiated these warming/cooling cycles.