NASA study links changes in Earth’s systems to global warming
NASA study links changes in Earth’s systems to global warming
mongabay.com
May 14, 2008
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Human-induced climate change has impacted a wide range of Earth’s natural systems, including permafrost, lakes, and oceans, reports a new study led by scientists from NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Science (GISS).
The research, based on more than 29,000 data series on observed impacts on Earth’s natural systems, links “physical and biological impacts since 1970 with rises in temperatures during that period.”
“This is the first study to link global temperature data sets, climate model results, and observed changes in a broad range of physical and biological systems to show the link between humans, climate, and impacts,” said Cynthia Rosenzweig, lead author of the study and a researcher at NASA’s GISS.
 Areas of significant changes to Earth systems observed in North America over the last 20 years, represented by various symbols, are linked with areas of rising temperatures, noted in red. Credit: NASA |
Observed impacts ranged from changes to physical systems — including shrinking glaciers, melting permafrost, and warming lakes and rivers — to changes in biological systems, including altered migration patterns and behavior among animals and blooming cycles of plants.
The authors concluded that 90 percent of observed changes in physical and biological systems are consistent with warming. Changes in land use such as deforestation and fragmentation were found not to have a significant influence on the observed impacts.
“Humans are influencing climate through increasing greenhouse gas emissions,” Rosenzweig said. “The warming is causing impacts on physical and biological systems that are now attributable at the global scale and in North America, Europe, and Asia.”
The authors said more research is needed to better understand the impact of warming trends in Africa, South America, and Australia.
Rosenzweig, C., D. Karoly, M. Vicarelli, P. Neofotis, Q. Wu, G. Casassa, A. Menzel, T.L. Root, N. Estrella, B. Seguin, P. Tryjanowski, C. Liu, S. Rawlins, and A. Imeson, 2008: Attributing physical and biological impacts to anthropogenic climate change. Nature, 453, 353-357, doi:10.1038/nature06937.
This article is based on a news release from NASA