What is the climate really changing? A look at the individuals most at risk

Photo By Eliza Cantrell | Photo by Tomas Nocera Two Bank Swallows fly across the Potomac River in July.  

FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES

08.31.2021

Courtesy Story

Fort Belvoir Public Affairs

By Tomas Nocera
Fort Belvoir Environmental Division

As we come into the middle and end of the summer, heat waves follow, and with them, a changing environment. Worldwide small increases of 1 to 2 degrees Fahrenheit of warming have resulted in a profound shift in extreme heat events and rainfall, and with a warming climate, winds in the upper atmosphere may slow down just enough to cause heat domes and rain to linger and stay longer, trapped over cities and towns. This phenomenon known as climate change often evokes images of huge disasters, but it is actually experienced on a much smaller scale. Individual plants and animals experience it much differently than people do; whereby over 95% of organisms in this world are completely dependent on their environment to hold a certain temperature. The reason for this is many individuals are stuck in one place, or have very small home ranges on this huge Earth and a changing climate affects these individuals significantly.

So what does a changing climate mean for individual plants and animals in Northern Virginian? Well, Virginia’s rich fish and wildlife communities are already experiencing significant impacts to a changing climate, especially within the Chesapeake Bay.

Sitting on the north end of a biodiversity hotspot, Virginia is home to one of the largest diversity of amphibians found in the U.S., including frogs, toads, and salamanders. These species have an incredible amount of benefit in keeping our ecosystem healthy from controlling mosquito populations to preventing the spread of pests. However, current climate models suggests that although habitat opportunities may expand for these species, their poor dispersal ability may put many of these species at risk of extirpation, especially with expanding human infrastructure.

Furthermore, Virginia’s rivers contain one of the most diverse freshwater mussel communities in the United States. Mussels, which constantly filter water as they breathe and feed, improve water quality by removing bacteria, algae and pollutants. Impacts of a warmer climate mean rising temperatures of air and water that are pushing individuals like mussels closer and closer to their limits. Once they surpass that limit, we will see catastrophic consequences.

These limits are being pushed for individual trees and animals throughout our area, affecting natural rhythms. Flowers bloom earlier putting pollinators at risk of being out of sync with their host plants; invasive species outbreaks like spotted lanternfly continue to grow and harm our forests; and over 30 species of birds in Fairfax County are highly or moderately vulnerable to losing more than half of their current range as they seek more suitable habitat.

With continued updates on management and conservation plans, climate models, and resilience strategies from many organizations throughout Virginia, including Fort Belvoir, adopting the best practices to minimize climate change impacts on our environment is doable. Goals have been set, and while we are behind in the race against climate change, our actions as individuals and a community should continue to meet the needs of the individuals most at risk to preserve Virginia’s rich, natural heritage.

• Date Taken: 08.31.2021
• Date Posted: 08.31.2021 14:34
• Story ID: 404241
• Location: FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA, US