Posts tagged changes
As the planet warms faster, more species will be increasingly at risk
Apr 21st
The acceleration of change means that the species inhabiting each zone have less time to adapt to the climatic changes, said lead author Irina Mahlstein, a CIRES scientist who works at NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder, Colo. “The warmer the climate gets, the faster the climate zones are shifting. This could make it harder for plants and animals to adjust.”
The study is the first to look at the accelerating pace of the shifting of climate zones, which are areas of the Earth defined by annual and seasonal cycles of temperature and precipitation, as well as temperature and precipitation thresholds of plant species. Over 30 different climate zones are found on Earth; examples include the equatorial monsoonal zone, the polar tundra zone and cold arid desert zone.
“A shift in the climate zone is probably a better measure of ‘reality’ for living systems, more so than changing temperature by a degree or precipitation by a centimeter,” said Mahlstein.
The scientists used climate model simulations and a well-known ecosystem classification scheme to look at the shifts between climate zones over a two-century period, 1900 to 2098. The team found that for an initial 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit of warming, about 5 percent of Earth’s land area shifts to a new climate zone.
The models show that the pace of change quickens for the next 3.6 F of warming as an additional 10 percent of the land area shifts to a new climate zone. The paper was published online in the journal Nature Climate Change on April 21.
Certain regions of the globe, such as northern middle and high latitudes, will undergo more changes than other regions, such as the tropics, the scientists found. In the tropics, mountainous regions will experience bigger changes than low-altitude areas.
In the coming century, the findings suggest that frost climates — the coldest climate zone of the planet — will largely decrease. In general, dry regions in different areas of the globe will increase, and a large fraction of land area will change from cool summers to hot summers, according to the study.
The scientists also investigated whether temperature or precipitation had a greater impact on how much of the land area changed zones. “We found that temperature is the main factor, at least through the end of this century,” said Mahlstein.
John Daniel at the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory and Susan Solomon at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology co-authored the study.
-CU press release
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New dog regs in OSMP lands take effect April 15
Apr 13th
The first in a series of changes to dog management practices in the West Trail Study Area (West TSA) will take effect on Monday, April 15. The following areas will be posted with signage reflecting the following changes:
- Fern Canyon Trail (from where it leaves the Mesa Trail heading west to Bear Peak – Dogs on this trail will now be allowed to be off leash with the proper use of voice and sight control
- Lower McClintock Trail (from the wooden bridge just below the Chautauqua Auditorium along the short distance heading west until the Enchanted Mesa Trail) – Dogs will no longer be allowed on this portion of the trail
- Boy Scout Trail (located at the Flagstaff Summit) – Dogs will no longer be allowed in this area
These changes are the result of recommendations made and approved in 2011after a rigorous public process that brought constituencies together in the form of a Community Collaborative Group to develop a set of best visitor activity and environmental protection practices for the valuable ecosystem in the west TSA. Generally speaking, the West TSA covers from Eldorado Springs Drive (south) to Linden Avenue (north) and from Broadway (east) to the west side of the Flatirons.
The group made these recommendations related to dog management, as well as others that are likely to take effect around May 1. These will include the following changes:
- Towhee Trail – Dogs will no longer be allowed on this trail
- Old Mesa Trail (from Lower Shadow Canyon down to Eldorado Canyon) – Dogs must be leashed and on trail
- The Homestead Trail – Dogs will continue to be permitted off leash with the proper use of voice and sight control except for when crossing the riparian corridor, where dogs must be leashed
Be sure to check http://www.osmp.orgfor the exact dates when these future changes will go into effect and for general information about the provisions. If you have additional questions about these changes, please contact Dean Paschall at 720-564-2050.
Boulder’s newest trail gets suggested guidelines
Apr 12th
Access expected to go into effect April 24
The newly purchased portion of the Chapman Drive Trail starts at Boulder Canyon roughly at the location of the Red Lion Restaurant and proceeds south, uphill for approximately 1.4 miles.
OSBT recommended that council designate this portion of property as a Habitat Conservation Area (HCA). The guidance from OSBT included the following uses by visitors:
- Mountain bike travel up and down, on trail, from Boulder Canyon to Flagstaff Road;
- Dogs allowed, on leash and on trail, from Boulder Canyon to the junction with the Tenderfoot Trail; and
- Voice and sight control for dogs permitted from the Tenderfoot junction to Flagstaff Road.
Staff is currently in the process of working with the City Attorney’s Office to finalize these proposed uses. Once finalized, there will be a 15-day comment period for public feedback. Unless significant changes are necessary after the input process, access is expected to begin, pursuant to these guidelines, around April 24.
Please check the OSMP.org web site for updates about this process and watch for signage at the trailhead soon. For more information about these changes, contact Jean Koszalka at 303-413-7622.
City of Boulder Press Release
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