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Want pollinators? Lower the temperature

Posted on February 22, 2018 by southernipmcenter

Researchers at NC State University recently published a paper about wild bee abundance in relationship to urban warming.

The paper challenges the idea that planting more flowers will attract more pollinators. Although the number of larger bees do increase as flower populations increase, populations of small bees tend to decline at some of the hottest sites. Continue reading →

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Hot Cities Spell Bad News for Bees

Posted on June 27, 2017 by southernipmcenter

by Matt Shipman, North Carolina State University

A new study from North Carolina State University finds that common wild bee species decline as urban temperatures increase.

“We looked at 15 of the most common bee species in southeastern cities and – through fieldwork and labwork – found that increasing temperatures in urban heat islands will have a negative effect on almost all of them,” says Steve Frank, an associate professor of entomology at NC State and co-author of a paper describing the work. Continue reading →

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Urban warming slows photosynthesis and growth in city trees

Posted on October 6, 2016 by southernipmcenter

by Matt Shipman, NC State University

New research from North Carolina State University finds that urban warming reduces growth and photosynthesis in city trees. The researchers found that insect pests are part of the problem, but that heat itself plays a more significant role.

“Earlier studies have shown that urban warming increases pest abundance in street trees,” says Emily Meineke, lead author of a paper describing the work. “We wanted to know how urban warming and pest abundance affect tree growth, since trees pull carbon out of the atmosphere and convert it into biomass. This is important, because we know that high levels of atmospheric carbon play a role in climate change.” Meineke did the work while a Ph.D. student at NC State. She is now a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard. Continue reading →

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Warmer temps limit impact of parasites, boost pest populations

Posted on November 20, 2014 by southernipmcenter

By Matt Shipman

Climate change is expected to disrupt ecosystems by changing the life cycles of insects and other organisms in unpredictable ways – and scientists are getting a preview of these changes in cities. Research from North Carolina State University shows that some insect pests are thriving in warm, urban environments and developing earlier, limiting the impact of parasitoid wasps that normally help keep those pest populations in check.

Continue reading →

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Study finds urban warming increases scale insect populations and reduces tree health

Posted on September 3, 2014 by southernipmcenter

A study published this past March revealed that urban warming increases the abundance of some tree pests, while decreasing tree health.

North Carolina State University researchers Adam Dale and Steven Frank tested the hypothesis that warm temperatures stimulates the reproduction of herbivorous pests such as armored scale insects (Melanaspis tenebricosa), while also increasing water stress and decreasing tree health. They studied several populations of red maple (Acer rubrum) trees in the city of Raleigh, NC.

Continue reading →

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