Wildfire, Extreme Drought Can Cause Widespread Emergence of Invasive Species in California's Ecosystem

Researchers raised concerns about the potential spread or emergence of invasive species due to extreme drought and wildfires. The research conducted at the Loma Ridge Global Change Experiment revealed the potential impacts of drought on invasive species.

Invasive species can spread due to changing environmental conditions. Climate plays a crucial role in the widespread emergence of invasive species, especially during hotter temperatures and changing humidity.

Understanding the impacts of invasive species can help researchers and communities for mitigation efforts. The study findings were published in Ecology after researchers at the University of California, Irvine tried to unravel the effects of drought and raging wildfires on scrub ecosystems.

Wildfire, Extreme Drought Impact on Invasive Species

The problem of climate change can worsen the impact of extreme weather events, causing severe impacts of the following:

• Drought
• Hurricanes
• Heatwaves
• Storms
• Wildfires

In the Pacific Northwest, West Coast and California, wildfires and prolonged are common environmental issues that have devastating impacts on ecosystems, animals and human populations. It can damage food and water security due to extreme drought and dry conditions.

In a recent report, researchers looked into the long-term drought impacts on invasive species emergence. The report highlighted that drought could cause deadly wildfires and invasive species exacerbated by climate change effects.

"This study is unique in that replicate experimental plots were subjected to several years of different precipitation regimes prior to the wildfire, allowing an opportunity to test how a range of pre-fire weather conditions influenced fire severity and resulting plant community composition," Sarah Kimball, Ph.D. said, as quoted in a report.

The study findings can help manage the spread of invasive pests or species in post-fire situations. Mitigation efforts are crucial to avoid the emergence of invasive species.

"We found feedback between invasive species and low-severity wildfire, indicating that control burns should not be conducted in this system," Kimball added, as quoted in the same report. Kimball is also a director of the Center for Environmental Biology at UCI.

Also Read: US Pacific Northwest Forests Suffer from Climate Change Effects, Growth Decline, New Report Warns

How Climate Change Causes Severe Wildfires

In the recent NWN report, researchers discovered that the Pacific Northwest's forecast is vulnerable to wildfire risk. The study found that the risk could double by 2035, which could worsen due to global warming.

The study report was published in JGR Biogeosciences journal. The pressing problem can be exacerbated due to high fire activity and climate change effects.

Furthermore, the researchers reported that wildfire effects could cause the decline of timber supplies and water problems. The simulation analysis provided researchers with new insights into the uptick of fire activity in the Pacific Northwest.

Related Article: November Reaches Record-Breaking Heat Six Month Straight, Report Warns

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