A new research warns that the species of Welsh streams and rivers are in great danger because of the climate change.
The 25-year study by Cardiff University warns that the rising temperature cloud have a knock-on effect on stream macro invertebrates, including crustaceans, snails and larval insects such as stoneflies.
According to this research, number of small invertebrates like mayflies and stoneflies could fall by as much as 21 persent for every 1 degree Celsius rise in temperature. This would lead to a corresponding reduction on species which live on them—birds, fish and bats for instance. More over, as current predictions point out temperatures will rise by two and three degree Celsius in next few decades, the number of species may fall by 12 to 25 percent in next 50 years.
Such findings are important messages on the effects of Global warming, since that streams and rivers are quiet sensitive to climate, which indicates that Wales has got much hotter than 25 years before.
This project is the longest and most detailed investigation of the effects of global warming on Welsh fresh water systems, which was funded by the Countryside Council for Wales. Such a study is the first and one of the oldest studies of its kind in the world. The team leader, Professor Steve Ormerod from Cardiff University told Welsh Globe, “I and my colleagues were surprised by our findings. True evidences show that (Welsh) rivers are heating up and （the rising）temperature is the cause for this. Our government should take serious action on how to solve the problem, saying investments on technologies and policies on environment control.”
A paper on the study is published in Global Change Biology, calling for a range of mitigation efforts from Welsh Government.
