It’s the Goldilocks principle. All species, including plants, animals, and fungi, are uniquely adapted to a specific combination of climate and environmental conditions that they need to grow, reproduce and thrive – things need to be “just right”. If the environment changes, species have two choices: they can either stay where they are and adapt [...]
All posts tagged Climate Change
ABMI on the Small Screen
Did you know that, by the end of the century, Alberta’s climate is projected to become warmer, by an average of 2-4°C, as well as drier and more variable? In response to this change, Alberta’s ecosystems are predicted to shift northward and upslope. These are big changes and will affect our landscapes, species and communities. [...]
Two Sides to the Story: the Impacts of Climate Change on Alberta’s Burrowing Owls; an Endangered Species
What do you get when you combine plywood, a plastic bucket, and a tunnel in the prairies? An artificial burrow for one of Alberta’s most fascinating underground dwellers: the Burrowing Owl! It might be surprising, but artificial burrows may be one way to help Alberta’s declining Burrowing Owl population respond to the potential negative impacts [...]
Climate Change: Which Alberta Species will Feel the Heat?
It’s June in Alberta. In response to the shift from spring to summer, Trembling Aspens in the Parkland have flowered and unfurled their leaves, migratory songbirds have returned to the expansive boreal forest, and Great Plains Toads in southern Alberta are searching for temporary wetlands in which to lay their eggs. But on top of [...]
Business and Biodiversity?
Business and Biodiversity. Two words you don’t often expect to see together. At the ABMI, we understand that functional economies are dependent on functional ecosystems. But, we probably aren’t surprised when we hear the rhetoric that we can’t “afford” to protect the environment when the economy is weak. So, it was heartening for me to [...]