Research briefs

The unprecedented increase in alien species can have negative impacts on native ecosystems and the global homogenisation of floras and faunas. While legislations are currently in force globally to mitigate the introduction of new alien species, urgent implementation of more effective prevention policies is needed.

Increasingly dangerous fire weather is forecast for Australia and the Mediterranean as the global footprint of extreme fires expands. Using climate change model projections to investigate the likely consequences of climate change, the research found more extreme fires are predicted in the future for Australia’s east coast and the whole of the Mediterranean region.

Global warming has already increased the risk of droughts and flooding according to a new research. The frequency of major rainfall disruptions in the climate models had already increased by around 30% relative to pre-industrial times. The risk will continue to rise over coming decades, even if global warming during the 21st century is restricted to 2℃.

A new study analyses flood risk and economic damages under different global warming scenarios. Findings reveal that, with a 4°C temperature increase globally, countries representing 73% of the global population would face a 580% increase in flood risk. In addition, 79% of the global economy would face a 500% increase in flood damages.

A new study says the U.S. Geological Survey's "Did You Feel It?" (DYFI) website can be used to improve maps of earthquake intensity, if non-reporting areas are included in the mapping analysis. The DYFI website collected millions of reports from people who log on to the site to share information when they feel an earthquake in their ZIP code.

New research by Cardiff University suggests that devastating tsunamis could be halted before hitting the Earth’s shoreline by firing deep-ocean sound waves at the oncoming mass of water to redistribute the huge amounts of energy stored within the wave. This could potentially save lives and billions of pounds worth of damage.

The impact of climate change on psychological health is an emerging concern among mental health professionals, disaster response officials, educators, and faith leaders. With “Climate trauma” occurring when either acute or long-term climate impacts cause loss of life or property, studies suggest methods of dealing with stresses of climate change.

Visually impaired residents' challenges during earthquakes have been documented by Massey University in a research that explores the experiences of 12 visually impaired residents who lived through more than 12,000 aftershocks. The study participants, who experienced the 2010 and 2011 New Zealand earthquakes, suggested 17 actions for better disaster preparedness.

A study finds industrial activity has the potential to induce extremely large and damaging events because small earthquakes can trigger larger ones. The same study shows mining-related activity accounts for the largest number of induced-earthquakes. Hundreds of deaths have occurred in coal and mineral mines over the last few decades as a result of earthquakes.

The Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) Country Index ranks countries on vulnerability to extreme climate events, measuring common factors of successful adaptability to climate change. The latest data released this week shows governance is a major factor for countries improving preparedness for climate change.