A recent study has shown that acorn ants have evolved to hotter city temperatures over the last 100 years. The study consisted of taking ants from both urban and rural areas, acclimating them over a ten week period to both cold and warm weather, and then determining which ants did better in warmer and colder climates. The acorn ants from the urban area fair better in the warm temperatures compared to the rural acorn plants. Although the urban acorn ants survived warm temperatures better, they lost some of their resistance to cooler temperatures. Ants are considered indicator species as they are cold blood and are often influenced by weather changes. With the world set to increase by at least a few degrees Celsius over the next century, fast evolving animals could emerge, while animals that simply acclimate will die off.
This study is interesting given the rise in global temperature. I also remember watching a documentary on coyotes which shows how they are adapting extremely well to city life, learning the rail systems and when people are least active. Human expansion and global warming are not set to reduce at our current rate so animals are going to have to evolve quickly or die. Let us hope that humanity will open its eyes to the devastation we are bringing this planet and make changes to help improve our current situation. http://thedaily.case.edu/species-appears-evolve-quickly-enough-endure-city-temperatures/
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Alex Garcia-Environmentalist Archives
December 2016
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