The Causes of Arctic Winter Warming East Asian Subtropical Cold Damage

The temps in the Arctic are rising as a result of climate change. According to an international study conducted by UZH experts, Arctic warming causes temperature anomalies and cold damage millions of km distant in East Asia. As a consequence, fewer plants develops, blossoms later, harvests are smaller, and woods in the vicinity absorb less CO2.

The east coast of the United States has seen significant snowfall and temperatures as low as Florida in recent days. Warmer Arctic winters are now causing catastrophic winter weather in East Asia, according to a multinational team of experts from Switzerland, Korea, China, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Cooler southern winters reduce vegetation activity in the evergreen subtropics and have a severe influence on ecosystems in the spring, for example, due to branches broken under heavy snowfall or frost-damaged foliage. According to Jin-Soo Kim of the University of Zurich’s Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, “colder winters also reduce agricultural productivity of grains, fruits, root vegetables, and legumes.”

Globally linked weather events

The researchers used earth system models, satellite data, and observations from local areas for the study. They additionally looked at a Barents-Kara Sea sea surface temperature index. They established that when Arctic temperatures were greater than usual, changes in air circulation generated an abnormal climate over East Asia. Unfavorable climate conditions impeded vegetation growth, crop productivity, and postponed flowering during cold years. The study authors also predicted a 65 megatonne decline in carbon uptake capabilities over the winter and spring semesters. (in comparison, fossil emissions in Switzerland are 8.8 megatonnes of carbon per year). As a result, the loss in carbon absorption capacity caused by climate change is an additional aspect to consider when assessing the likelihood of carbon neutrality.

Climate change creates ecological and socioeconomic damage

Human greenhouse gas emissions cause Arctic warming, which causes societal and economic devastation as far south as the subtropics. According to co-author Gabriela Schaepman-Strub, “this research study highlights how complex the effects of climate change are.” While we see considerable warming in the Arctic system, particularly over the Barents-Kara Sea, we’ve discovered that this warming has an impact on ecosystems hundreds of kilometers away and over several weeks thanks to climatic teleconnections. Arctic warming will affect us in a variety of ways, not simply affecting the polar bear.”

Read the original article on Science Daily.

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Reference: Jin-Soo Kim, Jong-Seong Kug, Sujong Jeong, Jin-Ho Yoon, Ning Zeng, Jinkyu Hong, Jee-Hoon Jeong, Yuan Zhao, Xiaoqiu Chen, Mathew Williams, Kazuhito Ichii, Gabriela Schaepman-Strub. Arctic warming-induced cold damage to East Asian terrestrial ecosystems. Communications Earth & Environment, 2022; 3 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s43247-022-00343-7