Severe drought kills hundreds of sq km of plants at Uluru-Kata Tjuta
Research shows climate-driven heatwaves are causing mass die-off of desert species, with survival rates as low as 10% for some plants.
What to know
- A record drought from 2018-2021 at Uluru-Kata Tjuta caused mass plant die-off across hundreds of square kilometres, with survival rates ranging from 78% for desert oak to 10% for desert heath myrtle.
- Research published this week reveals that plants continuing to use water for growth during summer faced rapid dehydration, while those that conserved water survived the intense heat and drought.
- Aṉangu traditional owners, co-managers of the World Heritage park, are working with scientists to understand and respond to climate change impacts on their landscape.
Aṉangu traditional owners Joint managers of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National ParkParks Australia Co-manager of Uluru-Kata TjutaMuṯitjulu Mala Rangers On-Country research partnersCSIRO and universities Research collaborators
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Research reveals water-use patterns explain survival rates across species
New research published this week shows that plant species with low dieback rates slowed growth and conserved water during drought, while species continuing to use water for summer growth faced rapid dehydration and death. Survival rates varied sharply: 78% for kurkaṟa versus only 10% for pukaṟa.
“We found that species with low rates of dieback tended to slow their growth and conserve water in their tissues.”
— Aṉangu researchers and scientists -
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Climate change is killing the plants of Uluṟu‑Kata Tjuṯa. Aṉangu traditional owners are concerned
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When we hear that climate change is damaging natural environments, it conjures images of rising seas eroding coastlines, or heatwaves bleaching the Great Barrier Reef. But what about deserts? In Australia’s red heart, the World Heritage-listed Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park hosts a spectacular array of unique plants and animals, admired by…
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https://www. europesays.com/us/1150892/ Climate change is killing the plants of Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa. Aṉangu traditional owners are concerned # Environment # Science # UnitedStates # UnitedStates # US
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Parks Australia and Aṉangu hold climate change workshop — Parks Australia and the Aṉangu community held a workshop to discuss climate change and raise concerns about the effects of hot droughts on the landscape.