Kangaroos and Global Warming
David Swenson
Megan Elliott
An increase of 2°C may shrink kangaroos' ranges by 48%. A 6°C
increase might shrink ranges by 96%.
The global average surface air warming for six SRES emissions marker scenarios are estimated as follows – Best estimate is 1.8 degrees Celsius and a low scenario of 1.1 and a high of 2.9
The antilopine wallaroo, a kangaroo species adapted for a wet, tropical climate, faces the greatest potential risk. Ritchie and Bolitho found that a two‐degree temperature increase may shrink its range by 89 percent. A six‐degree increase may lead to the extinction of antilopine wallaroos if they are unable to adapt to the arid grassland that such a temperature change is likely to produce.
Image Source:
IPCC Summary for Policy Makers Figure‐10, a figure on the predicted averages for surface warming.
In the first image taken from the IPCC summary for policy makers (SPM), they break down the projections of surface temperature based on geographical regions. Australia's temperature is expected to increase anywhere from 0.5 to 1.5 degrees Celsius from 2020‐2029, and anywhere from 2 degrees to 5.5 from 2090‐2099.
From the probability graph we see that there is a much higher probability for the 1.5 degree increase to occur because climate models are more accurate with projections in the near future rather than farther due to the ever‐changing climate sensitivity. From this we can conclude that it is very likely for Australia to see a 2 degree increase in temperature between the next 20 to 40 years. With such an increase, the habitats for kangaroos will be greatly altered.
In the lower figure taken from the SPM shows projected patterns of precipation changes over Australia, we see a 20% decrease in rainfall from 2090‐2099, decreaseing habitat for the antilopine wallaroo, a kangaroo species adapted for a wet, tropical climate. This 2 degree temperature increase may shrink its range by 89 percent. A 6 degree increase may lead to the extinction of these wallaroos if they are unable to adapt to the arid grassland that such a temperature change is likely to produce.
Sources for Slide 2
University of Chicago Press Journals. "Global Warming Threatens Australia's Iconic Kangaroos." ScienceDaily 16 October 2008. 20 February 2009 <http://www.sciencedaily.com‐ /releases/2008/10/081015120734.htm>.
IPCC 2007, WG I (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,2007 report of Working Group I), Figures SPM.6 and SPM.7
If dry seasons are to become hotter and rainfall events more unpredictable, habitats may become depleted of available pasture for grazing and waterholes may dry up. This may result in starvation and failed reproduction … or possible death due to dehydration for those species that are less mobile.
Distribution of common Wallaroos
With a 2 degree increase in temperature their habitat range may shrink by 89%
If dry seasons are to become hotter and rainfall events more unpredictable, habitats may become depleted of available pasture for grazing and waterholes may dry up. This may result in starvation and failed reproduction … or possible death due to dehydration for those species that are less mobile. In the figure of Australia we see that the antilopine wallaroo habitat is vastly spread out over the country. With the predicted 2 degree increase in temperature their habitat range is expected to shrink by up to 89%. And with a 6 degree increase we expect to see the extinction of the wallaroo.
This is mainly due to the disability of the wallaroo to adapt to the arid grassland that such a temperature change is likely to produce. The wallaroo tends to be a species that is less mobile unlikely to move to other habitats.
Citations for Slide:
University of Chicago Press Journals. "Global Warming Threatens Australia's Iconic Kangaroos." ScienceDaily 16 October 2008. 20 February 2009 <http://www.sciencedaily.com‐ /releases/2008/10/081015120734.htm>.
Image source:
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/trade‐use/wild‐harvest/kangaroo/harvesting/roobg‐03.html
Scientists in Australia are investigating whether kangaroos could help combat global warming. Australia's sheep and cattle produce huge amounts of methane, an important greenhouse gas ‐ but kangaroos do not. Methane emissions from farm animals account for about 15% of Australia's greenhouse gas production. Researchers believe it might be possible to use bacteria found in the stomachs of kangaroos to reduce methane output from cows and sheep. Yet kangaroos, feeding on the same sorts of grass, produce no methane at all. The controversial call to cut down on beef consumption in Australia and serve more kangaroo meat follows a report on curbing greenhouse gas emissions damaging the planet. Greenpeace energy campaigner Mark Wakeham urged Aussies to substitute some red meat for roo to help reduce land clearing and the release of methane gas from flatulent cattle and sheep.
What the answer is, is still something of a mystery, but researchers in Queensland, Australia have isolated about 40 types of bacteria from kangaroo stomachs and are finding out how they work. The author of this report Dr Mark Diesendorf said reducing beef consumption by 20 per cent and putting “Skippy” on the dinner plate instead would cut 15 megatonnes of greenhouses gases from the atmosphere by 2020.
One final note, roo’s are not hooved animals; so they don't damage the soil from which their food grows.
Quotes and Facts sourced from http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22562480‐662,00.html
Preventing a Tipping Point
Decrease in Roo
Increase in surface temp
Increase in Cows
Increase in concentration of GHG’s
Increase in Methane
This is the conclusion we reached through the analysis of these articles and sadly, our findings lead us to the unfortunate demise of the roo.
David Swenson
0729275
Megan Elliott
0623029