The Climate Crisis Is Changing the Circle of Life

When you think about the impact of climate change on the circle of life, you likely picture polar bears or Bengal tigers struggling in new conditions. But the impacts on the world go all the way down to the tiniest creatures who do some of the most important jobs.

Hosted by: Michael Aranda

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[SIK_Mephisto]

Arthropods are really easy to overlook especially on environmental and food chain oriented topics, and I thank you for bringing our tiny friends the spot light they deserve

[Ngamotu]

I believe it was David Attenborough who said "If we and the rest of the backboned animals were to disappear, the rest of the world would get on pretty well. But if the invertebrates were to disappear, the land's ecosystems would collapse."

[jedidrummerjake]

Can't wait to decompose! Enriching the soil is has been my ultimate goal! Bring it!

[battleon]

This is actually what my ongoing PhD research is on. I just finished presenting a poster on it a few hours ago, though our focus is also on Red-backed Salamanders that eat the springtails. There's a lot we still don't know about species interactions, let alone how climate change will effect them and ecosystem processes like decomposition.

[sophierobinson]

Ooh. The blowfly larvae maturity rate has been one of the yardsticks determining time of death in forensics.

[junkjunkloot]

Michael! You are style goals! I love how you're wearing your hair in this video.
9 years watching and still going! Thank you for all the wonderful science, scishow.

[Chris-opyt]

increased decomposition is actually bad, as it means methane/CO2 faster into atmosphere but, we do need the microscopic creatures working that make plant nutrients available.

[jafogx]

The thing about life on Earth is that it is very adaptable, given millions of years. In times of crisis or extinction events it can come back from the ashes with natural selection doing it’s part. The question is if we will make the cut.

[GardenUPLandscape]

It's unfathomable to think how much difference such small things can make. We think insects are a nuisance, but without them we would cease to exist. I'm sure there would be serious fallout if molds suddenly became more or less numerous as well.

[Heather_Morgan]

When 1 part of the ecosystem is affected, everything is affected. Everything is connected.

[a.kitcat.b]

People may hate bugs but they are very important, even bugs that seem useless to us. Because not everything involves us!

[ronkirk]

There are so many unknowns about how global warming will effect the biosphere of the planet as it heats up on human time scale vs. past warming which was on a geologic time scale and yet we just plow ahead like nothing but the economy and special interests matters. For a child born today, the planet will be a vastly different place during his/her lifetime.

[BytebroUK]

Note to sponsors... So, if if I pay you some money, most of which will go to pay your CEO's salary, you will stop the crisis? No... didn't think so.

[iissacc]

those blueberries were refusing to decompose in that first clip

[Knusperfunk]

Watching this video while having dessert may not have been the best of ideas. So many natural processes of breaking down nutrients!

[roxypop]

your hair is simply magnificent. you should be proud of such an exquisite mane!

[kennethstealey]

Interestingly, in the UK Wren make kitchens.

[smurfyday]

Should be a law, the hiker's mantra: Leave no garbage behind. If you can't do that, you don't get to go. If that means putting a hold on that new tracking app on your phone, so be it.

[IanHecht]

At 2:14 are there some kind of mites living on the beetle's abdomen, or are those something else?

[ilovetotri]

No mow May! I am lazy, so I was excited at first. My community has accepted the idea. I pledge to not mow my yard until June. It will be ugly, but it will give necessary creatures to do great work!