Study reveals lasting impact of declining winter

Washington: Decline in winters or frost days could have lasting impacts on ecosystems, water supplies, the economy, tourism, and human health, says a study.
“Winter conditions are changing more rapidly than any other season and it could have serious implications,” said Alexandra Contosta, research assistant professor at UNH’s Earth Systems Research Centre. “Whether precipitation falls as snow or rain makes a big difference, whether you’re talking about a forest stream, a snowshoe hare or even a skier.” In their study, recently published in the journal — Ecological Applications — the researchers looked at the last 100 years of weather station data from northern forests across the United States and Canada and the impacts on ecosystems and people.
They found a significant decline in “frost days,” when minimum temperatures dip below freezing, and “ice days,” when maximum temperatures never rise above freezing.
Researchers say that people tend to view cold and snowy weather as burdensome. Yet winter is important for many ecosystems that influence water, wildlife, forests, and people.
For instance, cold temperatures help prevent the spread of diseases like Lyme disease and West Nile virus through insects like ticks and mosquitoes, as well as help manage insects that are detrimental to trees, like the hemlock wooly adelgid and eastern pine beetle.