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Climate Change Impacts Bird Migration, Study Shows

It is believed that birds fly south for the winter. However, climate change has triggered a cascade of ecological events that could soon prove this old adage false.

Birds marvel at migration, and ecological factors like temperature influence when birds make their move.

A study published this month in Nature Climate Change revealed that climate change has caused a phenological shift influencing when birds migrate, therefore igniting an array of ecological issues. Phenology, or the study of seasonal natural phenomena like migration, explains the correlation between climate and bird migratory patterns. 

The study found that “for birds that have a synchronized timing of migration with resource availability, the likelihood that trophic mismatches may generate a phenological response in migration timing increases with climate change.”

The bigger implications of this phenological shift are startling. Later migration means there is a higher chance of trophic mismatch, which means resources are unavailable to the birds upon arrival. If caterpillars, a main food source for birds, are unavailable when the birds arrive, then their survival is threatened. 

Analyzing data collected over the past 24 years, the researchers have determined that bird migration dates advance as temperatures warm. Further, they have found a more significant change in the northern latitudes of the continental United States where temperatures are warming at a faster rate than in the South.

Researchers also found that a greater shift in migration timing is more noticeable in the spring because birds are returning home to breed. 

According to the study, “changes in phenology may directly impact the population distributions and ultimately lead to expansion or extirpation [of migratory birds].”

Birds also prosper when pollinating and eating pests. However, this phenological shift affecting migration therefore affects pollination. With delayed pollination, crops cannot flourish, consequently hurting farmers’ harvests and influencing what consumers buy at the grocery store. 

This issue is not unique to the United States. A similar study published in Ecological Indicators analyzed data collected over 57 years on 195 bird species from various European and Canadian bird observatories. The researchers found that spring migration had advanced one week in total over the decades studied. 

Climate change is a global issue threatening the existence of plants and animals. As these studies show, bird migration plays a crucial ecological role, but the phenological shift occurring is only becoming greater as climate change advances. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration documented 2019 as the 43rd consecutive year with temperatures above average globally. 

With resources depleting as birds migrate later, it may be true that the early bird does get the worm. 

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Socialization May Slow Cognitive Decline, Study Suggests

Sparking up a conversation with friends and family also sparks connections in the brain. And these connections are proving to impact brain function, especially in aging adults.

As more Americans are living longer, more people are faced with cognitive impairment. This mental decline affects one’s ability to remember, learn and live independently. With no cure, it can potentially progress into dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. 

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, over 5 million Americans are currently living with the disease, and the number is expected to grow. However, social engagement is proving to be an effective palliative care option for the elderly with memory loss. 

Christina Soriano, an associate professor of Dance of Wake Forest, and Dr. Christina Hugenschmidt, an assistant professor in Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine, have teamed up to conduct research on the impact that dance and socialization have on brain function in older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). 

“If you look at an Alzheimer’s patient’s brain, the whole brain is smaller… there’s atrophy throughout it,” says Dr. Hugenschmidt.

The goal of their research is to spark connections in participants’ brains through stimulation, which may improve the secondary symptoms of dementia, like effects on mood, balance and behavior. They also are looking for ways to improve the participants’ overall quality of life. 

They orchestrate improvisational dance classes using the IMPROVment Method for the elderly. They are designed to encourage movement and social engagement among the participants and their caregivers. 

Because of the varying degrees of memory loss in individuals, the IMPROVment Method is key because it encourages random, unchoreographed movements. Without the pressure of having to remember certain moves, dance and creativity are made more accessible to this elderly population. 

“Movement belongs to everybody,” says Soriano. “There are artists everywhere.”

Soriano encourages the participants to take risks during the classes because even trying is succeeding. 

“There was one day when a group of high schoolers shadowed our dance class, and they were so reluctant to participate,” says Amanda Black, a junior at Wake Forest who assistants with the research. “Meanwhile, we have these 80-year-olds who are so excited to do the dances.”

This open and inclusive environment creates a shared experience among the participants, which boosts their confidence and overall quality of life. 

As social beings, interactions with other people are important for health and wellbeing. Oftentimes, older adults become increasingly isolated and withdraw from social situations. Adults with MCI may isolate themselves even more out of fear of the potentially awkward consequences of losing their train of thought mid-conversation.

“[The participants] build relationships with one another and have something to look forward to,” says Kamryn King, a senior at Wake Forest who assistants with the research. “This is a big deal to the older adults who are sometimes embarrassed or discouraged by their struggles.”

With this confidence boost, the adults are more willing to engage each other and stay mentally active, which is proving to decrease depression, a secondary symptom of dementia. 

While this study has not yet concluded, the researchers expect that the groups with socialization will have better improved cognitive abilities compared to the control group, says King. 

However, with social distancing guidelines in place and retirement homes restricting visitors amid the pandemic, socialization is declining for the elderly population, who especially needs the interaction. 

“Social isolation has health effects equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day,” says Dr. Hugenschmidt, referencing a study in Perspectives on Psychological Science.

According to Medical News Today,loneliness is found to negatively affect mental and physical health. It can lead to depression, anxiety, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. 

“I’m devastated [by the effects of the pandemic],” says Soriano. “You become a community, and it’s really hard to not be with them.”

With this study on hold for now, research team members are still calling the participants to touch base. However, King says it is likely that the current research group will have to start the intervention over because of this unforeseen break between the classes.

Regardless of the temporary hold, the research appears promising. Brain scans show the development of connections within brain pathways after the IMPROVment intervention. When pairing socialization with the physical activity of dance, it is expected to make these connections even stronger. 

This research has been effective in bridging the gap between art and science. The impact that socialization and dance may have on slowing the progression of memory loss creates a sense of hope for people diagnosed with this incurable disease.

“New connections between separate parts of the brain are being established in the participants, which is pretty meaningful in the neuroscience world,” says King.

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Coronavirus Pandemic Takes a Toll on Mental Health

While the coronavirus attacks one’s upper respiratory system, the fear and uncertainty surrounding the pandemic are just as violently attacking some people’s mental health.

This virus thrives when the infected person comes into contact with other people. This means defense against it is social. But isolation’s consequences could have lasting effects on people struggling with their own mental health. 

The WHO estimates that a fourth of adults worldwide suffer from a mental health condition. And a study by Qualtricssurveying people on their mental health since the pandemic started found 42 percent of people say their overall mental health has declined. These changing statistics raise concerns on how this virus will affect people long-term. 

Americans in at least 42 states have stay-at-home orders that restrict them from leaving home besides running essential errands. So, now more than ever, people are cooped up at home with limited social activity. 

Even when running essential errands, the CDC has recommended people stay socially distanced by six feet. The virus’ R0 , or level of contagion, is 2-2.5. Therefore, for every person with the virus, they could spread it to two or maybe three healthy people if not properly social distanced. 

“This level of transmission spread and pathogenesis is more than any of us could have expected,” says Dr. Sarah McDonald, a virologist and associate professor of Biology at Wake Forest University. 

Because of the novelty of this virus, nobody has natural immunity to it. Therefore, no one is immune to the threat coronavirus could have on mental health. 

“In a few weeks’ time, everyone’s lives were upended, and that’s bound to bring up a lot of feelings,” says Dr. Nikki Elston, an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Counseling at Wake Forest University. 

The unexpectedness of this pandemic has raised a level of uncertainty for the future. College students have been forced to finish school online at home. Employers have cut hours for some employees and laid off others. Family members have gotten sick. 

“The unexpectedness of having to leave my university early was particularly anxiety-inducing for me,” says Sarah Schubert, a junior at Denison University. “I tend to worry about the future a lot, so it drives me crazy when I can’t even plan for it.”

Schubert is not the only one struggling with anxiety during these times. In fact, prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications increased 34 percent between mid-February to mid-March. 

With increased anxiety, alcohol sales have also sky-rocketed 55 percent compared to this time last year. People cope differently when feeling alone or worried, and one coping mechanism is alcohol. 

Liquor stores are deemed essential businesses because people can die from alcohol withdrawal if their central nervous system shuts down. And with more people using alcohol to cope, people who have recovered from alcoholism could relapse.

“I was talking to my friend who counsels individuals with alcohol and drug use disorders, and he said the majority of his clients have relapsed,” says Dr. Elston. “If people are feeling more isolated and worried, they may return to their addiction as a coping mechanism.”

Many counseling services have moved online to provide telemental health counseling. But Dr. Elston admits it is different. Many benefit from group sessions. The connectedness of sitting in a circle with people who share similar stories helps many individuals, but this is lost through online sessions. 

Ken Berryman of Louisville, Ky. is not only frustrated with how quarantine is affecting himself, but he is also concerned about his friend who has a history with alcoholism. 

“I’ve spoken with him on the phone several times, and he seems to be holding up well,” says Berryman. “But these situations are volatile and can change quickly.”

While it is difficult to understand right now the effects coronavirus may have on mental health in the long-term, experts say it will depend on the person.

“While we may not know this for some time, it’s possible this virus may push people who are thinking of suicide to act on their plans,” says Dr. Elston, “especially if they are feeling isolated and helpless.” 

However, she also says it could benefit people who find large crowds anxiety-inducing and find comfort in isolation. 

Typically in times of despair, people come together to help those in need. And while this is not possible because of stay-at-home and social distancing orders, Dr. Steve Burton, a psychiatrist at the Louisville Veterans Affairs Hospital, encourages people to do acts of kindness. By helping others, one can boost their own happiness. 

“Try to be optimistic, but don’t deny the risk,” says Dr. Burton. “It’s also very important to get outdoors and open up shades in the house. We need sunlight. It helps prevent depression. And, instead of focusing on what you cannot control, try to recognize things you can control.”


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Exercise May Treat Drug Addiction, Research Shows

As a result of the massive drug issue in the United States, users seeking treatment often find themselves running away from their problem. Literally.

While more than 3 million drug users struggle with abuse, only one in every six of these users receives treatment. Treatment options include prescriptions, behavioral therapy and even incarceration. 

While some of these approaches prove more effective than others, exercise as an alternative to drug use is becoming more widely accepted as nearly anyone can do it at little to no cost. 

Exercise is not just beneficial to drug users, but also to the average healthy adult. The CDC recommends people get 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per day for five days a week. Immediate health benefits of exercise include improved thinking, reduced anxiety, sharpened judgment skills, and aid in sleeping.

Studies assessing the advantages and limitations of exercise in drug treatment are underway and appear to shed a positive light on the non-pharmacological technique.

“Endorphins are released during continuous exercise, music, eating, laughter, and sex,” says Ben Johnson, a graduate research associate. “Inducing levels can increase [tolerance of] pain levels. Endorphin production is stimulated via aerobic exercise and is thought to contribute to ‘runner’s high.’”

Drugs work by hijacking the communication between neurons in the brain. With cocaine use, the drug binds to dopamine transporters that normally recycle dopamine. Dopamine is a “feel-good” neurotransmitter. With it not able to be recycled, dopamine builds up and produces this heightened “feel-good” effect. 

“Certainly, there are genetic predispositions that determine specific neurological and chemical pathways that make one more or less susceptible to addiction,” says Dr. Jeffrey Katula, an associate professor of Health and Exercise Science at Wake Forest University. “Other evidence suggests that mechanisms of instrumental conditioning play a role.”

Dr. Michael Nader, a professor of Physiology and Pharmacology at Wake Forest University, leads research on substance abuse and addiction. His research is centered on the drug self-administration model, which is explained by operant conditioning and positive reinforcement.

In his study, monkeys were trained using operant conditioning, which produces an association between an action and a consequence for that action. The monkeys were trained to push a level that administered cocaine to them intravenously. 

The drug euphoria produced acted as the positive reinforcement for the monkeys. Therefore, they began associating the lever that would administer the drug with feelings of reward.

“An animal will press a lever to inject and receive the same drugs that we as humans abuse,” says Dr. Nader. “The great thing about animal models is that we can establish situations that mimic the human condition and look for predictive variables for drug treatments.”

When cocaine is administered, levels of dopamine in the brain become elevated. The research shows that there is a decrease in the dopamine D2/D3 receptors with cocaine use leading to the user finding the drug more pleasurable. D2/D3 receptors reduce dopamine signals in their track. Additionally, increased tolerance of the drug means more would be needed to produce the same effect. 

Research also suggests exercise can work as an effective treatment option. In a study published in Nature, researchers found that after eight weeks of aerobic exercise training, the availability of D2/D3 receptors changed in meth users. However, the participants receiving eight weeks of education as their treatment did not show a change in receptor availability. 

“With the addition of exercise training, D2/D3 receptor availability significantly increased,” says Johnson.

Exercise helps increase D2/D3 receptor availability, which leads the user to find the drug less pleasurable. This helps wean the user off of the drug over time, says Dr. Katy Lack, an associate teaching professor of Biology at Wake Forest University.

However, studies also show that exercise may only prove beneficial for certain people. In one study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, researchers found that exercise as a treatment option is more effective in lower severity meth users. 

Additionally, exercise can potentially be viewed as another stressor that could prove it to be detrimental to some drug users. 

“Some people are averse to physical exertion and, for other people, exercise is simply another stressor that they want to avoid,” says Dr. Katula. “However, there is evidence that exercise can improve mental and physical aspects of health-related quality of life as well as life satisfaction.”

While more research needs to be conducted studying the effect of meditation and mindfulness on drug addiction, the prospects may appear good for some users. 

“Oftentimes, people take drugs because they are depressed, anxious or stressed,” says Lack. “Meditation and mindfulness reduces those things, and so it would make sense that it would help, if that is the reason for the drug use.” 

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Overpopulation of Deer in North Carolina Intensifies Transmission of Lyme Disease

With the population of white-tailed deer rising in North Carolina, it is becoming increasingly difficult to counteract the public health concerns that follow. 

According to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the deer population has drastically increased over the last hundred years – from a mere 10 thousand deer to a whopping one million deer. 

A state initiative to restore the deer population emerged in the 1940s and ran through the 1970s. And, since hunting is illegal in state parks today and deer do not have a natural predator, the deer population continues growing.

“Not only have these animals recovered, but they’ve recovered to the point where they’re at an overpopulated level in most areas,” said Dr. Jared Beaver, who leads research on deer overpopulation at Pilot Mountain State Park.

The park is equipped to support 10 to 20 deer per square mile. However, through the use of camera traps and drone technology, as many as 80 deer are detected per square mile. 

The Deer Project Report for Pilot Mountain State Park explains the overpopulation of deer intensifies the transmission of zoonotic diseases, especially in a place so many people recreate.

“I would say the biggest issue is human safety and wellness,” said Beaver, especially as “deer are a primary reservoir for tick species.”

Deer can carry blacklegged ticks, more commonly known as deer ticks. Typically, cold winter temperatures kill ticks. However, as temperatures warm, ticks are surviving and becoming more and more difficult to avoid. 

Carolina Conway, a junior from Boone, N.C., worked at a summer camp in Pisgah National Forest and now works for Outdoor Pursuits on campus. She has completed two wilderness first aid trainings at which she learned how to prevent and treat tick bites. 

“You use a tick scraper or even a credit card to scrape the tick off,” said Conway. “Wilderness experts say to not use tweezers anymore because the head could get dislodged and cause complications.”

Deer ticks are the only type of tick that can spread the bacterial infection Lyme disease. These ticks regurgitate their stomach contents, which transmits the disease. 

“Only until very recently, there really haven’t been many cases of Lyme disease in North Carolina,” said Dr. Joanne Clinch, the clinical director at Wake Forest Student Health Service. “I practiced the first part of my career in the Northeast, and we saw a lot of Lyme disease cases there.”

However, Clinch explained that there has been a movement of Lyme disease cases along the Appalachian Trail as deer ticks migrate south. 

According to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, “Tickborne illnesses continue to cause significant morbidity [in the state].” Data shows that the average number of confirmed Lyme disease cases from 2009 to 2017 was about 33 cases. However, in 2018, there were 56 confirmed cases among 156 probable cases. 

There are many probable cases because Lyme disease is difficult to detect. It presents flu-like symptoms and, sometimes, a bullseye-shaped rash. To diagnose the disease, doctors administer a two-step test, but it is not always effective. 

The test requires two steps because it sometimes does not detect Lyme disease at first. There is also the chance that the test gives a false positive because Lyme disease resembles other tick-borne illnesses, which do not have the same long-term health effects. The CDC recommends research be conducted to develop a more accurate test. 

“My uncle who lives in my town has Lyme disease,” said Samantha Fortner, a junior from Bakersville, N.C. “He started showing symptoms of tiredness and dizziness, and since he spends a lot of time in the woods, he decided to get tested. It turned out his doctor misdiagnosed him with another tick-borne illness. When he went back in for more testing, he was diagnosed with Lyme disease.”

It takes about a week to 30 days to exhibit symptoms of the disease, but when treated in the early stage with the antibiotic Doxycycline, it can be cured. However, undetected and untreated Lyme disease can cause long-term health problems, like arthritis, headaches, short-term memory loss and infection to the heart. 

To prevent tick bites and tick-borne illnesses, Clinch recommends covering skin when walking through grassy, wooded areas and checking for ticks after. Ticks like to live in warm spots of the body, like underneath arms, in the groin area and around the nape of the neck. If the tick is removed within 24 hours, it cannot transmit the disease.  

“If you look at a map, Forsyth is right below a high incidence county, so tick-borne illnesses are going to come,” said Clinch. “The deer are living among us and even dropping ticks in our yards. It will be interesting to see how these patterns change as deer continue to mix more with us.”

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Drug-Related Deaths Drop for First Time in Five Years in North Carolina

For the past two decades, the nation’s opioid epidemic has devasted the Appalachian region. As painkillers like Vicodin and OxyContin were overprescribed, these addictive drugs became readily available to this population. 

Appalachia spans 420 counties in 13 states, and 29 of these counties are in North Carolina. This region’s economy largely relies on coal mining, tobacco and logging. However, as these industries decline, poverty plagues the region. 

With many in this region working jobs that require manual labor, injuries are common in the workplace. As doctors prescribe painkillers, it creates the perfect storm by exposing this vulnerable population to opioids. 

“Very stressful environments, with a paucity of alternative reinforcers, also increase the vulnerability to seek out drugs as a means to activate the reward circuitry,” said Dr. Nora Volkow of the National Institutes of Health in an interview with Dr. Johannes Czernin. “Repeated exposure [to drugs] can ultimately lead to addiction.” 

The reward circuitry is affected by stimuli like food and phone screen time because of the good feeling they produce in the brain. Drugs also affect this system and create a sense of euphoria. And, taking drugs starts making previously rewarding stimuli feel less rewarding, leading to drug addiction. 

Addiction is a hard habit to break, which is why targeting the root of the problem may be the solution. Data from 2019 show that for the first time in five years the overdose mortality rate in North Carolina dropped by 5 percent, and it is no coincidence. 

The “NC Opioid Action Plan” emphasizes prevention, harm reduction and connection to care. These pillars have been implemented by cutting opioid prescriptions by 24 percent and by increasing the availability of the lifesaving medication called Narcan across the state.

Cutting the supply of opioids means fewer pills in the medicine cabinet. Having fewer pills decreases the chance of addiction because of less drug exposure on the reward system in the brain. It also decreases the number of pills illegally distributed in communities. 

Mortality rates have also declined because of the nasal spray Narcan. When administered following an overdose, the life-saving medication quickly reverses the negative effect produced by the harmful drug. With these measures in place, overdose-related emergency room visits also decreased by 10 percent last year. 

With a fifth of the Wake Forest student body from North Carolina, these measures help alleviate a problem many on this campus are affected by directly or indirectly.

“This is a problem people are working on,” said Dr. Katy Lack, associate professor of biology at Wake Forest. “Just decreasing the number of pills in a prescription is a measure taken that is doing something, and I know there is lots of research going on looking at alternatives to opioids for pain.”

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Trees Play Crucial Role in Sequestering Carbon From Atmosphere

Wake Forest University’s campus is adorned with countless trees, like Magnolias, leading many students to nickname the school “The Forest.” These trees play a crucial role in sequestering carbon from the atmosphere, helping to keep The Forest green. 

Trees act as carbon sinks, taking in the carbon from the atmosphere and storing it. This ecological role helps mitigate greenhouse gas emissions largely produced by humans.  

“When you think about the ecosystem service you get from one tree, it’s amazing,” said Wake Forest professor Justin Catanoso, who leads a study abroad program to the Peruvian Amazon. “Multiply that by a million trees across the Amazon, and you get an understanding of why we need to preserve that place and let it do its work to flight climate change.”

According to Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, one mature tree absorbs about 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. Furthermore, one acre of forest absorbs about twice the amount of carbon dioxide that a car produces per year. 

However, deforestation is occurring at an alarming rate. According to VOX, 17 percent of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed. If this rate continues, 25 percent of the rainforest could be destroyed in just 15 to 30 years. 

With trees becoming more important than ever, Wake Forest is doing its part in keeping trees in this Forest. In 2011, the university announced the Tree Care Plan, which raises the standards for why some trees need to be cut down. It also says that for every tree cut down on campus, another tree must be planted. 

With construction of the College Academic Commons on Davis Field about to commence, trees will soon be uprooted around campus. But, with the Tree Care Plan in effect, there will also be trees planted. 

However, trees are a long-term solution to climate change. It takes time before new trees efficiently and effectively sequester carbon from the atmosphere. 

According to a study published in Ecology, the new forests growing in the Amazon are not as successful at pulling carbon from the atmosphere like the older forests. This raises issues because climate change is happening now, and time is running out. 

Trees are best left untouched so they can perform their role in mitigating the carbon put into the atmosphere by people. So, it is also beneficial to reduce one’s own carbon footprint to alleviate the work done by trees. 

“Am I hopeful? Sometimes,” said Catanoso when asked about his outlook on how climate change is addressed. He said that most people know the answers, and most of the answers are to leave nature alone.

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Introduce Yourself (Example Post)

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

  • Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
  • Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

  • Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
  • What topics do you think you’ll write about?
  • Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
  • If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.

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