A warming planet is having an unexpected effect on plants, which could threaten animals and humans. 

Research ecologist Ellen Welti wrote in The Conversation that rising global temperatures are “reducing the nutritional value of some foods that plant eaters rely on.” 

Welti, whose work focuses on “how nutrient dilution could affect species across the food web,”  and her colleagues believe lower plant nutrients could lead to decreased animal populations. 

What’s happening?

Welti writes that “while plants are growing faster” amid increased levels of carbon dioxide,  “there’s a trade-off: These fast-tracked plants can contain fewer nutrients per bite.” 

“These changes in plants aren’t visually evident, like rising seas. Nor are they sudden and imminent, like hurricanes or heat waves. But they can have important impacts over time,” Welti wrote. 

Welti noted that crops for humans have also shown a decline in nutrients, including zinc, iron, magnesium, and copper. 

Livestock are also affected by this. As grasses’ protein decreases, cattle become smaller and cost farmers more to care for.

Why is the nutritional decrease concerning?

This could have a domino effect that ultimately impacts Earth’s ability to support human life. 

Take pandas, for instance. These adorable bears are classified as a vulnerable species and rely mostly on bamboo for food. They need large amounts of it to survive, but its nutritional value is declining, according to The Conversation. Rising temperatures are also making it harder for bamboo to survive. 

Insects are also affected because they rely on plants for food. Some are pollinators and play a crucial role in fertilizing crops that humans eat and other plants. 

Welti wrote that rising polluting gases lead to a lower-quality food supply, which is partially responsible for the declining insect population.

But this isn’t the case for all insects. For instance, locusts thrive on plants rich in carbon, so locust populations could soar amid rising carbon dioxide levels and further devastate crop supply.

What’s being done about the decrease in nutrient levels in plants?

Welti believes it’s crucial to “understand how nutrient dilution is altering entire food webs, including shifts in plant species and traits, effects on other animal groups such as predators, and changes in species interactions.”

One way to help is to use your voice to raise awareness about the issue and talk to representatives to advocate for policies that reduce pollution associated with this problem.

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