The mass death of flying foxes in extreme heat in North Queensland last month underlines the importance of University of Queensland wildlife research released today.The UQ research sheds light on how various species have responded to major climate events.

A study led by UQ School of Earth and Environmental Science researcher Dr Sean Maxwell has spent more than 70 years quantifying the responses of various species.

“The growing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as cyclones, droughts and floods is causing unpredictable and immediate changes to ecosystems and blocking existing management efforts,” Dr Maxwell said.“Some of the negative responses we found were quite concerning, including more than 100 cases of dramatic population declines and 31 cases of local population extinction following an extreme event.”

"Populations of critically endangered bird species in Hawaii, such as the palia, have been annihilated due to drought, leaving none of its kind, and populations of lizard species have been wiped out due to cyclones in the Bahamas."

Cyclones were the most common extreme event for birds, fish, plants and reptiles, while mammals and amphibians were most responsive to drought events, with drought leading to 12 cases of major population decline in mammals.Drought also led to 13 cases of breeding declines in bird populations and 12 cases of changes in the composition of invertebrate communities.

UQ Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science director Professor James Watson said the detailed information would help inform ecosystem management.

“The research clearly shows species will respond, often negatively, to extreme events,” Professor Watson said.“As climate change continues to ensure extreme climate and weather events are more and more common,we now need to act to ensure species have the best chance to survive.Wherever possible, high quality and intact habitat areas should be retained, as these are the places where species are most resilient(易恢复的) to increasing exposure to extreme events.”

Planning before buying something is a good idea. For example, you are going to buy a pet dog, you still have to consider a few things and plan them well before you welcome it in the house. 【小题1】 You will also have to train it well so that it does not misbehave in front of people. You should realize that it is a big responsibility.

The next thing you need to consider is your home, 【小题3】You will also have to consider the family members. If your living place is already too crowded with people, getting a dog as an additional member of the house will not be a good idea.

【小题4】Make sure nobody is allergic(过敏的) to the fur of the dog. Also make sure that you can easily find time to train the dog. Ensure that your family is welcoming to this idea.

【小题5】 When you are bringing this best friend in your house you must make sure everything is right for it. You should make life easier for it, as well as others who are living in your house.

Fifty-five public schools in New York City have recently invited furry friends to their classrooms. The Comfort Dog Program has been around for five years.

Comfort dogs have been found to augment levels of oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine in our brains, hormones (激素) promoting positive feelings and a happy mood (心情). But how are these pets helpful in the classroom?

For some students the comfort pet provides the emotional support they need, which then allows the child   to be engaged and successful in their studies. A struggling student can hold the pet in the arms and get the support he or she needs at the time, which also develops their self-awareness and ability to regulate their emotions. In other cases, teachers use the pet as part of the lesson. Meredith Loftus, a teacher in New York, brought a dog named Chip to help out with a phonies game in the classroom.

Dog training isn’t necessarily a walk in the park, although it can definitely include that. It takes time, effort and consistency to train pets, and this is the case for this program, too.

To be a part of the program, an educator and their dog must participate in a six-hour training session by The Good Dog Foundation. This training teaches the educator what to do if students are scared of pets. It also trains dogs on the differences they’ll experience in a school environment, such as the school bell, fire alarms, loud announcements and other possible distractions. The dog is also trained at being friendly with strangers and the handler, in this case the educator, who needs to be very in tune with the pet and know how to look out for its stress signals.

The program has been a genuine success so far, and a helpful addition to the education and well-being of many students in New York. In fact, hundreds of other schools have expressed their interest in joining the program and may be including it in their curriculum in the near future.