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Another global warming gift: itchier poison ivy Study finds more carbon dioxide makes for faster, more allergenic plant
The Associated Press
Updated: 8:30 a.m. CT May 30, 2006
WASHINGTON - Another reason to worry about global warming: more and itchier poison ivy.
The noxious vine grows faster and bigger as carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rise, researchers report Monday.
And a CO2-driven vine also produces more of its rash-causing chemical, urushiol, conclude experiments conducted in a forest at Duke University where scientists increased carbon-dioxide levels to those expected in 2050.
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas — a chemical that traps heat similar to the way a greenhouse does — that’s considered a major contributor to global warming. Greenhouse gases have been steadily increasing in the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution.
Poison ivy is common in woods around the country, making it a bane of hikers, campers, fighters of forest fires, even backyard gardeners. Its itchy, sometimes blistering rash is one of the most widely reported ailments to poison-control centers, with more than 350,000 reported cases a year.
Compared to poison ivy grown in usual atmospheric conditions, those exposed to the extra-high carbon dioxide grew about three times larger — and produced more allergenic form of urushiol, scientists from Duke and Harvard University reported.
Their study appears in this week’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
“The fertilization effect of rising CO2 on poison ivy ... and the shift toward a more allergenic form of urushiol have important implications for the future health of both humans and forests,” the study concludes.
That's just great! As if regular poisin ivy wasn't bad enough. My son just got a horrible case of poisin ivy all over his face and body for the second time this year which he apparantly got into on the school playground. I get it pretty bad too. I'm highly allergic, so I'm looking forward to these new more potent strains... Yay!
Umm... if global warming goes the direction they are saying it will, I don't think poison ivy will survive long. If nothing else it will probably move to a different part of the world along with the climate it likes. Just like the pine beatles. But we'll have more pressing matters to worry about I'm sure.
This was neat... a carbon emissions calculator.
It doesn't factor everything you do that contributes to greenhouse gasses. Everything you buy/eat as a cinsumer contributes to the number. It has to be grown, manufactured/processed, packaged, shipped, stocked, sold, brought home, cooked, thrown away....
After watching Six Degrees Could Change the World on National Geographic, I feel like even if I sat in the corner and consumed nothing for the rest of my life it still wouldn't be enough. This could become a reality in my lifetime, not just my daughter's.
Luckily I don't think I get poisen ivy. I swear I've been exposed to it several times and nothing, but I could be wrong and I don't plan on testing my luck. So the info is good to know.
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Another Global Warming Gift...
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