Seneghe, Sardinia

IFrom the rugged rocky Swiss Alps, you descend into the warmer and drier climate of Seneghe, Sardinia. Removing your jacket, you realize your perspective is of an insect. Tall blades of grass tower above you. You hear a chorus of buzzing, whirring, and clicking sounds as wander through the field. Inside a rusting soda can you stop to learn more about climate and Sardinia by activating viewing screens.

Seneghe, Sardinia, is located at 8º 95' E/ 40º 8' N at an elevation of 997 feet. Sardinia is an island west of the mainland of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea. The climateis classified as Mediterranean. Mediterranean climates have warm summer months and temperate winter months.

In an adjacent room, through the videos and text you meet the Marho family. Although Seneghe’s population of 1,900 is three times that of Isenthal, the primary economic activity is farming. There is little car traffic on Seneghe’s roadways. However, a traffic jam is not uncommon as a large herd of sheep blocks travel. There is nothing a driver can do, but wait for the sheep to move.

The sheep depend on grasses and other vegetation that grows in vast open fields. The vegetation is well adapted to the dry and hot climate of Sardinia. Within the ecosystem, there is a delicate web of interdependence with insects that have evolved with the plants. However, rising temperatures are threatening survival in unexpected ways. Scientists are observing the arrival of locusts formerly found only in warmer African regions.

If nonnative plants or animals move into a region, they often have a survival advantage over native species because they lack predators. Because this type of takeover resembles an invasion, the nonnative species are considered invasive species. Invasive species change an ecosystem and the flows of energy within the ecosystem.

Another consequence of warmer drier conditions is drought. In the long-term, Sardinia is at risk for desertification. Vegetation and soil are natural sources and sinks of carbon dioxide. Scientists are monitoring changes in vegetation, soil, and carbon dioxide to develop mitigation and adaptation plans for survival in a hotter, drier climate. Could that light bulb in Bremerhaven be part of the problem?

• Look for clues to answer the question.

• Examine the photo to identify factors that influence the climate of Seneghe.

• Use Google Earth to develop a sense of place.

• Analyze the data and the climograph to observe patterns in rainfall and temperature.

• Use the dig deeper resources to gather information to understand the processes behind climate change.