Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Poison Ivy Becoming More Toxic
Poison ivy cases could become more toxic and common due to global warming, some scientists have predicted.
A recent experiment at Duke University found poison ivy became more toxic under one model for predicted climate conditions and levels of carbon dioxide in 2050, the National Academy of Sciences reported.
Already the most common plant-induced medical condition in Minnesota, scientists fear global warming and more carbon dioxide may cause the plant to flourish.
Last year, 42 people called the state poison hot line for help and there are many more undocumented cases, said Steve Setzer, pharmacist and educator for the Minnesota Poison Control System.
Hundreds have called local clinics or pharmacies for help, while thousands probably scratched in silence, Setzer said.
Lee Frelich, director of the Center for Hardwood Ecology at the University of Minnesota, said he's seen an increase in poison ivy even without studying it.
"But I think it has just as much to do with people disturbing the environment as much as anything else," Frelich said. "Any time you tear up the soil, you will favor poison ivy in the area."
Not only is the plant common across Minnesota, Setzer said, but nearly everyone is allergic to it.
While many climate studies have also predicted increases in other plant allergies and asthma as temperatures rise, the Duke report comes during what has been a noteworthy spring for allergies in Minnesota and elsewhere.
Dr. Nancy Ott, president of the Minnesota Allergy Society, said she's handled more tree pollen reactions this spring than in 15 years prior. A warm April could be the cause as grass pollen allergies are appearing several weeks earlier than usual, she said.
Climate scientists say the Duke study could help figure out how additional carbon dioxide from the burning of coal and gas might alter the competitive balance among plants, allowing some to thrive and others to go extinct.
"Making poison ivy slightly more competitive isn't a huge deal," said Peter Reich, a University of Minnesota forest resources professor who is experimenting with high doses of carbon dioxide on prairie grasses. "But it is an indicator that everything we do to the environment has consequences. Some we might like, and some we won't like."
A recent experiment at Duke University found poison ivy became more toxic under one model for predicted climate conditions and levels of carbon dioxide in 2050, the National Academy of Sciences reported.
Already the most common plant-induced medical condition in Minnesota, scientists fear global warming and more carbon dioxide may cause the plant to flourish.
Last year, 42 people called the state poison hot line for help and there are many more undocumented cases, said Steve Setzer, pharmacist and educator for the Minnesota Poison Control System.
Hundreds have called local clinics or pharmacies for help, while thousands probably scratched in silence, Setzer said.
Lee Frelich, director of the Center for Hardwood Ecology at the University of Minnesota, said he's seen an increase in poison ivy even without studying it.
"But I think it has just as much to do with people disturbing the environment as much as anything else," Frelich said. "Any time you tear up the soil, you will favor poison ivy in the area."
Not only is the plant common across Minnesota, Setzer said, but nearly everyone is allergic to it.
While many climate studies have also predicted increases in other plant allergies and asthma as temperatures rise, the Duke report comes during what has been a noteworthy spring for allergies in Minnesota and elsewhere.
Dr. Nancy Ott, president of the Minnesota Allergy Society, said she's handled more tree pollen reactions this spring than in 15 years prior. A warm April could be the cause as grass pollen allergies are appearing several weeks earlier than usual, she said.
Climate scientists say the Duke study could help figure out how additional carbon dioxide from the burning of coal and gas might alter the competitive balance among plants, allowing some to thrive and others to go extinct.
"Making poison ivy slightly more competitive isn't a huge deal," said Peter Reich, a University of Minnesota forest resources professor who is experimenting with high doses of carbon dioxide on prairie grasses. "But it is an indicator that everything we do to the environment has consequences. Some we might like, and some we won't like."
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