The Effect of Seasonal Climatic Anomalies on Zoo Visitation in Toronto (Canada) and the Implications for Projected Climate Change
This study uses a multi-year temporal climate analogue approach to explore zoo visitor responses to seasonal climatic anomalies and assess the impacts of projected climate change on zoo visitation in Toronto, Canada. A new method for selecting a representative weather station was introduced which ra...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2016-05-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/7/5/71 |
| _version_ | 1819021581939113984 |
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| author | Micah J. Hewer William A. Gough |
| author_facet | Micah J. Hewer William A. Gough |
| author_sort | Micah J. Hewer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study uses a multi-year temporal climate analogue approach to explore zoo visitor responses to seasonal climatic anomalies and assess the impacts of projected climate change on zoo visitation in Toronto, Canada. A new method for selecting a representative weather station was introduced which ranks surrounding stations based on “climatic distance” rather than physical distance alone. Two years representing anomalously warm temperature conditions and two years representing climatically normal temperature conditions were identified for each season from within the study period from 1999 to 2015. Two years representing anomalously wet precipitation conditions and two years representing anomalously dry precipitation conditions were also identified. F-tests and t-tests were employed to determine if the apparent differences in zoo visitation between the temperature and precipitation paired groupings were statistically significant. A “selective ensemble” of seasonal Global Climate Model (GCM) output from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report was used to determine when these anomalous temperature and precipitation conditions may become the norm in the future. When anomalously warm winters and springs occurred within the historical record, total zoo visitation in those seasons increased significantly. Inversely, when anomalously warm summers occurred, total summer season zoo visitation decreased significantly. Temperature anomalies in the autumn season did not result in any significant differences in total autumn season zoo visitation. Finally, apart from in the spring season, there were no significant differences in total zoo visitation between anomalously wet and dry seasons. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T04:09:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e7827f33365a4581b6892e4ec36a92cd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T04:09:23Z |
| publishDate | 2016-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-e7827f33365a4581b6892e4ec36a92cd2022-12-21T19:16:30ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332016-05-01757110.3390/atmos7050071atmos7050071The Effect of Seasonal Climatic Anomalies on Zoo Visitation in Toronto (Canada) and the Implications for Projected Climate ChangeMicah J. Hewer0William A. Gough1Department of Geography, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, CanadaDepartment of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, CanadaThis study uses a multi-year temporal climate analogue approach to explore zoo visitor responses to seasonal climatic anomalies and assess the impacts of projected climate change on zoo visitation in Toronto, Canada. A new method for selecting a representative weather station was introduced which ranks surrounding stations based on “climatic distance” rather than physical distance alone. Two years representing anomalously warm temperature conditions and two years representing climatically normal temperature conditions were identified for each season from within the study period from 1999 to 2015. Two years representing anomalously wet precipitation conditions and two years representing anomalously dry precipitation conditions were also identified. F-tests and t-tests were employed to determine if the apparent differences in zoo visitation between the temperature and precipitation paired groupings were statistically significant. A “selective ensemble” of seasonal Global Climate Model (GCM) output from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report was used to determine when these anomalous temperature and precipitation conditions may become the norm in the future. When anomalously warm winters and springs occurred within the historical record, total zoo visitation in those seasons increased significantly. Inversely, when anomalously warm summers occurred, total summer season zoo visitation decreased significantly. Temperature anomalies in the autumn season did not result in any significant differences in total autumn season zoo visitation. Finally, apart from in the spring season, there were no significant differences in total zoo visitation between anomalously wet and dry seasons.http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/7/5/71tourism climatologyseasonal climatic anomaliestemporal climate analogueclimate change impactsoutdoor recreation and tourismzoo visitation |
| spellingShingle | Micah J. Hewer William A. Gough The Effect of Seasonal Climatic Anomalies on Zoo Visitation in Toronto (Canada) and the Implications for Projected Climate Change Atmosphere tourism climatology seasonal climatic anomalies temporal climate analogue climate change impacts outdoor recreation and tourism zoo visitation |
| title | The Effect of Seasonal Climatic Anomalies on Zoo Visitation in Toronto (Canada) and the Implications for Projected Climate Change |
| title_full | The Effect of Seasonal Climatic Anomalies on Zoo Visitation in Toronto (Canada) and the Implications for Projected Climate Change |
| title_fullStr | The Effect of Seasonal Climatic Anomalies on Zoo Visitation in Toronto (Canada) and the Implications for Projected Climate Change |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effect of Seasonal Climatic Anomalies on Zoo Visitation in Toronto (Canada) and the Implications for Projected Climate Change |
| title_short | The Effect of Seasonal Climatic Anomalies on Zoo Visitation in Toronto (Canada) and the Implications for Projected Climate Change |
| title_sort | effect of seasonal climatic anomalies on zoo visitation in toronto canada and the implications for projected climate change |
| topic | tourism climatology seasonal climatic anomalies temporal climate analogue climate change impacts outdoor recreation and tourism zoo visitation |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/7/5/71 |
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