A sweeping new study of the 2021 heat wave reveals major ecological losses—but also surprising species that thrived, offering crucial insight into how climate extremes reshape ecosystems. …Some species did just fine during the 2021 North American heat wave, according to a new study published today in Nature Ecology and Evolution. With such events projected to become more frequent and intense due to climate change—and 2026 on track to be the hottest year ever—understanding these differing effects is vitally important, the researchers say. “The heat wave had widespread ecological effects, including an almost 400-per-cent increase in wildfire activity and negatively affecting more than three-quarters of the species studied,” said co-author Dr. Diane Srivastava, professor in the UBC department of zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre. …The researchers also found that cooler, wetter areas of the province were able to absorb 30% more carbon than usual, while warmer, more arid areas absorbed 75% less than usual.