Category: Earth
-
Flooding that closed Alaska’s Dalton Highway also caused widespread ground sinking
Floodwaters flow over and erode the Dalton Highway on May 21, 2015. The flooding contributed to the slow subsiding the ground in the permafrost-rich region. Credit: Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. The massive 2015 flooding of the Sagavanirktok River in northern Alaska had immediate impacts, including closure of the Dalton Highway for several…
-
The Pacific Slope of Peru Is Greening – Here’s Why This Is Not Good News
Research from the Cavendish Laboratory discovered unexpected and extensive greening trends along the Pacific coast of Peru and northern Chile, presenting implications for regional environmental management and agriculture. Analyzing satellite data spanning the past 20 years, the research team based at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge examined how vegetation has been changing along the Pacific…
-
Isotope database will help Mexican communities better understand hydrology processes
Map of Mexico including mean annual precipitation (in mm) (1981–2019; based on CHIRPS data), isotope monitoring sites (monthly sampling frequency; pink circles, dotted), and physiographic regions. Credit: PLOS Water (2023). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pwat.0000136 With a population of 127 million and a land mass about a fifth the size of the United States, Mexico has a large…
-
Cover crops found to reduce carbon loss in the soil of Mediterranean olive groves by more than 75%
Credit: CC0 Public Domain Agricultural soils sustain life by producing food, but they also play an essential role in climate change, functioning as carbon sinks, storing large quantities of carbon and reducing its concentration in the atmosphere. Carbon is the main indicator of soils’ fertility, so an increase in the concentration of this element means…
-
The US just had its seventh-warmest September on record
A map of the U.S. plotted with 24 weather and climate disasters each costing $1 billion or more that occurred between January and September, 2023. (Image credit: NOAA/NCEI September 2023 was remarkably warm and quite dry across the contiguous United States. The month also brought record heat and flooding rains to parts of the nation,…
-
Study identifies remains of artificial turf as important source of pollution in aquatic environment
All the information obtained in the research has been compiled in the website that serves as a simple guide to identify artificial turf in the aquatic environment. Credit: University of Barcelona Every year, around 1,200 and 1,400 artificial turf sports fields are installed in the European Union. These fields are made up of synthetic fibers,…
-
Satellite helps monitor microcystin risk in lakes at a large scale
Credit: Water Research (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120648 Under the combined impact of climate changes and human activities, many lakes around the world are experiencing eutrophication and cyanobacterial blooms. Microcystins produced by cyanobacteria pose a serious threat to drinking water safety. Recently, researchers led by Prof. Duan Hongtao from the Nanjing Institute of Geography and… Continue Reading…
-
Cerrado biome requires strict protection and rehabilitation of areas to curb deforestation, scientists warn
The scientists stress the need for specific measures to conserve the Cerrado’s rich biodiversity. Credit: Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil The fast pace at which natural vegetation is being destroyed in the Cerrado, Brazil’s savanna-like biome, to make way for pasture and cropland is seriously affecting ecosystem services. More effective action is needed to address the problem…
-
Rivers may not recover from drought for years, new research finds
Scientist measuring water levels, baseflow. Credit: U.S. Geological survey Lack of rainfall is not the only measure of drought. New UC Riverside research shows that despite a series of storms, the impact of drought can persist in streams and rivers for up to 3.5 years. There are two measures of drought in streams. One measure…
-
Even temporary global warming above 2℃ will affect life in the oceans for centuries, new study finds
Credit: Shutterstock There is growing consensus that our planet is likely to pass the 1.5℃ warming threshold. Research even suggests global warming will temporarily exceed the 2℃ threshold, if atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) peaks at levels beyond what was anticipated. Exceeding our emissions targets is known as a climate overshoot. It may lead to changes…