View,Of,The,Device,Of,An,Oil,Drilling,Rig

Earth's surface bears the visible scars of human activities, from greenhouse gas emissions to deforestation. However, the impact of human intervention extends far beyond what meets the eye, reaching hundreds of meters to several kilometers beneath the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-model-reveals-the-evolution-of-the-earths-surface/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planet's surface</a> into Earth's deep subsurface. 



This hidden realm, often overlooked, is now the subject of disturbing research by hydrology experts. Jennifer McIntosh, a professor in the University of Arizona's <a href="https://has.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences</a>, and her colleagues have delved into the ways humans influence Earth's deep subsurface. 



"We looked at how the rates of fluid production with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oil-and-gas-production-linked-to-77-billion-in-annual-health-care-costs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oil and gas</a> compare to natural background circulation of water and showed how humans have made a big impact on the circulation of fluids in the subsurface," McIntosh explained.



In a paper published in the journal Earth's Future, they shed light on the significant impact of human activities on the circulation of fluids in this subterranean zone.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Deciphering the hidden world in motion beneath our feet</h2>



The study, led by Grant Ferguson, also from the UArizona, compared the rates of fluid production from oil and gas extraction to the natural background circulation of water. 



The findings reveal that human-induced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-internal-jet-stream-core/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fluid fluxes</a> surpass the natural flow, and they are projected to increase further with proposed strategies for combating climate change.



These strategies include geologic carbon sequestration, geothermal energy production, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fools-gold-may-be-a-valuable-source-of-lithium/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lithium extraction</a> from underground mineral-rich brine. 



"Responsible management of the subsurface is central to any hope for a green transition, sustainable future and keeping warming below a few degrees," emphasizes Peter Reiners, a professor in the <a href="https://www.geo.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UArizona Department of Geosciences</a> and a co-author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-subsurface-fluid-fluxes">Earth's subsurface fluid fluxes</h2>



These fluxes transport water, gases, and other substances through the subsurface, influencing everything from groundwater resources to geothermal energy.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Types of subsurface fluid fluxes</h3>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Groundwater flow</h4>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-depletion-is-accelerating-but-it-is-not-inevitable/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Groundwater flow</a> represents the movement of water through porous and fractured rock formations. This flow occurs due to pressure gradients and the force of gravity, allowing water to move from areas of high hydraulic head to areas of low hydraulic head. Groundwater flow plays a vital role in the hydrologic cycle, recharging aquifers and sustaining surface water bodies.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Hydrocarbon migration</h4>



Subsurface fluid fluxes also include the migration of hydrocarbons, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-of-orphaned-oil-and-gas-wells-litter-the-world-and-must-be-cleaned-up/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oil and natural gas</a>. These fluids originate from organic-rich source rocks and migrate through permeable rock layers until they encounter traps or seals. Understanding hydrocarbon migration is essential for oil and gas exploration and production.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Geothermal fluid circulation</h4>



In regions with high <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/underground-water-could-be-a-great-source-of-renewable-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">geothermal gradients</a>, subsurface fluids can circulate through fractures and permeable rock formations, absorbing heat from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-ancient-ocean-floor-surrounds-the-earths-core/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's interior</a>. This heated fluid can then rise to the surface, creating hot springs, geysers, and fumaroles. Geothermal fluid circulation is a key factor in the development of geothermal energy resources.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Importance of Earth's subsurface fluid fluxes</h2>



Subsurface fluid fluxes have far-reaching impacts on various aspects of our planet. They influence the availability and quality of groundwater resources, which are essential for human consumption, agriculture, and industrial activities. 



Additionally, these fluxes play a crucial role in the formation and distribution of mineral resources, such as ore deposits and petroleum accumulations.



Moreover, subsurface fluid fluxes contribute to the transport and cycling of chemical elements and compounds within the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unexpected-molten-rock-layer-discovered-under-earths-crust/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's crust</a>. 



This process has implications for geochemical cycles, rock-water interactions, and the evolution of subsurface environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Human intervention in Earth's fluid dynamics</h2>



In <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-chief-fossil-fuel-era-must-end-for-humanitys-survival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oil and natural gas</a> production, saline water from the deep subsurface is extracted alongside the targeted resources. This ancient water, often millions of years old, acquires its salinity from the evaporation of ancient seawater or reactions with rocks and minerals. 



To maintain reservoir pressures and enhance oil recovery, near-surface water is added to the extracted saline water, and the blended mixture is reinjected into the subsurface, creating a continuous cycle of fluid production and reinjection.



Similar processes occur in lithium extraction, geothermal energy production, and geologic carbon sequestration, where leftover saline water is reinjected into the underground. 



"We show that the fluid injection rates or recharge rates from those oil and gas activities is greater than what naturally occurs," states McIntosh.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rewriting Earth's history through subsurface geology</h2>



Using existing data from various sources, the research team found that current fluid movement rates induced by human activities surpass those that occurred before human intervention. 



As carbon capture, sequestration, and lithium extraction intensify, the researchers also predicted how these activities might be recorded in Earth's geological record.



Moreover, human activities have the potential to alter not only the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-geysers-the-worlds-largest-geothermal-field/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deep subsurface fluids</a> but also the microbes that inhabit those depths. 



Fluid movements can modify <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/life-in-the-extreme-microbial-activity-discovered-in-old-faithful/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbial environments</a> through changes in water chemistry or by introducing new microbial communities from Earth's surface to the underground. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-fracking-surged/">Hydraulic fracturing</a>, for example, can trigger sudden blooms of microbial activity in previously dormant deep rock formations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Earth's subsurface is still mostly a mystery</h2>



Despite the significance of these findings, many unknowns remain about Earth's deep subsurface and the extent of human impact on this hidden realm. 



"We need to use the deep subsurface as part of the solution for the climate crisis," emphasizes McIntosh. "Yet, we know more about the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lake-sediments-found-in-jezero-crater-hint-at-past-life-on-mars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surface of Mars</a> than we do about water, rocks and life deep beneath our feet."



Continued research and exploration of this enigmatic zone are crucial for understanding the full scope of human influence on our planet and developing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-day-of-zero-waste-a-global-commitment-to-a-sustainable-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sustainable strategies</a> for addressing the climate crisis. 



While we strive to mitigate the visible effects of human activities on Earth's surface, we must not overlook the hidden impact that extends deep into the subsurface.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-what-lies-beneath">Protecting what lies beneath</h2>



As we continue to explore and utilize Earth's deep subsurface in our efforts to combat climate change, we must remain mindful of the hidden impact our actions have on this enigmatic realm. 



By studying the fluid dynamics, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-increases-threat-antimicrobial-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbial communities</a>, and geological record beneath our feet, we can develop a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between human activities and the subterranean world. 



This knowledge will be crucial in guiding our strategies for a sustainable future, ensuring that our solutions do not create unforeseen consequences in the depths below. 



As we navigate the challenges of the climate crisis, we must approach the subsurface with a spirit of curiosity, responsibility, and respect, recognizing that the key to our success may lie in the mysteries that await us in Earth's hidden depths.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024EF004496" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's Future</a>.



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Human activities also greatly harm Earth’s subsurface, not just the landmass

Earth's surface bears the visible scars of human activities, from greenhouse gas emissions to deforestation. However, the impact of human intervention extends far beyond what meets the eye, reaching hundreds of meters to several kilometers beneath the planet's surface into Earth's deep subsurface. This hidden realm, often overlooked, is now the subject of disturbing research by hydrology experts. Jennifer McIntosh, a professor in the University of Arizona's Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, and her colleagues have delved into the ways humans influence Earth's deep subsurface. "We...

Sea level rise will impact populated areas along the coast up to four times faster as a result of land subsidence, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a>. The investigation is the first of of its kind to analyze global sea-level rise while accounting for measurements of sinking <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-than-one-third-of-the-corn-belt-impacted-by-farmland-erosion/">land</a>.

Prior to this study, the impact of subsidence combined with sea-level rise was thought of as a local issue. But the researchers have found the problem worldwide. 

The experts report that over the past two decades, coastal communities have experienced average sea level rise at a rate of 7.8 - 9.9 millimeters per year. Meanwhile, the global average rise was 2.6 millimeters per year.

The researchers said that the impacts for coastal communities are far larger than what has been estimated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Study lead author Professor Robert Nicholls is the director of the UK's Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and Chair of Climate Adaptation at the University of East Anglia.

"Climate induced sea-level rise is caused by melting glaciers and thermal expansion of water due to rising global temperatures," said Professor Nicholls.

"Rapid rates of subsidence in deltas and especially cities on deltas are also human-caused, mostly due to groundwater pumping, also oil and gas extraction, and sediment resupply prevented by upstream dams, flood defences, sand extraction or mining."

"About 58 percent of the world's coastal population lives on deltas where land is subsiding. Less than 1 per cent of global coastal population lives where land is uplifting.

"We wanted to look at the big picture globally, to better understand the impact of global sea-level rise combined with measurements of sinking land."

"We found that coastal populations live with sea-level rise at three and four times the global average and that the impacts of sea-level rise being experienced today are much larger than the global numbers being reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)."

According to Professor Nicholls, addressing human-induced subsidence is important in the short term, as it is an essential coastal adaptation to protect people and economies.

The researchers found that the issue is most urgent in coastal communities located in southeastern Asia. This region has many subsiding deltas and coastal flood plains, growing coastal megacities, and more than 70 percent of the world's coastal population.

The team also determined that land subsidence has been stopped or greatly reduced in Tokyo, Shanghai, and Bangkok as a result of reduced groundwater extraction.

"One of the main reasons that Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, is being moved to Borneo is because the city is sinking due to groundwater extraction from shallow wells," said Professor Robert Nicholls.

"We hope that our analysis improves the understanding of how sea-level rise and subsidence are hand-in hand for science and coastal management policy worldwide. Jakarta might be just the beginning."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The sea is rising up to four times faster in coastal communities

Sea level rise will impact populated areas along the coast...

In North America alone, invasive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/recent-genetic-connectivity-found-among-chimpanzee-subspecies/">species</a> cause billions of dollars in annual damages. A new study from the <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/index.html">University of Alberta</a> suggests that limiting the presence of non-native wildlife through functional eradication may be a more effective strategy than total annihilation.

"Rather than trying to completely eliminate invasive species that have spread over large areas, which is very challenging, functional eradication aims to limit their abundances below levels that damage the ecosystem in priority locations," said study lead author Professor Stephanie Green.

"Resources that might otherwise be wasted on attempting complete eradication can be spread to other areas, protecting more places from impacts."

The experts propose using a strategy called functional eradication to limit the impact of destructive and widespread invasive species. For their investigation, the researchers surveyed 232 natural resource managers and invasive species specialists in Canada and the United States.

"More than 90 percent of these folks said the most destructive invaders in their regions were spread beyond a scale at which they could eradicate them, and instead local teams were engaged in a long-term battle to suppress or contain the species," explained Green.

At the same time, only two percent of the study participants said they had identified targets that signified when they had done enough to manage a species.

"This points to a major gap between the needs of the people who must make decisions about invasive species, and the information scientists and monitoring programs are collecting," said study co-author Edwin Grosholz.

According to Green, managing widespread invasive species is a long-term endeavour, but not one without hope. "Involving local communities in the functional eradication process is essential for maintaining the capacity needed to continually suppress these invaders."

The researchers pointed to an example of functional eradication among invasive lionfish. These beautiful Indo-Pacific fish, which are popular in aquariums, have spread throughout the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, where they prey on many native species. 

Financial incentives for catching lionfish are now helping to reduce their population below levels that affect native species in the area. The fish are being caught for food and for use in local art. 

The experts report that similar strategies can be applied to the European green crab, an invasive species found along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts in Canada and the United States, as well as Prussian carp.

"Our study shows that ecologically damaging and widespread invasive species are prime candidates for functional eradication," said Green. "To effectively keep populations down in priority areas, targets need to be based on how many of the invasive species it takes to cause major changes in the ecosystem."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.esa.org/frontiers-in-ecology-and-the-environment/">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</a>. 

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Functional eradication may be the best approach to invasive species

In North America alone, invasive species cause billions of dollars...

Even though chimpanzees are typically divided into four geographical subspecies, some studies have found evidence of genetic connectivity among all populations. 

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.eva.mpg.de/">Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology</a>, experts have discovered recent genetic connectivity between chimpanzee subspecies, despite periods of isolation.

"Given the high degree of behavioral variability and flexibility across chimpanzee populations, characterizing range-wide patterns of genetic diversity in chimpanzees is important for understanding how they adapt to changing environmental conditions," explained the researchers.

In collaboration with the Pan African Programme: The Cultured Chimpanzee (PanAf), an international team of experts collected over 5,000 fecal samples from 55 sites across the chimpanzee range in 18 countries. This is by far the most complete sampling of chimpanzees to date.

"Collecting these samples was often a daunting task for our amazing field teams. The chimpanzees were almost all unhabituated to human presence, so it took a lot of patience, skill and luck to find chimpanzee dung at each of the sites," said study senior author Mimi Arandjelovic.

"We used rapidly-evolving genetic markers that reflect the recent population history of species and, in combination with the dense sampling from across their range, we show that chimpanzee subspecies have been connected, or, more likely, reconnected, for extended periods during the most recent maximal expansion of African forests," said study first author Jack Lester.

This means that although chimpanzees were separated into different subspecies in their distant past - prior to human disturbances - the geographic barriers were permeable to chimpanzee dispersal. 

"It is widely thought that chimpanzees persisted in forest refugia during glacial periods, which has likely been responsible for isolating groups of populations which we now recognize as subspecies," explained study co-author Paolo Gratton. 

"Our results from fast-evolving microsatellite DNA markers however indicate that genetic connectivity in the most recent millennia mainly mirrors geographic distance and local factors, masking the older subspecies subdivisions."

According to PanAf co-director Hjalmar Kuehl, the results suggest that the great behavioral diversity observed in chimpanzees is not due to local genetic adaptation but to their reliance on behavioral flexibility to respond to changes in their environment.

At sites that were associated with human disturbances and pressures, the researchers noted signals of reductions in diversity. There were even some locations where no chimpanzees were detected, even though they had been present in recent decades. 

"Although not unforeseen, we were disheartened to already find the influence of human impacts at some field sites where genetic diversity was markedly lower than what we expected," said Lester.

The findings highlight the importance of genetic connectivity for chimpanzees in their recent history. While chimpanzees are adaptable and can survive in human-modified landscapes, they are currently facing multiple threats including habitat loss and diseases. The results of this study indicate that if habitat fragmentation and isolation continue, there will be serious consequences for the genetic health and viability of chimpanzees.

Christophe Boesch, co-director of the PanAf and director of the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, concluded that every effort should be made to re-establish and maintain dispersal corridors across their range, with perhaps special attention to trans-national protected areas.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/commsbio/">Communications Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Recent genetic connectivity found among chimpanzee subspecies

Even though chimpanzees are typically divided into four geographical subspecies,...

Cactus pears could become a source of sustainable food and fuel in places that need these resources the most, according to the <a href="https://www.unr.edu/">University of Nevada, Reno</a>. 

The fact that the plants are also heat and drought resistant, and not to mention capture carbon from the atmosphere, means that cactus pears could serve as an important crop in the face of climate change.

Climate projections show that long-term droughts will increase in duration and severity, which will lead to higher temperatures and less water availability. Crops such as rice, corn, and soybeans have an upper temperature limit, while other traditional crops like alfalfa require more water.

"Dry areas are going to get dryer because of climate change," said Professor John Cushman. "Ultimately, we're going to see more and more of these drought issues affecting crops such as corn and soybeans in the future."

In a previous study funded by the Experiment Station and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Professor Cushman's team conducted the first long-term field trial of Opuntia species. They found that plants including the spineless cactus pear could be used as raw material for biofuels to replace fossil fuels.

The study showed that cactus pears had the highest fruit production while using up to 80 percent less water than some traditional crops.

"Maize and sugar cane are the major bioenergy crops right now, but use three to six times more water than cactus pear," said Professor Cushman. "This study showed that cactus pear productivity is on par with these important bioenergy crops, but use a fraction of the water and have a higher heat tolerance, which makes them a much more climate-resilient crop."

The cactus pear is a versatile perennial crop that works well as a bioenergy crop. The plant also serves as a land-based carbon sink that captures and stores CO2 from the atmosphere. 

"Approximately 42% of land area around the world is classified as semi-arid or arid," said Professor Cushman. "There is enormous potential for planting cactus trees for carbon sequestration. We can start growing cactus pear crops in abandoned areas that are marginal and may not be suitable for other crops, thereby expanding the area being used for bioenergy production."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17571707">GCB-Bioenergy</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cactus pears show great potential for sustainable food and fuel

Cactus pears could become a source of sustainable food and...

In a new study from <a href="https://vt.edu/">Virginia Tech</a>, experts have identified a clear connection between stream quality and human health. Streams represent a critical interface between human beings and the environment. They serve as a major source of drinking <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-have-a-major-influence-on-the-global-water-cycle/">water</a>, as well as a place where we often go to enjoy nature.

To explore the relationship between the quality of streams and human well-being, experts in the College of Natural Resources and Environment and the Department of Biological Systems Engineering analyzed data on local demographics, indicators of human well-being, and indicators of stream health.

The study revealed that health statistics such as cancer rates and food insecurity are strongly correlated with water quality across the Commonwealth of Virginia. The team also identified a link between stream quality and demographics such as race and population density.

Paul Angermeier is a professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation and assistant unit leader of the Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit for the U.S. Geological Survey.

"We started off wanting to explore the general, intuitive relationship between human well-being and ecosystem health," explained Angermeier. "Many of us intuit that healthy ecosystems produce benefits that accrue to people, but that outcome isn't well documented in a quantitative way."

Environmental quality management processes often separate the natural world from human experiences, and the researchers needed a new approach.

"When we consider natural resources, we tend to think about whether we're managing an environment for nonhuman considerations or human ones," said Professor Leigh-Anne Krometis. "For instance, at the state level we have a department of environmental quality and a department of health, which both deal with the subject of water quality, but in different ways. What we wanted to see was how those two perspectives converge."

The study authors used water quality measurements provided by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and county-level demographics data from the U.S. Census Bureau. 

"We had large data sets that we had to organize and process," explained Professor Marc Stern. "Our expectations on finding meaningful relationships between stream health and human factors weren't that high. The fact that they showed up so distinctly was a surprise."

The researchers discovered that there is a strong correlation between ecosystem health and human demographics. For example, more polluted streams were associated with higher degrees of overall mortality.

"We still don't have hard data on how people are interacting with nature," said Angermeier. "For instance, we found that mortality rates for people are correlated with contamination levels in fish. What does that mean? Are people eating contaminated fish, are they merely sharing a polluted water source, or is it something else?" 

"A better understanding of the mechanisms by which people are interacting with water will help us draw clearer conclusions about health outcomes."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ecological-indicators">Ecological Indicators</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Stream quality is strongly correlated with human health

In a new study from Virginia Tech, experts have identified...

In recent decades, nuisance flooding has increased across the U.S. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-coastal-airports-are-threatened-by-sea-level-rise/">coastline</a> as a result of sea level rise. A new study from the <a href="https://www.ucf.edu/">University of Central Florida</a> reveals that coastal development is also promoting more frequent nuisance flooding events.

The researchers found a link between a greater number of nuisance flooding days and higher local tide ranges that are most likely tied to human development.

Nuisance flooding is considered to be minor flooding along the coast that causes problems such as flooded roads and overloaded stormwater systems. The issues associated with nuisance flooding not only cause major inconveniences for people, but also promote bacteria and mosquitoes.

Changes to local tide range are typically found in coastal areas and estuaries where channels are dredged, land is reclaimed, or development occurs. These types of human disturbances cause the local tide range - the height difference between high tide and low tide - to increase in some areas and decrease in others.

The study was focused on data from 40 NOAA tidal gauge locations spread across the continental U.S. coastline. Among these sites, nearly half had more nuisance flooding days because of higher local tide ranges.

"It's the first time that the effects of tidal changes on nuisance flooding were quantified, and the approach is very robust as it is based purely on observational data and covers the entire coastline of the U.S. mainland," said study co-author Professor Thomas Wahl.

The investigation showed that nuisance flooding increased because of tidal changes in about half the locations, decreased in a fourth of the locations, and did not change in the remaining quarter of locations.

For example, Cedar Key, Florida received about 23 additional nuisance flooding days because of increased tidal range in 2019. During the same time frame, Washington, D.C. had about 52 fewer days of flooding due to decreased tidal range.

"Seeing how many nuisance flooding events occurred in the past and are happening today simply because of tidal changes should be motivation for us to keep alterations to sensitive estuarine systems at a minimum as to not further exacerbate the problem, which we already face because of sea level rise," said Professor Wahl. 

"We should at least be aware of these potentially negative impacts in the planning phase of alteration projects, and it might even be possible to reverse some of the negative impacts from past decisions."

"While a few individual instances of these minor flooding events do not cause too many impacts, the cumulative impacts of frequent events can become very large," Wahl says. "Hence, understanding what drives the changes in nuisance flooding is very important."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Coastal development is worsening nuisance flooding

In recent decades, nuisance flooding has increased across the U.S....

Kelp forests off the coast of Northern California have declined by 95 percent, and this collapse will be hard to reverse, according to researchers at <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/">UC Santa Cruz</a>. The experts report that the kelp has been replaced by widespread "urchin barrens" that may persist long into the future.

The dramatic shift in the coastal ecosystem of Northern California occurred after a series of extreme events, including unusual ocean warming along the West Coast beginning in 2014. By analyzing satellite images, the researchers found that there are just a few isolated patches of bull kelp remaining.

There is some hope that the kelp forests could start to bounce back. Study co-author Professor Raphael Kudela said that ocean temperatures are beginning to cool down along the coast, after remaining above normal since 2014. 

"This year we are finally seeing ocean temperatures starting to cool off, so we're hoping that it reverses naturally and the kelp is able to take off again," said Professor Kudela. "There's really not much we can do except to keep monitoring it. Of course, the long-term solution is to reduce our carbon emissions so we don't have these extreme events."

The analysis showed that kelp forests north of San Francisco were resilient to extreme warming events in the past, including strong marine heatwaves and El Niño events. However, the widespread loss of the sunflower sea star to a deadly disease has left the kelp forests more vulnerable than they once were. 

Sea stars are key predators of sea urchins. When they are not controlled by predators,  urchins become larger and more abundant, and feed on kelp until little remains. 

"There were a lot of disruptions at one time that led to this collapse, and the system now persists in this altered state," said study first author Meredith McPherson.

"It's a naturally dynamic system that has been really resilient to extreme events in the past, but the die-off of sunflower stars caused the resilience of the ecosystem to plummet. As a result, the kelp forests were not able to withstand the effects of the marine heatwave and El Niño event combined with an insurgence of sea urchins."

Marine heatwaves and El Niño events inhibit coastal upwelling, which leads to poor conditions for kelp including warmer water and low nutrient availability.

"There have been big changes before, when a strong El Niño has reduced the kelp canopy dramatically, but in the past it's always come back," said Professor Kudela. "The loss of resiliency is what made this time different - the combination of ocean warming and the loss of the sea stars allowed the urchins to take over."

The sunflower sea star was among the hardest hit species by the deadly sea star wasting disease, and was recently listed as critically endangered by the IUCN.

Kelp forests have declined all along the California coastline, but not to the same extent as in Northern California. In Southern regions, such as Monterey Bay, urchin predators like sea otters are present.

"Sea otters haven't been seen on the North Coast since the 1800s," said McPherson. "From what we observed in the satellite data from the last 35 years, the kelp had been doing well without sea otters as long as we still had sunflower stars. Once they were gone, there were no urchin predators left in the system."

Unless sunflower sea stars or some other urchin predator returns to Northern California, the chances for kelp forest recovery are poor, said McPherson. Even if other conditions promote kelp growth, it will be difficult for the new plants to become established in the midst of the urchin barrens.

"There's a lot of research and discussion now about the best management strategies for the future," said McPherson. "It's important to understand and monitor the whole system. If we're going to undertake restoration efforts, we need to make sure to do it when the temperature and nutrient conditions are right for the kelp."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/commsbio/">Communications Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Kelp forests may be gone for good in Northern California

Kelp forests off the coast of Northern California have declined...

Antarctic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bearded-seals-may-not-be-loud-enough-to-survive-ocean-noise-pollution/">seals</a> are providing new insight into why glaciers are disappearing. A study from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> reveals that an unexpectedly large amount of meltwater is modifying the climate and preventing sea ice from forming.

For the investigation, the researchers attached instruments to the heads of seals living near Pine Island Glacier in the remote Amundsen Sea west of Antarctica. This allowed the scientists to capture full-depth glacial meltwater observations in winter for the first time. 

The data collected by the tagged seals was used to measure water temperature and salinity. The experts found that meltwater distribution was highly variable with two primary layers - one in the upper 250 meters and another at around 450 meters deep. These two layers were connected by meltwater-rich columns. 

The meltwater provides near-surface heat that promotes areas of open water that are close to glaciers. The warmer water accelerates the melting rate of the ice shelves. 

"The temperature and salinity of water change everywhere glacial meltwater exists. Just like looking for a 'fingerprint' of glacial meltwater, we use temperature and salinity data to track the glacial meltwater," said study lead author Yixi Zheng.

"The glacial meltwater distribution is very patchy. It doesn't mix well with the ambient water, instead flowing along two meltwater-rich layers in the upper 250 meters and at around 450 meters, connected by meltwater-rich columns."

"As the glacial meltwater is warmer and fresher than the ambient water, it is lighter than the ambient water and more likely to rise up. It brings heat and nutrients such as iron to the near surface, which may melt the sea ice near glaciers and increase the nutrient level near the surface. This enhances the air-sea interactions, and the meltwater-related nutrients may boost the growth of marine planktons like algae."

The wintertime ocean processes described in the study are likely responsible for bringing nutrients to the near-surface layer prior to the spring bloom, and for bringing heat to the surface that prevents sea ice from forming. As a result, open areas of water near glaciers expand and persist.

Many glaciers around Antarctica are rapidly shrinking, and this is primarily due to melting that occurs at the interface between the ocean and the ice shelf glacier, or basal melting. The strongest melt has been reported in glaciers in west Antarctica.

According to the experts, further research is needed considering that the study was based on one year of seal-tag data from Pine Island Glacier, and it can't be used to calculate trends over time.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/subjects/earth-and-environmental-sciences/ncomms">Communications Earth and Environment</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Meltwater is a driving force behind disappearing glaciers

Antarctic seals are providing new insight into why glaciers are...

The expanding wildfire season in the western United States is causing severe threats to public <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-health-may-protect-you-from-severe-covid-19/">health</a>, according to a study from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">UC San Diego</a>. The researchers have found that the fine particles in wildfire smoke are several times more harmful to human respiratory health than particulate matter from other sources of air pollution.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main component of wildfire smoke. These particles are so small that they can penetrate the human respiratory tract, enter the bloodstream, and cause damage to major organs.

The analysis was focused on 14 years of hospital admissions data. The experts determined that an increase in PM2.5 by 10 micrograms per cubic meter is up to 10 times more likely to cause a respiratory-related hospital admission when it is attributed to wildfire smoke compared to other sources.

The research suggests that assuming all particles of a certain size are equally toxic may be inaccurate and that the effects of wildfires - even at a distance - represent a pressing human health concern, explained study co-author Rosana Aguilera.

"There is a daily threshold for the amount of PM2.5 in the air that is considered acceptable by the county and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)," said Aguilera. "The problem with this standard is that it doesn't account for different sources of emission of PM2.5."

It is not yet known why wildfire PM2.5 is more harmful to human lungs than other sources of particulate pollution. Since it is more harmful, the threshold for "safe" levels of PM2.5 should be based on the source of the particles. This is particularly important in California and other areas frequently impacted by wildfires.

Santa Ana winds intensify the air quality issue in Southern California by blowing wildfire smoke toward populated coastal regions. With climate change delaying the start of winter in this region, wildfire season is getting pushed closer to the peak of the Santa Ana winds.

"As conditions in Southern California become hotter and drier, we expect to see increased wildfire activity," said postdoctoral researcher Dr. Tom Corringham. "This study demonstrates that the harm due to wildfire smoke may be greater than previously thought, bolstering the argument for early wildfire detection systems and efforts to mitigate climate change."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wildfire smoke is more toxic than other sources of pollution

The expanding wildfire season in the western United States is...

Declining butterfly populations have been linked to fall <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/livestock-production-could-be-hit-hard-by-global-warming/">warming</a> and drier conditions in the western United States, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a>. The experts found that Western butterfly populations have been steadily declining at an estimated rate of 1.6 percent per year over the past four decades. 

The research involved data on more than 450 butterfly species across 72 sites. In particular, the latest population count of the western monarch indicates a 99.9 percent decline over the 42-year study period from 1977 to 2018.

"The monarch population that winters along the West Coast plummeted from several hundred thousand just a few years ago to fewer than 2,000 this past year," said study co-author Professor Katy Prudic. 

"Essentially, the western monarch is on the brink of extinction, but what's most unsettling is they are situated in the middle of the pack, so to speak, in our list of declining butterfly species."

Professor Prudic said the takeaway is that western U.S. butterflies are declining quickly, and autumn warming - not spring warming or land use change - is an important contributor to the decline.

While spring tends to get most of the attention when it comes to climate change, fall warming trends have been observed in 230 cities across the United States. The largest fall temperature increases have been found in much of the Southwest.

"In Arizona, for example, the period between September and November has warmed about 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit per decade since 1895," said study co-author Professor Michael Crimmins. "Fall temperatures have warmed especially fast since the late 1980s and it's not clear why."

The study noted that declining butterfly populations have been observed in areas experiencing these fall warming trends across the West. The researchers suggest fall temperature increases may not only induce physiological stress on butterflies, but may influence development and hibernation preparation. Warmer fall temperatures can also reduce the availability of food or host plants, and extend the length of time that predators are a threat to butterflies.

Study lead author Matt Forister is a professor of Biology at the <a href="https://www.unr.edu/">University of Nevada, Reno</a>.

"The widespread butterfly declines highlight the importance of careful management of the lands that we do have control over, including our own backyards where we should use fewer pesticides and choose plants for landscapes that benefit local insects," said Professor Forister.

"Our report is unique in covering a wide area of relatively undeveloped land as compared to, for example, studies from heavily populated areas of western Europe."

"The fact that declines are observed across the undeveloped spaces of the western U.S. means that we cannot assume that insects are okay out there far from direct human influence. And that's because the influence of climate change is, of course, not geographically restricted."

The findings are shedding new light on the impacts of climate change on Western butterfly populations, and suggest that a new approach is needed for butterfly conservation that is focused on groups of species with similar habitats and needs rather than on individual species. 

"Western butterfly declines are associated with increasing fall temperatures across the U.S. wildlands," said study co-author Katy Prudic. "Conservation, management and restoration on public lands, especially along cooler riparian areas, will be critical for preventing butterfly declines and extinction."

According to the researchers, management of developed areas can have immediate benefits for insect populations but the impacts of climate change across all landscapes cannot be ignored. They noted that society should not assume that the legal protection of open spaces is sufficient without action to limit the advance of human-caused climate change.

"We relied heavily on data from citizen or "community" scientists," said Professor Forister. "Volunteers are generating amazing data these days, and we wouldn't have been able to study as many locations without decades of hard work from hundreds or maybe thousands of people."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Western butterfly populations are steadily vanishing

Declining butterfly populations have been linked to fall warming and...

An alarming amount of seagrass has vanished from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oyster-parasites-have-arrived-in-european-waters/">waters</a> surrounding the UK, and the extent of this loss is much greater than what was previously estimated. In a new study published by <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/">Frontiers</a>, scientists have found that at least 44 percent of seagrass has been lost from this region since 1936.

Furthermore, the study suggests that nearly 40 percent of the total seagrass loss in the UK has occurred in recent decades. The research was a collaborative effort by experts at University College London, Kings College London, and Swansea University.

"Our paper establishes the best estimate of current seagrass extent in the UK, confirming at least 8,493 hectares, and documents a loss of at least 39% of aerial cover in the last 30 years," said study lead author Dr. Alix Green

"Historically, we show that this loss could be as much as 92%, and that these meadows could have stored 11.4 Mt of carbon and supported approximately 400 million fish." 

Despite the fact that they cover only 0.1 percent of the ocean floor worldwide, seagrass meadows are one of Earth's largest global carbon sinks. Seagrass stores carbon exponentially faster than terrestrial forests, which means it is a very valuable weapon against climate change. As a result of human activities such as coastal development, seagrass is rapidly declining.

While the current status of many seagrass meadows is unknown, previous studies have estimated that almost 30 percent of seagrass has been lost worldwide. 

There are two native species of seagrass in the UK - Zostera marina and Zostera noltii - which are both protected by law. For their investigation, the researchers analyzed several datasets to estimate the aerial extent of seagrasses. 

The findings highlight the urgent need to protect seagrass meadows and restore those that have been degraded or lost. 

"The next decade is a crucial window of opportunity to address the inter-related crises of biodiversity loss and climate change - the restoration of seagrass meadows would be an important contribution to this," explained study co-author Dr. Peter Jones.

"This will involve restrictions such as reduced boat anchor damage, restricting damaging fishing methods and reducing coastal pollution, including through marine protected areas."

The study revealed that not all seagrass meadows in the UK have suffered equally, with some sites showing signs of recovery. "The catastrophic losses documented in this research are alarming but offer a snapshot of the potential of this habitat if efforts are made to protect and restore seagrass meadows across the UK. We hope that this work will spur continued, systematic mapping and monitoring of seagrass meadows across the UK and encourage restoration and rehabilitation projects," said Dr. Green.

"These meadows have the potential to support our bountiful fisheries and help us win the fight against climate change and environmental degradation. The UK is lucky to have such a resource in our waters, and we should fight to protect it!"

"Now is the time to create financial mechanisms that reduce the flow of nutrients into our coastal seas, and offsetting mechanisms to allow a pathway of carbon finance into the conservation and restoration of these systems," noted study co-author Dr. Richard Unsworth. He said that by reversing seagrass loss, we can improve our fisheries, reduce coastal erosion and fight climate change.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science">Frontiers in Plant Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Seagrass loss is much worse than expected in the UK

An alarming amount of seagrass has vanished from the waters...

A new study of tropical rainforests has revealed a previously unknown link between mammal diversity and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wild-pigs-help-build-and-maintain-tree-diversity-in-rainforests/">forest</a> production. Researchers at <a href="https://www.rice.edu/">Rice University</a> analyzed camera-trap data from 15 wildlife preserves located within tropical rainforests. 

"In general, rainforest ecosystems are extremely diverse, and our study shows that mammal communities in rainforests can be predictably different, and these differences may be controlled, in part, by differences in plant productivity in forests," said study co-author Daniel Gorczynski.

Even in protected areas, it is difficult to keep track of the health of wildlife and ecosystems. The Rice team turned to camera-trap photos from the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring Network (TEAM), which uses motion-activated cameras to monitor species trends in tropical forests in Asia, Africa, and South America.

According to study co-author Professor Lydia Beaudrot, the study's scientific contributions demonstrate the importance of having the same data collection replicated on the ground in forests all around the world.

"The TEAM data are an incredible resource for basic and applied ecology and conservation," said Professor Beaudrot. "Given the pace of tropical forest loss, it is more important now than ever to use standardized camera-trap data to understand environmental and anthropogenic effects on wildlife."

For each site, the researchers collected data on all species of terrestrial mammals with an average body mass greater than one kilogram. All mammals at the same site were treated as a single community, and data was compiled for communities with as many as 31 species and as few as five. 

By compiling the functional traits for the species in each community - like diet and reproductive habits - the experts calculated the community's "functional diversity." 

"We found that species with unique characteristics - for example, species that are very large or eat unique foods - are relatively more common in forests with high productivity," said Gorczynski. The research also showed that species with unique characteristics were less common at sites with low productivity.

"Higher productivity is thought to make rare resources, like certain food types that unique species often eat, more readily available, which unique species can capitalize on. And because they are unique, they don't have to compete as much with other species for rare resources, and they can persist at higher abundances."

Gorczynski explained that the species that are considered unique varied by site. These included elephants, tapirs, and ground-dwelling monkeys. He noted that this relationship between mammal diversity and productivity had not been previously recognized.

"Most studies of rainforest mammals rely on range maps, which don't give you an idea of how common different species are," said Gorczynski. "We were able to find this relationship because we used camera trap observations. The observational data gives us an idea of how common different species are, which allows us to compare the relative abundances of species with different traits."

According to study co-author Jorge Ahumada, the research also shows that destructive human activities, like deforestation, decrease the diversity of species' traits in protected areas. He said that simply counting the number of species in a tropical forest does not provide a full picture of mammal diversity or ecosystem health. 

"We found that in areas where local species extinctions have been documented due to significant deforestation or poaching, such as in Korup National Park in Cameroon, large carnivores like leopards and golden cats are the first to go," said Ahumada. 

"Without these apex predators, entire food chains can be thrown out of balance. Eventually, populations of smaller herbivores will skyrocket, forcing more competition for the same limited resources."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mammal diversity in rainforests linked to plant productivity

A new study of tropical rainforests has revealed a previously...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes how Earth is unique in our solar system for its ability to sustain liquid water on its surface. But now, the water cycle is shifting as the climate warms, and scientists must find ways to predict how these changes will affect water availability.



Overall, 96 percent of Earth's water is saltwater, and nearly all of freshwater is found in ice and groundwater. These sources of water are linked as it passes through solid, liquid and gas phases.



In a warmer climate, the water cycle will be transformed. It will be easier for water to evaporate and form clouds, and storms will become more frequent and intense. Some regions will get too much water, while others will be left without enough water. In addition, soil moisture will be lost - which threatens food security.



Scientists are using satellite data from over the last 40 years to track changes that are happening in the water cycle. This will ultimately help us prepare for extreme events and better manage our water resources, according to ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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Saturn,-,High,Resolution,3d,Images,Presents,Planets,Of,The

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> features images of Saturn from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The photographs capture the start of the mysterious "spoke season" on Saturn - when unexplained features appear on its rings. 



According to NASA, both the cause of the spokes and their seasonal variability have yet to be fully explained by planetary scientists.



"Like Earth, Saturn is tilted on its axis and therefore has four seasons, though because of Saturn's much larger orbit, each season lasts approximately seven Earth years. Equinox occurs when the rings are tilted edge-on to the Sun," explains NASA.



"The spokes disappear when it is near summer or winter solstice on Saturn. (When the Sun appears to reach either its highest or lowest latitude in the northern or southern hemisphere of a planet.) As the autumnal equinox of Saturn's northern hemisphere on May 6, 2025, draws near, the spokes are expected to become increasingly prominent and observable."



Experts believe that the spokes may be a product of the planet's variable magnetic field. When magnetic fields interact with solar wind, an electrically charged environment is created. This phenomenon is visible on Earth as the northern lights.&nbsp;



"Scientists think that the smallest, dust-sized icy ring particles can become charged as well, which temporarily levitates those particles above the rest of the larger icy particles and boulders in the rings," says NASA.



The spokes were first observed in the early 1980s by NASA's Voyager mission. Depending on the angle of the rings, the spokes can appear dark or light.



"Thanks to Hubble's OPAL program, which is building an archive of data on the outer solar system planets, we will have longer dedicated time to study Saturn’s spokes this season than ever before," said NASA senior planetary scientist Amy Simon, head of the Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program.



"Despite years of excellent observations by the Cassini mission, the precise beginning and duration of the spoke season is still unpredictable, rather like predicting the first storm during hurricane season."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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Closeup,Of,Fresh,Green,The,Napier,Bush,Grass,As,Animal

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes why herbicides are not as effective in killing weeds anymore. In the 20th century, chemical companies developed thousands of herbicides. The most commonly used herbicide was glyphosate, which was introduced in 1974.



Over the past few decades, dozens of species of weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Depending on the site of action, the part of the plant that an herbicide interacts with, weeds may even be resistant to herbicides that have not been developed yet.&nbsp;



With increasing resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides, weeds are - once again - becoming a major concern for farmers.&nbsp;



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) describes a dust storm on Mars that was nearly twice the size of the United States. As the storm covered the southern hemisphere of the planet, some of NASA’s explorers had to delay their normal activities.



NASA’s Insight lander put itself in a "safe mode" for 11 days to conserve battery power because solar power was disrupted by the dust. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter postponed flights until conditions improved.



"A fleet of NASA orbiters monitor Martian dust storms like this one and serve as lifelines to Earth by relaying data from the rovers and lander on the ground back to the team. This includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, and Odyssey," reports JPL.



"Dust storms like this recent one start close to the ground and are spread by wind as they rise – warming the cold Martian atmosphere."



The images in the video were captured by NASA’s Curiosity as the dust rolled in. A fleet of orbiters monitored the dust storm from above, relaying data from Mars’ explorers back to scientists on Earth.



Video &amp; Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.



Qeshm is separated from the Iranian coast by the Clarence Strait, also known as Khuran.&nbsp;The Hara Forest Protected Area is a network of shallow waterways and forest located between the island and the mainland. This protected region is home to sea turtles, snakes, and more than 150 species of migrating birds.



Qeshm is famous for its wide range of&nbsp;ecotourist&nbsp;attractions, such as the&nbsp;Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5 percent of the world birds and 25 percent of Iran's native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-hummingbirds-avoid-sexual-harassment-by-looking-like-males/">birds</a> annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park in Iran.



Tourists are also drawn to the island to see an age-old Portuguese&nbsp;fort, historic mosques, the&nbsp;Seyyed Mozaffar&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bibi Maryam&nbsp;shrines, and the "Valley of Stars."



The average temperature on the island is 81 degress and the region is often hot and humid. From June to August, the island is described as being oppressively hot. The ideal time to visit is during the winter season. 



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique.&nbsp;



"Inhambane Bay is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows," says ESA. "On one side of the bay lies the historical city of Inhambane, capital of the Inhambane Province, while the sister city of Maxixe, the economic capital of Inhambane, sits across from it. The province is the second largest grower of cashews, after Nampula, and it also produces coconut and citrus fruits."



The beaches of Barra and Tofo are popular with tourists. There are also coral reefs along the long coastline of Inhambane, making it an ideal destination for scuba diving and snorkeling.



"Mozambique’s extensive coastline heightens the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones that develop in the Indian Ocean as well as storm surge flooding," says ESA.



"More than half of the population lives in low lying coastal areas, putting communities at risk. Inhambane Bay was dangerously close to where Cyclone Idai made landfall in 2019 causing widespread destruction to the country."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



"Earth’s oceans are huge heat stores, soaking up 93% of the excess heat from human activity over the past 70 years. Ocean currents redistribute heat around the planet, from the Equator to the poles. Where this ocean heat goes influences weather patterns and regional climate," explains ESA.



"As well as absorbing heat, oceans are a natural carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. This has led to the acidification of ocean water, threating marine life."



The amount of heat and carbon dioxide soaked up by the ocean depends on specific variables, including phytoplankton, temperatures, waves, salinity, and ice cover. Satellites can be used to measure these variables from space.



"From their unique vantage point, satellites provide key information for understanding the complexities of our planet and monitoring environmental issues," says ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the importance of monitoring the shape of the sea surface, which is constantly changing. These observations have many applications, such as ship routing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-modem-ocean-is-a-tough-place-for-whales-to-survive/">ocean</a> current forecasting, and debris tracking.



"A project supported by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities recently investigated a new technique to measure sea surface topography very precisely," reports ESA.



"The technique involves looking at satellite navigation (GNSS) signals that have been reflected off of the sea surface at very low angles. At these so-called grazing angles, waves and surface roughness have very little impact on the reflection process; the sea surface acts as a very smooth mirror."



Estel Cardellach is the principal investigator at the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, who first submitted the idea for the project.



“In a mirror-like reflection the phase of the signal can be tracked – it is continuous," said Cardellach. "Different surface heights result in different phase measurements. It gives a very precise measurement of the surface altitude at a few centimetres’ precision.”



The researchers developed a GNSS receiver and set up an experiment in the Balaeric Islands to collect signals from the receiver that were reflected off the sea surface. Ultimately, these signals will provide improved measurements of the shape of the sea surface.



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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Aerial,Photo,Of,River,In,Amazon,Rainforest,Jungle,In,Peru

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center</a> describes how scientists are using autonomous sound sensors to monitor deforestation in the Amazon. By recording soundscapes, the experts can determine which animals are present through their distinct sounds.&nbsp;



Using this method, sounds can be used as scientific measurements to analyze the effects of deforestation. The researchers will gain a better understanding of how the acoustics of a forest can be used to measure its health.&nbsp;



"From space, parts of the Amazon rainforest that have previously been logged or burned may look lush and green, like a place buzzing with activity and full of sounds. But inside the rainforest, the animal life may tell a different story, of a harsh environment and a quieter soundscape," says NASA.



Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center&nbsp;



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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