Wildfires in Siberia are a global concern, as their increasing frequency is predicted to impact the climate, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/twenty-years-of-air-quality-improvement-erased-by-wildfires/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">air quality</a>, health, and economies far beyond their immediate vicinity. A new study highlights the far-reaching consequences of these natural disasters.



Researchers from <a href="https://www.hokudai.ac.jp/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hokkaido University</a>, the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ja/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Tokyo</a>, and <a href="https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kyushu University</a> used advanced global climate models to analyze the potential impacts of wildfires in Siberia, and the results paint a striking picture. 



The experts utilized the MIROC5 - a sophisticated modeling system - along with other predictive tools to actively simulate the broader effects of Siberian fires under current and future <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-impacts-are-evolving-due-to-climate-change-but-in-what-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> scenarios.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-s-unexpected-response">Climate's unexpected response</h2>



The simulations revealed that the increased intensity of wildfires in Siberia could lead to significant atmospheric changes, notably a cooling effect across the northern hemisphere. This phenomenon is largely due to the aerosols, or tiny air pollution particles, emitted by the fires which can reflect sunlight away from the earth's surface. 



Professor Teppei Yasunari, a key member of the research team, explained: "Our modeling reveals a cooling effect broadly across the northern hemisphere and worsened air quality in extensive downwind regions."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-implications-of-wildfires-in-siberia">Health implications of wildfires in Siberia </h2>



The aerosols released during these wildfires not only affect the climate but also degrade air quality, leading to serious <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-smoke-is-an-underestimated-threat-to-public-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health</a> implications.



The researchers predict a dramatic increase in air pollution, especially under the most extreme wildfire scenarios. This pollution impacts not only Siberia but also vast areas of East Asia, which lie downwind from these fires.



The degraded air quality may cause an increase in premature deaths, respiratory problems, and other health issues. This could translate into health-related costs that potentially reach up to 10 billion US dollars annually.



"Our results suggest that increased efforts are needed to limit the effects of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/wildfires-in-siberia-2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Siberian wildfires</a> somehow to prevent excess deaths, respiratory and other illnesses, and economic losses because it is hard to prevent the occurrence of Siberian wildfires in such large areas," said Professor Yasunari.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-economic-costs-of-siberia-wildfires">Economic costs of Siberia wildfires</h2>



Beyond health, the economic impacts are also profound. The study suggests that the direct costs associated with increased mortality due to air pollution are substantial. 



Additionally, the indirect costs, such as loss of productivity due to illness and reduced educational opportunities, could significantly amplify these figures.



The findings underscore the necessity for more refined models to better quantify and mitigate these impacts. 



"Our findings send a critical message about the broad effect of increased particulate matter due to massive wildfires in the atmosphere on climate and air quality, which will become ever more significant as the worldwide changes due to global warming proceed," said Professor Yasunari.



The research not only sheds light on the urgent need for global attention to Siberian wildfires but also calls for international cooperation in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fire-suppression-methods-increase-the-severity-of-wildfires/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fire management</a> and mitigation strategies to safeguard public health and protect the global economy from the potentially devastating effects of these increasing natural disasters. 



To better understand and address the extensive consequences of wildfires on a global scale, the time to act is now.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">More about wildfires in Siberia&nbsp;</h2>



Siberian wildfires typically occur during the region's dry and warm summer months. Siberia, known for its vast and remote forested areas, is particularly vulnerable to wildfires due to a combination of factors, including rising temperatures and dry conditions, which are often linked to climate change.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Far-reaching impacts&nbsp;</h3>



The impact of Siberian wildfires is extensive, affecting not only local flora and fauna but also contributing to air quality issues over a wide area, including neighboring countries.&nbsp;



The smoke from these fires can travel thousands of kilometers, affecting atmospheric conditions and climate patterns on a global scale. For instance, the dense smoke can reduce visibility and impact air quality, posing health risks to populations even in distant areas.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fire-management">Fire management</h3>



Efforts to combat and manage these fires are challenged by the sheer scale and remoteness of the affected areas. The Russian government and local authorities often struggle with limited resources and logistical difficulties in accessing these regions.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental threat</h3>



Moreover, the frequency and intensity of these fires have been increasing, prompting concerns about long-term environmental damage, including the release of stored carbon from Siberian peatlands, which exacerbates global warming.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2023EF004129" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's Future</a>.



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Wildfires in Siberia are a growing global threat

Wildfires in Siberia are a global concern, as their increasing frequency is predicted to impact the climate, air quality, health, and economies far beyond their immediate vicinity. A new study highlights the far-reaching consequences of these natural disasters. Researchers from Hokkaido University, the University of Tokyo, and Kyushu University used advanced global climate models to analyze the potential impacts of wildfires in Siberia, and the results paint a striking picture. The experts utilized the MIROC5 - a sophisticated modeling system - along with other predictive tools to...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.idiv.de/en/index.html">German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research</a> have conducted the most comprehensive assessment of plants in Germany that has ever been carried out. 

The survey revealed that the country's plant <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plants-and-animals-evolve-faster-in-coldspots-than-in-biodiversity-hotspots/">diversity</a> has decreased by over 15 percent in more than 70 percent of the 2,000 species examined, and the losses were not limited to rare or endangered plants.

"This clearly shows, once again, that we have to rethink our approach to nature and landscape; after all, the population declines proven by the study extend over the whole of Germany," said Dr. Beate Jessel, president of the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation.

"This leaves no doubt; we need a broad-based approach to agriculture and forestry, which together occupy 80 percent of the area of Germany. This demonstrates that there's an urgent need for more nature-compatible forms of land use."

The average rate of decline for any given species was found to be about two percent per decade. Some of the most vulnerable plants are archaeophytes, which are non-native plant species that were introduced before 1492. The corn marigold, Venus's looking glass, and the perennial goosefoot are also especially threatened.

For the investigation, researchers analyzed distribution data on 2,136 of the over 4,300 plant species established in Germany. The study also included information on the presence of plants from private individuals and datasets from universities other scientific institutions. 

The study authors expect that the observed decline in plant diversity has a major impact on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Due to the complex relationships that exist within ecosystems, plant losses can have very serious consequences. For example, lower plant diversity will lead to declines in both insect diversity and abundance.

"The degree of clarity in these results really surprised us. They paint a very dismal picture of the state of plant diversity in Germany," said study first author Dr. David Eichenberg. "This study has confirmed that the declines are not limited to already rare or particularly endangered species, but that a gradual reduction of biodiversity in the majority of plant species in Germany has obviously been happening for a long time."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486?af=R">Global Change Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plant diversity is declining at a steady rate across Germany

Researchers at the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research have...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">UC Santa Barbara</a> have investigated the dynamics of ecosystems in parts of the ocean that have no dissolved oxygen to sustain animals or plants, which are known as ocean anoxic zones. In these areas, only microbes that are adapted to the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-local-environment-plays-a-role-in-how-species-acclimate/">environment</a> can survive. 

"You don't get big fish," said study co-author Morgan Raven. "You don't even get charismatic zooplankton." Even though anoxic oceans may seem alien to organisms like ourselves that breathe oxygen, they are full of life, she added.

As a result of climate change, ocean anoxic zones are now expanding. Raven is interested in learning how this will affect the ocean as a carbon sink. "What happens to our carbon cycle as we get these large areas of the ocean that are oxygen-free?" 

In seawater that is rich in oxygen, carbon is moved around through the food web after being captured by phytoplankton that photosynthesize at the water's surface.

"Most of the time they just get eaten by zooplankton," said Raven. But if they are not eaten, the phytoplankton respire carbon dioxide and excrete organic carbon in the depths of the water. "It's like a spinning wheel - CO2 goes to plankton, goes to CO2."

In the absence of zooplankton and fish, more of the sinking organic carbon can survive and be deposited at depth, explained Raven. Sediments underneath anoxic zones generally have more organic carbon deposits, but experts do not know why this is the case.

To investigate, the team turned to a theory formed about a decade ago by geologist Don Canfield and colleagues at the University of Southern Denmark.

"They put out this idea that maybe inside of these zones, microbes are still eating organic carbon, but respiring sulfate." This process is referred to as cryptic sulfur cycling.

The researchers tested large, fast-sinking organic particles collected from the Eastern Tropical North Pacific oxygen-deficient zone located off the northwestern coast of Mexico.

Raven said the aggregations of mostly dead phytoplankton, fecal matter, other small organisms, and bits of sand and clay get glued together in a sticky matrix. These particles were sent to the Stanford Synchotron Radiation Lightsource for analysis.

The results of the analysis, including evidence of the production of organic sulfur within the samples, demonstrate what Raven called "pickling" of the dead phytoplankton as they sink through the anoxic area.

"Phytoplankton grow in the surface ocean, but due to gravity, they sink." As they fall through the anoxic region and undergo sulfurization, they create a shield that protects the carbon at their core. 

"Even when it gets to the sediment, bacteria there can't eat these organic particles." Raven explained that, just like the pickles we know and love, the preservation process makes the particles resistant to bacteria, which could explain why more organic carbon is found in the sediments below anoxic ocean zones.

According to the researchers, the sulfurization of organic carbon particles in anoxic ocean zones is actually an ancient process, despite the fact that it has just been confirmed in modern oceans. "It's the same process that can also make petroleum," said Raven. 

It is not yet clear how anoxic zones will interact with climate change. "Potentially as these zones expand, there could be a negative feedback - more CO2 in the atmosphere makes higher temperatures, which makes these zones bigger. These bigger zones then trap more CO2 and put it in the sediment and rocks." 

Raven said that this feedback could help the Earth balance its carbon cycle over time, "but we need to know how this connects to everything else."

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

How will ocean anoxic zones interact with climate change?

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have investigated the dynamics of...

Many <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plants-and-animals-evolve-faster-in-coldspots-than-in-biodiversity-hotspots/">animals</a> could successfully adapt to changing environmental conditions, especially those that are flexible in their behavior. Other species, however, will not be as fortunate. 

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>, researchers describe how some animals fall into an "ecological trap" in the ways they respond to climate change. In particular, the experts found that chestnut-crowned babbler birds react to rising temperatures by changing their behavior in ways that could actually reduce successful breeding.

"We hope that animals that are more responsive to changes in their environment can cope better with climate change, but unfortunately they can make mistakes that make their situation even worse," said study co-author Alex Cones.

The babblers reacted to unusually warm temperatures in early spring by breeding sooner. However, the average temperatures at this time are still colder than later in spring, which can interfere with egg incubation.

In the cold weather, the females spent less time incubating. While this may improve their own chances of survival, exposure to low temperatures is harmful to their developing eggs.

"Many animals breed as early as they can in spring, and climate change is causing this to happen earlier and earlier," explained study co-author Professor Andy Russell.

"Paradoxically, our study shows that earlier breeding in response to warming means babbler eggs and offspring are more exposed to the cold. Babblers should respond by incubating their eggs more, but they don't."

Professor Russell notes that incubating eggs is more costly for the mother in terms of energy in low temperatures, so they focus on their own survival and reduce incubation.

"Parental care is adaptable, not fixed, but in this case the birds adapt in the wrong direction for their chicks' survival - falling into an ecological 'trap'."

Chestnut-crowned babblers live in desert habitats across southeast Australia. Their eggs must be kept at more than 77 degrees Fahrenheit to survive, and the optimal temperature for development is about 100°F.

According to the researchers, more studies are needed to investigate whether species can successfully adapt to environmental change. However, they concluded that their findings on babbler birds are "not encouraging."

The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/loi/14209101">Journal of Evolutionary Biology</a>. 

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Babbler birds are shifting their behavior in the wrong direction

Many animals could successfully adapt to changing environmental conditions, especially...

People value nature more during COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-covid-19-pandemic-has-caused-severe-sleep-disruptions/">pandemic</a> has changed the relationship that many Americans have with nature, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/">University of Vermont</a>. The researchers found that more than 25 percent of people who visited parks during the early months of the pandemic had rarely, and in some cases had never, gotten out and explored nature in the previous year.

"Like many people, we noticed a large increase in the number of visitors to urban forests and parks in the early days of the pandemic," said study senior author Brendan Fisher. "We wanted to understand how people are using local nature to cope with the physical and mental challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic." People value nature more during COVID-19 pandemic

For the investigation, the researchers surveyed visitors to 25 parks and natural areas around Burlington, Vermont. This region is home to 214,000 residents, which is about one third of the state's population. The UVM team surveyed over 400 people around the time that businesses and schools closed and travel restrictions were issued.  

More than 81 percent of the survey respondents reported that having access to parks and nature areas had become more important to them after COVID-19 health protocols were introduced. Many people said that these natural areas provided them with safe spaces to socialize during COVID-19.

The most common reasons for visiting parks were getting outside, exercising, connecting with nature, finding peace and quiet, birding, dog walking, and spending time with children. The survey revealed that 66 percent of park visitors used natural areas to find peace and quiet, while 32 percent reported using outdoor areas as spaces for contemplation.

"Access to urban natural areas may be delivering mental health benefits during a time when they are most needed," said Fisher. "People need more space for peace and contemplation and safe spaces to be social when so many other outlets are closed to them."

The researchers noted that demand for green space is increasing at a time when many urban communities are losing natural areas.

"Infectious disease experts predict that viruses, like those causing COVID-19, will increase in frequency in the future," said study lead author Nelson Grima. "Natural areas and their budgets should be safeguarded and, if possible, enhanced to maintain and improve human wellbeing especially in times of crises, even during a declining economy."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://plos.org/">PLOS ONE</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

People value nature more during COVID-19 pandemic

People value nature more during COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic...

The environmental benefits of renewable energy vary significantly from place to place, according to researchers at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_State_University">North Carolina State University</a>. The gains associated with renewable energy depend on the types of conventional <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/powerhouse-plants-support-insects-and-the-entire-food-chain/">power</a> generation that are being offset, and the benefits are not always confined to one particular region.

The experts hope their research will help to pinpoint the areas where investment in renewable energy will be the most beneficial.

"For years, researchers have taken different approaches to try to assess the environmental benefits of renewable energy," said study co-author Professor Harrison Fell. "The Energy Information Administration started releasing detailed data on renewable power generation in 2018, and we realized that we finally had an opportunity to address this issue using real-world data.

"Our study is the first to quantify emissions reductions from solar and wind generation relying on renewable generation data across a broad array of regions, while also accounting for electricity trade between regions."

For the investigation, the researchers analyzed data from regions across the contiguous 48 states that was collected between July 2018 and March 2020.

The most important finding is that the environmental value of renewable energy is significantly different across the country. More specifically, one megawatt hour (MWh) of renewable power varies depending on where that power was generated.

"For example, one MWh of solar power produced in Florida reduces carbon dioxide emissions by about twice as much as one MWh of solar power produced in California," said study co-author Professor Jeremiah Johnson. 

"That's because California already has a cleaner grid when compared to other regions. So offsetting an hour of conventional power generation in California reduces CO2 emissions less than offsetting an hour of conventional power generation in Florida."

Professor Johnson said that in the near term, the findings provide insight into where we should target investments in renewable power in order to maximize the environmental benefits.

The study also revealed that the environmental benefits of renewable energy often crossed regional lines. For example, renewable power generated in one state might be used to offset power generation in a neighboring state.

"Right now, renewable energy is largely driven by policies that vary from state to state," said Professor Fell. "Our work here highlights one reason that this is not a very efficient approach to energy policy. A federal approach to renewable energy policy would be better able to account for the interstate nature of energy production, energy consumption and environmental benefits."

"It will be interesting to see how the distribution of benefits changes as regions expand their sustainable energy infrastructure."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain">Nature Sustainability</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The value of renewable energy depends on the location

The environmental benefits of renewable energy vary significantly from place...

Forests were expanding and thriving during the disappearance of dinosaurs about 66 million years ago, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a>. The researchers believe that an increase in terrestrial plants coincided with the loss of large plant-eating dinosaurs.

"We hypothesize the extinction of all large herbivores at the boundary may have facilitated this transition to a terrestrial angiosperm dominated flora immediately after the boundary," explained the researchers.

While it is widely accepted that a catastrophic asteroid impact was the initial cause of the mass extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous Period, the cascading effects of the impact that may have killed the dinosaurs are not entirely clear. 

Drastic climate changes are expected to have played a major role, yet the new study suggests that the climate may not have actually shifted too dramatically. For example, the experts found evidence that changes in precipitation were very short-lived.

"Changes in terrestrial environments across the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary, including plant ecology and carbon and water-cycling, remain poorly defined," said the study authors. 

To investigate how specific ecosystems were affected, the team analyzed the microscopic remains of plants from this time period. The samples were collected from Canadian river sediments.

"Fluvial sediments spanning the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary of southern Saskatchewan, Canada contain well preserved plant wax n-alkanes that provide a means of reconstructing changes to plant ecology and carbon and water cycling during this mass extinction event," wrote the researchers.

"We measured n-alkane carbon and hydrogen isotope ratios in two sedimentary sections and applied established fractionation factors to estimate the isotopic compositions of precipitation and bulk sedimentary organic matter sources. We also analyzed the distribution of n-alkanes as an indicator of the relative abundance of aquatic and terrestrial plants." 

The analysis revealed that in this particular region, local plant communities and ecosystems experienced a long-term shift toward fewer aquatic plants and more terrestrial plants, including a notable increase in birch and elm trees. 

The researchers were surprised to find that changes in rainfall patterns during the extinction event were relatively minor and short-lived.

"This could be important as we look to the future of global warming, where many scientists have predicted that changes in precipitation could have big impacts on humans and ecosystems," said study senior author Peter Douglas. 

"At other times of major climate change in Earth's history we typically do see evidence for such changes. The absence of such a signal during the most recent mass extinction event is intriguing."

"Surprisingly, scientists know more about what happened in the oceans at the end-Cretaceous extinction than on land. By clarifying the environmental changes occurring during this period, we narrowed down the factors that are likely to have caused the disappearance of dinosaurs."

"The research also provides an important analogue for environmental changes humans are causing to the planet, and the potential for future mass extinction."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/palaeogeography-palaeoclimatology-palaeoecology">Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

When the dinosaurs vanished, forests expanded and thrived

Forests were expanding and thriving during the disappearance of dinosaurs...

A new study from <a href="https://uit.no/startsida">UIT</a> suggests that the moon controls the release of large amounts of methane from the Arctic Ocean. Scientists are working to understand the mysterious process that influences these methane emissions, which may be accelerated by warmer temperatures. 

Over the past few decades, atmospheric concentrations of methane have increased tremendously. While some of the methane is tied to human activities, other sources of emissions are not yet clear.

"Although ocean methane emissions are considered to be widespread, their dynamics and the physical processes behind their evolution are little understood," wrote the study authors. "Given the impact of methane as a greenhouse gas, the dynamic of oceanic methane emissions, which could potentially reach the atmosphere, introduces a non-negligible doubt on the global budget of atmospheric methane."

The researchers explained that natural gas emissions are usually caused by active geological processes including the expression of seabed features, such as faults, fractures, mud volcanoes, and hydrothermal vents. 

"In this study, we analyze an element of this phenomenon by hypothesizing that even small changes in sea-level may have a global impact on the intensity of deep-sea gas emissions. We suggest that tides can be used as a proxy to predict and quantify variability in the amount of gas released on a daily basis."

The experts found evidence that tides, which are controlled by the moon, significantly affect the intensity of methane emissions from the Arctic Ocean seafloor.

"We noticed that gas accumulations, which are in the sediments within a meter from the seafloor, are vulnerable to even slight pressure changes in the water column. Low tide means less of such hydrostatic pressure and higher intensity of methane release. High tide equals high pressure and lower intensity of the release," said study co-author Andreia Plaza Faverola.

"It is the first time that this observation has been made in the Arctic Ocean," noted study co-author Jochen Knies. "It means that slight pressure changes can release significant amounts of methane. This is a game-changer and the highest impact of the study."

For the investigation, a tool called a piezometer was placed in sediments for four days. The piezometer measured the pressure and temperature of the water inside the pores of the sediment. 

Hourly changes in the pressure and temperature revealed that the presence of gas close to the seafloor rises and falls as the tides change. The measurements were captured in a part of the Arctic Ocean where no methane release has been previously documented, but where massive gas hydrate concentrations have been sampled.

"This tells us that gas release from the seafloor is more widespread than we can see using traditional sonar surveys," said Plaza Faverola. "We saw no bubbles or columns of gas in the water. Gas burps that have a periodicity of several hours won't be identified unless there is a permanent monitoring tool in place, such as the piezometer."

The findings indicate that current estimates of gas emissions in the Arctic are underestimated. On the other hand, high tides seem to reduce the height and volume of gas emissions.

"What we found was unexpected and the implications are big. This is a deep-water site. Small changes in pressure can increase the gas emissions but the methane will still stay in the ocean due to the water depth. But what happens in shallower sites? This approach needs to be done in shallow Arctic waters as well, over a longer period. In shallow water, the possibility that methane will reach the atmosphere is greater," explained Knies.

Since higher sea levels seem to reduce gas emissions from the ocean floor, it is possible that sea-level rise could partially mitigate the effect of temperature on submarine methane emissions.

"Earth systems are interconnected in ways that we are still deciphering, and our study reveals one of such interconnections in the Arctic," said Plaza Faverola. "The moon causes tidal forces, the tides generate pressure changes, and bottom currents that in turn shape the seafloor and impact submarine methane emissions. Fascinating!"

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">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

The moon controls methane emissions from the Arctic Ocean

A new study from UIT suggests that the moon controls...

Evolution cannot keep up with the pace of global warming, according to a study from the <a href="https://www.ntnu.edu/">Norwegian University of Science and Technology</a>. After spending four years investigating how zebrafish adapt to warmer conditions, the researchers determined that evolution will not be swift enough to save some <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/one-third-of-oak-tree-species-are-threatened-with-extinction/">species</a> from the impacts of rising temperatures.
"It looks like evolution is slower than global warming in this case," said study senior author Professor Fredrik Jutfelt. "This is the largest artificial evolution experiment that has been performed on vertebrates with a focus on heat tolerance."

For the investigation, wild-caught zebrafish were bred based on their ability to cope with the most extreme conditions. Ultimately, the researchers followed about 20,000 individuals over six generations.

"We see that zebrafish can develop heat tolerance, and we have developed lines of zebrafish that can better withstand the heat. That's good news," said Professor Jutfelt.

"The problem is that evolution takes many generations. Evolution only increased the heat tolerance in the fish by 0.04 degrees C per generation. This is slower than the warming experienced by many fish in many places."

Study lead author Rachel Morgan said that with the globe warming so fast, the fish may not be able to adapt to the warmest periods efficiently enough.

Evolution occurs when the best adapted individuals of a species produce more fertile offspring than the rest of the group. Over several generations, the adaptations accumulate and modify the species itself.

However, extreme heat can compromise the ability of fish to reproduce. Above a certain temperature, most of the fish die.

"How organisms adapt to these new conditions depends on their ability to withstand heat, to acclimatize, and the ability to pass on beneficial characteristics to the next generation," said Professor Jutfelt.

Prior to artificial selection, one group of zebrafish was exposed to two weeks in warmer water. The researchers wondered if evolution would increase their capacity to acclimatize, but they found that this was not the case. 

"Instead, the greater the ability of the fish to cope with the worst warm periods, the more their ability to acclimate decreased. So the gain in the form of higher heat tolerance was partly offset by a lower ability to acclimate. All in all, the rate of evolution was probably faster under the conditions in our laboratory than in nature," said Morgan.

"It's unlikely that some zebrafish populations, and other tropical fish species, will be able to cope with the temperatures that the planet may experience by the end of this century," said Professor Jutfelt. "Some species that already live at the limit of what they can tolerate may not be saved by evolution. That is surprising and sad, and it means it is important that we stop warming the planet."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Evolution is no match for global warming

Evolution cannot keep up with the pace of global warming,...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a> has produced the first clear evidence that the lifespan of tropical trees will be limited by global <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/planting-trees-could-slow-global-warming-but-it-wont-be-cheap/">warming</a>. The researchers determined that the life expectancy of tropical trees is reduced once the temperature exceeds the critical threshold of 25 degrees Celsius.

As temperatures rise, the rate of tree mortality is expected to increase in tropical regions including the Amazon, Pantanal, and Atlantic forests. 

Even though tropical rainforests account for only 7 percent of the Earth’s total land area, these ecosystems provide habitats for about 50 percent of all plant and animal species. These rainforests also hold approximately half of all carbon stored in the world's forests, which means that even small disruptions can cause significant CO2 emissions. 

"Many regions in the tropics are heating up rapidly and substantial areas will become warmer, on average, than approximately 25 C," said study co-author Professor Manuel Gloor. "Our findings - which are the first to demonstrate that there is a temperature threshold - suggests that for trees in these regions, their longevity is likely to be negatively affected."

"This indicates that tropical forests may be more vulnerable to increasing heat than has been previously thought," noted Dr. Roel Brienen. "As a result of global warming, we therefore expect a shortening of tree lifespans in the tropics. These results are a warning sign that, along with deforestation, global warming adds extra stress on the Earth's tropical forests."

In collaboration with experts at the University of São Paulo, the researchers spent four years examining tree-ring data from more than 100,000 trees belonging to 400 different tree species from 3,000 sites across the globe.

"In the tropics, trees grow, on average, twice as fast as those in cooler regions of the world. But they also have a shorter average lifespan of 186 years, compared to 322 years of trees in other climates. Our analysis suggests that the life-spans in the tropics will likely decrease further still," explained study lead author Dr. Giuliano Locosselli. 

"If tropical trees die earlier, this will affect how much carbon these forests can hold, raising concerns about the future potential of forests to offset CO2 emissions from fossil fuel burning. It could also cause changes in biodiversity and a decrease in the number of species on the planet."

Currently, the average temperatures throughout tropical rainforests range from 21 to 30 degrees Celsius, but these numbers will continue to rise.

"Temperatures will keep rising in the near future even if we were to take drastic emissions reductions measures. Thus it is unavoidable that the critical threshold for tree longevity will increasingly be exceeded in the tropics and thus it is even more important to protect tropical forests and curb greenhouse emissions," said study co-author Professor Marcos Buckeridge.

"While tropical rainforests in the Amazon are already close to this temperature threshold temperatures in the Congo are lower. But, with this great increase in temperature, we might begin to see signs of increased tree mortality. From this point of view, the scenario is quite bleak," said Dr. Locosselli.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

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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

Tropical trees die younger in hot temperatures

A new study from the University of Leeds has produced...

Common starfish will struggle to survive the extreme marine heatwaves that are expected to arrive by the end of this century, according to a study from the <a href="https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/">British Ecological Society</a>. The experts found that starfish are already experiencing long-term health impacts from current <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/severe-marine-heatwaves-are-becoming-much-more-common/">heatwaves</a>.

Researchers at the GEOMAR Helmholtz-Centre for Ocean Research Kiel used experiments to simulate heatwaves of +8 °C, which are projected to occur by 2100. All of the starfish tested were killed. Furthermore, heatwaves of this magnitude are only one degree warmer than heatwaves that were recorded in 2018 in the Kiel Fjord, where the study was conducted.

The experts determined that present day heatwaves of +5 °C negatively affected starfish feeding. The starfish were able to recover if the event was short, but struggled to endure longer heatwaves and lost weight.

"Our findings showcase that extreme environmental conditions such as marine heatwaves may temporally exceed a species tolerance limit with potential implications for populations at these shallow coastal depths," said study co-author Fabian Wolf.

The researchers also tested the compounding effects of other extreme events. Heatwaves were followed by a simulated hypoxic upwelling event, which is when coastal seawater becomes colder, more saline, more acidic, and higher in CO2.

"During spring and summer, plankton blooms (which often benefit from global warming) sink to the sea's bottom as dead material. Here, bacteria degrade this material, consuming oxygen and producing carbon dioxide," said Wolf. "In coastal areas, particularly strong and persistent winds may push the surface water away from land, while deep (acidified and hypoxic water) is shoaled up the shores."

The experiments revealed that starfish were more affected by a hypoxic upwelling event if they had not experienced a heatwave first. This indicates that the initial stressor, the heatwave, may provide resilience for the starfish that enables them to better cope with the upwelling event.

"Our results emphasize that it is crucial to study different stressors in combination and not isolation as stressors naturally occur in succession, meaning that they are never independent of each other," said Fabian.

Common starfish are abundant in the Northeast Atlantic, where their ecosystems depend on them as a keystone species. For example, common starfish prey on blue mussels and control their population size.

"If the common starfish is lost from a relatively species-poor system, blue mussels may grow uncontrolled and form monocultures," said Wolf. "Other habitat-forming species like seagrass and seaweed could be lost in the process of blue mussel propagation."

"It must also be considered that other, non-native species may come and fill these gaps, as can be seen by several recently introduced crab species to the Western Baltic Sea that have blue mussels as their preferred prey."

Even before common starfish are killed by heatwaves, weight loss will alter their foraging behavior. This is because starfish select their prey based on their own size - when they are smaller, they prefer smaller prey. 

The research will be presented at British Ecological Society's <a href="https://appliedecologistsblog.com/2020/12/14/our-guide-to-a-festival-of-ecology/">Festival of Ecology</a>.

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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

Common starfish may not survive extreme ocean conditions

Common starfish will struggle to survive the extreme marine heatwaves...

Toxic algal blooms will become more frequent off the U.S. west coast. Rising ocean temperatures are increasing the frequency of algal blooms off the western coast of the United States, including one type of bloom that is extremely toxic, according to a new study published by <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/">Frontiers</a>. The algae produce domoic acid, a <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=neurotoxin&amp;cvid=6276f24e21734049bd798be2a26e0cea&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">neurotoxin</a> that is the cause of amnesic <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/shellfish-are-vanishing-from-the-gulf-of-maine/">shellfish</a> poisoning (ASP). 

In both humans and animals, domoic acid exposure can lead to short-term memory loss and brain damage, and severe cases can be fatal. 

"This study shows that climate change can influence the occurrence and intensity of some harmful algal blooms (HABs) by creating new seed beds for their survival and distribution," said lead author Dr. Vera L Trainer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Toxic algal blooms will become more frequent off the U.S. west coast

"Coastal communities, including Native Tribes, will suffer from the effects of HABs more frequently in the future, illustrating the importance of early warning systems such as Harmful Algal Bloom Bulletins that are becoming operational in the U.S. and other parts of the world."

In 1998, Dr. Trainer and her colleagues began monitoring domoic acid, which is produced by Pseudo-nitzschia algae. The team collected shellfish and seawater samples along the West Coast.

A severe heatwave in the northeast Pacific Ocean in 2015 triggered a record-breaking Pseudo-nitzschia bloom that closed shellfish harvest and caused widespread marine mammal mortalities. Since then, a region in northern California near the Oregon border has become a new toxic hotspot that has prevented shellfish harvest.

Using multi-model datasets, the scientists found that the 2015 heatwave was five times more likely to have been caused by human influences rather than natural effects. 

Climate models that are based on several decades of relevant data predict that extreme marine heatwaves are now 20 times more likely to occur than they were before human-driven climate change. 

Ocean conditions in areas near the border of California and Oregon are favorable for recurring algal blooms, and the scientists have flagged them as what is known as "retentive regions." Across these sites, Pseudo-nitzschia can remain dormant in sediments for years until ocean upwelling brings the algal cells to the surface and temperatures become warm enough for the algae to multiply.

In response to the issue of more frequent algal blooms, NOAA, the University of Washington, and several government agencies have teamed up to create the Pacific Northwest Harmful Algal Bloom Bulletin to forecast these events. The warning system will inform local communities of when and where it is safe to collect shellfish. 

Dr. Trainer's team has found that these bulletins have become a cost-effective tool to help minimize the health and economic threats of the algal blooms.

"There is evidence that bacteria associated with seagrasses have algicidal properties, indicating that seagrass planting may be used to successfully control some HABs in Puget Sound," said Dr. Trainer. "But for large-scale marine HABs, early warning is our best defense and these HAB Bulletins will help preserve a way of life that includes wild shellfish harvest, on which coastal people depend."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/climate">Frontiers in Climate</a>.

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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

Toxic algal blooms will become more frequent off the U.S. west coast

Toxic algal blooms will become more frequent off the U.S....

Salmon fisheries in the North Pacific are facing multiple challenges, including declining <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/proactively-planning-for-climate-change-can-protect-fish-and-fisheries/">fish</a> populations and climate variability. In a new study from the Portland-based <a href="https://www.wildsalmoncenter.org/">Wild Salmon Center</a>, scientists report that Indigenous fishing practices can help revitalize Pacific salmon fisheries.

"Salmon and the communities that depend on them have been pushed to the brink by two centuries of extractive natural resource management," said study lead author Dr. Will Atlas."But the tools, practices, and governance systems of Indigenous Peoples maintained healthy salmon runs for millennia before that. Their knowledge is still here."

For thousands of years, Indigenous communities around the North Pacific maintained sustainable salmon harvests. Before commercial fisheries took over, traditional fisheries used tools like weirs, traps, wheels, reef nets, and dip nets. 

"As they're currently built, mixed-stock salmon fisheries are undermining the biodiversity needed for Pacific salmon to thrive," said Dr. Atlas. "Luckily, we have hundreds of examples, going back thousands of years, of better ways to fish. These techniques can deliver better results for all communities."

Indigenous people focus on targeting salmon runs in river systems, rather than in the ocean. Selective fishing tools enable in-season monitoring, where the health of the salmon can be assessed in real-time, and non-target species can be released unharmed.

Study co-author Andrea Reid is a citizen of the Nisga'a Nation and an assistant professor of Indigenous Fisheries at the University of British Columbia's Institute for Oceans and Fisheries

"In my Nation, we use fish wheels, an ancient technology that used to be made out of cedar and natural fibers," said Professor Reid. "Today, we use modernized fish wheels to monitor, mark, and study the fish, to understand how they are doing in a rapidly changing world."

For many Indigenous communities, salmon are much more than just a source of food. They are at the center of creation stories, ceremonies, family structures, and cultural identity.

"The ancient relationship between Heiltsuk and salmon infiltrates every aspect of Heiltsuk life," said co-author William Housty, a member of the Heiltsuk Nation and Board Chair with the Heiltsuk Integrated Resource Management Department in Bella Bella, British Columbia. "Our modern-day management of salmon is based on the values of respect, reciprocity, and well-being."

"In an era of rapid global change, we must explore different salmon management approaches," said study co-author Dr. Jonathan Moore, a professor in Biological Sciences at British Columbia's Simon Fraser University. 

"By reinvigorating Indigenous practices, we can bring time-tested lessons to salmon fisheries and take a positive step toward recognizing the cultural fabric that has woven salmon and humans together for millennia." 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience">BioScience</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Indigenous fishing practices are needed to revive salmon fisheries

Salmon fisheries in the North Pacific are facing multiple challenges,...

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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



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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



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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 



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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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



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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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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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

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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



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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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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



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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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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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