As the global population grows, pressure on farm systems and biodiversity intensifies. How we grow food shapes the planet’s health. From wheat fields in the Midwest to rice paddies in Southeast Asia, farmland is expanding and changing rapidly. But at what cost?



For decades, environmentalists and policymakers have debated two main strategies to boost food production. One is expansion - clearing more land for farms. The other is intensification - increasing the yield on existing farmland through high-input practices like pesticides, fertilizers, and irrigation.



The common belief is that intensification is less damaging to biodiversity. But a new study by researchers at University College London (<a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCL</a>) reveals that this assumption may not always hold.



The findings challenge long-held views and call for a more informed, flexible strategy in agricultural policy and conservation. The study invites us to question how food security and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-wildlife-day-2025-a-global-call-to-protect-nature/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental protection</a> can truly coexist.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farm-expansion-and-intensification">Farm expansion and intensification </h2>



At first glance, farmland intensification seems ideal. It promises more food from the same land, sparing natural ecosystems from conversion. Yet the study led by Dr. Silvia Ceaușu at the UCL Center for Biodiversity &amp; Environment Research suggests a deeper problem.



“Feeding the global human population comes at an increasing cost for our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-biggest-drivers-of-biodiversity-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planet</a>'s biodiversity. Our new research highlights that it's actually more complicated than that,” noted Dr. Ceaușu.



Using a large global dataset, the researchers analyzed biodiversity patterns around farms producing maize, wheat, rice, and soybean - crops that make up over half of the world’s calorie intake.



The experts focused on areas where some natural vegetation remained, excluding untouched wildlands. They then assessed biodiversity in terms of species richness, total abundance, and how widespread species were.



The results revealed that both expansion and intensification damage biodiversity, but the extent varies by region, crop type, and existing vegetation. In some areas, intensification harmed local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saving-biodiversity-scientists-discover-hidden-pattern-guiding-species-distributions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystems</a> more than converting new land.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-boosting-farm-yields-can-harm-biodiversity">Boosting farm yields can harm biodiversity</h2>



Much of modern agricultural planning encourages “closing yield gaps,” meaning increasing production in areas where crop yields lag behind their potential. The logic is to reduce the need for land expansion. But this new study shows that doing so may come with serious ecological consequences.



“We show that farmland expansion is indeed drastically changing local biodiversity. However, once agriculture is established, intensifying agricultural practices can further degrade local biodiversity, sometimes more so than by further removing natural vegetation from the area,” noted Dr. Silvia Ceaușu.



This challenges the narrative of intensification as a safe compromise. It also suggests that even well-meaning conservation policies might backfire if they overly favor intensification without context.



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-pressure-is-changing-biodiversity-faster-than-we-realize/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">implications</a> stretch far. International trade agreements often restrict imports from newly converted farmland but welcome goods from intensified farms. That distinction might be too simplistic, especially when intensified farms are located in biodiversity hotspots.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complexity-over-simplicity-in-agricultural-policy">Complexity over simplicity in agricultural policy</h2>



One of the most striking conclusions of the study is that there is no universal rule. Every landscape is different. What works in temperate monocultures may fail in tropical mosaics. This variation makes broad policies difficult to apply effectively.



“Simple suggestions like favoring farmland intensification over expansion are not always effective - there’s no one-size-fits all solution for sustainable agriculture,” noted Professor Tim Newbold at UCL.



Instead of relying on single-solution strategies, policymakers must consider specific ecological, social, and agricultural data. This includes understanding which species are at risk, how ecosystems function locally, and what kind of vegetation remains around farms.



It’s not just about where and how we farm - but also about what lives nearby, and what might disappear as farming intensifies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farm-practices-reshape-biodiversity-over-time">Farm practices reshape biodiversity over time</h2>



Beyond ecological damage, the study touches on evolutionary consequences. As intensified agriculture becomes more common, it reshapes entire ecosystems. 



Only species that can adapt to altered environments survive. Over time, this selects for generalist traits - those that thrive in simplified, human-managed landscapes.



This process, described in the study as a shift in "evolutionary filters," could gradually lead to less diverse and more homogenized wildlife communities. 



Specialists, who depend on complex, intact ecosystems, are the first to vanish. This affects not only biodiversity statistics but also ecosystem function and resilience.



In intensified landscapes, nature becomes simpler. And while simple might seem efficient for farming, it rarely is for ecology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-farmland-use">Rethinking farmland use </h2>



While the researchers don’t endorse farmland expansion into untouched habitats, they do caution against assuming that intensification is always benign. In certain contexts, expansion into already degraded or marginal lands could do less harm than squeezing more output from heavily farmed areas



“There is likely a balance that can be struck between intensification and expansion… informed by local and crop-specific data,” noted co-author David Leclère of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (<a href="https://iiasa.ac.at" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IIASA</a>), Austria.



The goal isn’t to choose one path but to design farming systems that work for both people and the planet.



“We would not suggest expanding farmland into intact natural areas as it is vital for the planet that such unmodified landscapes are preserved,” said Dr. Newbold.



In other words, any new expansion must avoid primary forests, wetlands, and biodiversity-rich habitats. The challenge lies in identifying and managing lower-risk landscapes while avoiding additional intensification that might push ecosystems past recovery.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-consumers">The role of consumers </h2>



For consumers, the picture remains complex. It’s difficult to track how sustainable any specific food product is, especially when impacts vary so widely across regions and crops. However, individuals still hold some power.



The researchers recommend reducing food waste and cutting back on meat consumption. Both actions lower agricultural demand and reduce pressure on biodiversity. 



These changes, while small at the individual level, can aggregate into meaningful shifts when adopted widely.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-balancing-farming-and-biodiversity">Balancing farming and biodiversity </h2>



As the climate crisis unfolds and food insecurity grows, the global community must confront difficult questions. How do we produce enough food without sacrificing biodiversity? Can we make space for nature and still nourish billions?



This new study makes one thing clear: the answers will not come from easy slogans or blanket policies. They will come from detailed data, local context, and a willingness to embrace complexity.



Feeding the world is not just a technical challenge - it is a deeply ecological one. And how we respond will determine the kind of world future generations inherit.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02691-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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Feeding the world without harming nature: The complex balance of farming

As the global population grows, pressure on farm systems and biodiversity intensifies. How we grow food shapes the planet’s health. From wheat fields in the Midwest to rice paddies in Southeast Asia, farmland is expanding and changing rapidly. But at what cost? For decades, environmentalists and policymakers have debated two main strategies to boost food production. One is expansion - clearing more land for farms. The other is intensification - increasing the yield on existing farmland through high-input practices like pesticides, fertilizers, and irrigation. The common belief...

Plastic chemicals released into the ocean cause deformities in sea urchin embryos, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>. Exposure to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/new-discovery-could-provide-sustainable-freshwater-to-volcanic-islands/">water</a> polluted by microplastics led to a variety of abnormalities among developing sea urchins, including deformed skeletons and nervous systems.

To investigate the potential effects of plastic contaminants on sea urchins, the Exeter team soaked various types of plastic in seawater,  removed the plastic, and then raised sea urchin embryos in the water.

The study showed that the abnormalities were caused by chemicals in the plastics that had leached out into the water, rather than by the plastics themselves. While the plastic-to-water ratio modeled in the experiment would only be found in severely polluted places, the findings raise new questions about the broader impacts of plastic contaminants on marine life.

"We are learning more and more about how ingesting plastic affects marine animals," said study lead author Flora Rendell-Bhatti. "However, little is known about the effects of exposure to chemicals that leach into the water from plastic particles."

"This study provides evidence that contamination of the marine environment with plastic could have direct implications for the development of larvae, with potential impacts on wider ecosystems."

"Our work contributes to the growing evidence that we all need to help reduce the amount of plastic contamination released into our natural environment, to ensure healthy and productive ecosystems for future generations."

Study co-author Dr. Eva Jimenez-Guri pointed out that many plastics are treated with chemicals for a variety of purposes, such as making them mouldable or flame retardant.

"If such plastics find their way to the oceans, these chemicals can leach out into the water," explained Dr. Jimenez-Guri. "Plastics can also pick up and transport chemicals and other environmental contaminants, potentially spreading them through the oceans."

To contaminate the experimental water, the researchers used industrial samples called nurdles, or pellets from which most plastics are made. They also used environmental samples - beach pellets collected from a beach in the UK. Each type of plastic was soaked in the seawater for 72 hours before it was removed.

When the experts analyzed the water, all of their samples contained chemicals known to be detrimental to development of animals, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls.

"Our results show that beached and industrial plastic particles can leach persistent organic pollutant (PAHs and PCBs) into seawater, and that sea urchin embryos in these waters will develop abnormally, probably resulting in non-viable larvae," wrote the study authors.

"Our findings demonstrate that such chemicals leach from plastic particles in the environment, even if at small concentrations, and that these produce strong developmental abnormalities in sea urchins, and point to clear and specific detrimental effects of plastic pollution on animal development."

The researchers also believe that other potentially toxic chemicals, such as phthalates and metals, have a role in the developmental abnormalities observed in the sea urchins. "A non-target analysis for a wider range of organic compounds, as well as analysis of metals released into the water, would shed light on the key toxicants released."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environmental-pollution">Environmental Pollution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Microplastic pollution causes deformities in sea urchins

Plastic chemicals released into the ocean cause deformities in sea...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> are describing how a federal program designed to reduce ozone pollution has saved the lives of millions of birds over the last four decades. According to the study, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-linked-to-higher-blood-pressure-in-children/">air quality</a> improvements associated with the Clean Air Act have saved up to 1.5 billion birds, which is the equivalent of nearly 20 percent of all the birds present in the United States today. 

"Our research shows that the benefits of environmental regulation have likely been underestimated," said study lead author Professor Ivan Rudik. "Reducing pollution has positive impacts in unexpected places and provides an additional policy lever for conservation efforts."

While ozone in the upper atmosphere protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation, ground-level ozone is the primary pollutant in smog and can be very hazardous to human health. When it comes to birds, ozone pollution causes direct harm to their respiratory system, and causes indirect harm by damaging their food sources.

To investigate how lower levels of pollution may have influenced bird abundance, the researchers used computer models that combined bird observations from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's eBird program with ground-level pollution data. The team tracked monthly changes in bird abundance, air quality, and regulation status for more than 3,000 counties in the United States over a span of 15 years. 

The results of the analysis suggest that ozone pollution is most detrimental to small migratory birds like sparrows, warblers, and finches, which make up 86 percent of all North American landbird species. 

"Not only can ozone cause direct physical damage to birds, but it also can compromise plant health and reduce numbers of the insects that birds consume," explained study co-author Professor Amanda Rodewald. "Not surprisingly, birds that cannot access high-quality habitat or food resources are less likely to survive or reproduce successfully. The good news here is that environmental policies intended to protect human health return important benefits for birds too."

In a separate Cornell study conducted last year, researchers found that North American bird populations have declined by nearly three billion individuals since 1970. The new study reveals that without the ozone-reduction efforts of the Clean Air Act, approximately 1.5 billion birds may have been lost.

"This is the first large-scale evidence that ozone is associated with declines in bird abundance in the United States and that regulations intended to save human lives also bring significant conservation benefits to birds," said study co-author Catherine Kling. "This work contributes to our ever increasing understanding of the connectedness of environmental health and human health."

The research 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

The Clean Air Act has saved as many as 1.5 billion birds

Researchers at Cornell University are describing how a federal program...

A new study from <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/">UH Mānoa</a> and the USGS has revealed that the massive Kīlauea eruption was triggered by relatively small changes, including the accumulation of pressure in the upper parts of the volcano that drove magma into the lower flank. The experts report that when magma became backed up at the Puʻu ʻŌʻō eruption site, it increased pressure throughout the volcano.

"Kīlauea’s 2018 flank eruption, on the volcano’s lower East Rift Zone, produced approximately one cubic kilometer of lava and was the most destructive volcanic event in the past 200 years in Hawaii, with over 700 structures destroyed," wrote the study authors. "The accompanying collapse of the summit caldera was one of the largest at Kīlauea in centuries, triggering small explosions and tens of thousands of earthquakes that damaged nearby infrastructure."

"Kīlauea has one of the most comprehensive volcano monitoring networks on Earth, and the 2018 eruption provides an excellent opportunity to understand the complex processes that culminate in destructive flank eruptions, the timescales of priming and triggering in open-vent basaltic systems, and how forecasting such extreme events might be improved."

The researchers analyzed data collected by the monitoring network before and during the eruptions at the Kīlauea summit and flank. Based on their analysis, the experts reconstructed the geologic events.

Study lead author Matthew Patrick is a research geologist at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

"The data suggest that a backup in the magma plumbing system at the long-lived Pu'u 'Ō'ō eruption site caused widespread pressurization in the volcano, driving magma into the lower flank," said Patrick.

As the eruption evolved, a series of cascading events caused relatively minor changes at Puʻu ʻŌʻō to escalate into major destruction and unprecedented modifications of the volcano. The potential for such a chain reaction of events was not taken into consideration during the time leading up to the eruption. 

"This form of tunnel vision, which gives less attention to the least likely outcomes, is a bias that can be overcome by considering the broader, longer history of the volcano," explained study co-author Professor Bruce Houghton. "For Kīlauea, this consists of widening the scope to consider the types of behavior seen in the first half of the 20th century and perhaps earlier."

"Our study demonstrates that eruption forecasting can be inherently challenging in scenarios where volcanoes prime slowly and trigger due to a small event, as the processes that build to eruption may be hard to detect and are easy to overlook on the scale of the entire volcano," said Patrick. "It is also a cautionary tale against over-reliance on recent activity as a guide for future eruptions."

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

Kīlauea eruption was caused by a series of small changes

A new study from UH Mānoa and the USGS has...

New discovery could provide sustainable freshwater to volcanic islands. Researchers have discovered that twice as much freshwater is stored offshore of Hawaii Island than was previously realized. The experts mapped an extensive reservoir of freshwater within the Hualālai aquifer.

The research has uncovered a new way that substantial volumes of freshwater are transported from onshore to offshore submarine aquifers along the coast of the island. This system may provide alternative renewable resources of freshwater to volcanic <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nutrients-in-seabird-poop-transformed-the-falkland-islands/">islands</a> worldwide. 

Study co-author Dean Brian Taylor is an expert in marine geology and geophysics at the <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/">UH Mānoa</a> School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST).

"Their evidence for separate freshwater lenses, stacked one above the other, near the Kona coast of Hawai'i, profoundly improves the prospects for sustainable development on volcanic islands," said Taylor.

The study revealed that freshwater moves from onshore to offshore through a multilayer formation of basalts embedded between layers of ash and soil. The marine geophysics campaign was led by Eric Attias as part of a larger National Science Foundation-funded project.

"Our findings provide a paradigm shift from the conventional hydrologic conceptual models that have been vastly used by multiple studies and water organizations in Hawai'i and other volcanic islands to calculate sustainable yields and aquifer storage for the past 30 years," said Attias. "We hope that our discovery will enhance future hydrologic models, and consequently, the availability of clean freshwater in volcanic islands."

"I have spent my entire career developing marine electromagnetic methods such as the one used here, is really gratifying to see the equipment being used for such an impactful and important application. Electrical methods have long been used to study groundwater on land, and so it makes sense to extend the application offshore," explained study co-author Professor Steven Constable. 

Kerry Key is an associate professor at Columbia University who uses electromagnetic methods to image various oceanic Earth structures.

"This new electromagnetic technique is a game changing tool for cost-effective reconnaissance surveys to identify regions containing freshwater aquifers, prior to more expensive drilling efforts to directly sample the pore waters. It can also be used to map the lateral extent of any aquifers already identified in isolated boreholes."

Study co-author Donald Thomas said the findings confirm two-times the presence of much larger quantities of stored groundwater than previously thought. "Understanding this new mechanism for groundwater is important to better manage groundwater resources in Hawaii."

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

New discovery could provide sustainable freshwater to volcanic islands

New discovery could provide sustainable freshwater to volcanic islands. Researchers...

Moths have wings that have precisely evolved to avoid their most dangerous predators, according to researchers at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>. In an evolutionary arms race, moth wings have acquired extraordinary sound absorbing properties that help them evade echolocating <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/many-birds-and-bats-depend-on-insects-that-are-disappearing/">bats</a>.

Using advanced analytical techniques, the Bristol team discovered that the very thin scale layer on moth wings has transformed over time to serve as a unique acoustic camouflage. This discovery represents the first known naturally occurring acoustic metamaterial.

Study lead author Dr. Marc Holderied is an expert in behavioural acoustics and sensory ecology. Earlier this year, his team reported that deaf moths had developed scales on their bodies that allowed them to absorb 85 percent of the incoming sound energy that bats use to detect them.

The moths had evolved a 1.5-millimeter deep protective barrier that serves as a porous sound absorber. This protective barrier would not work on the wings, however, because the increased thickness would restrict the moths' ability to fly. 

The current study reveals that moths have actually gone one step further by creating a resonant absorber that is 100 times thinner than the wavelength of the sound it absorbs. This means that moths can maintain their mobility while masking the echoes of their wings during flight.

"Most amazingly, moth wings also evolved a way to make a resonant absorber absorb all bat frequencies, by adding another amazing feature - they assemble many of these resonators individually tuned to different frequencies into an array of absorbers, which together create broadband absorption by acting as an acoustic metamaterial - the first known in nature," said Dr. Holderied. "Such a broadband absorption is very hard to achieve in the ultrathin structures of moths' wings, which is what makes it so remarkable."

"The promise is one of much thinner sound absorbers for our homes and offices, we would be getting close to a much more versatile and acceptable sound absorber 'wallpaper' rather than bulky absorber panels."

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

Tiny moth wings absorb big sounds to evade predators

Moths have wings that have precisely evolved to avoid their...

In recent decades, global warming has caused temperate trees to cling onto their leaves later and later in the year. Scientists have predicted that an increase in the length of the growing season could help to slow down further climate change. 

But now, this trend is starting to change. According to a new study from <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">AAAS</a>, as temperate trees capture more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and become more productive, trees will actually lose their leaves earlier in the season instead of later. 

The research adds to a growing collection of evidence that plant growth is limited by the ability of tree tissues to use and store carbon. While changes in the length of the growing seasons greatly affect global carbon balance, future trajectories remain highly uncertain. This is mainly because the external drivers of leaf senescence are not very well understood. 

Autumn leaf-shedding occurs in temperate trees at the end of the growing season in response to environmental stressors, such as freezing temperatures. A common assumption is that a warmer climate would increase carbon capture, as well as photosynthesis, and allow leaves to persist until later in the fall.

However, the role of photosynthesis in the timing of the aging of leaves has not been widely tested in trees. To investigate, a team of researchers led by Deborah Zani used long-term observations from dominant Central European tree species from 1948 to 2015. The experts also designed experiments to modify the carbon uptake of temperate  trees to analyze how this may affect senescence. 

The analysis revealed that increased productivity during the growing season due to elevated carbon dioxide, temperature, or sunlight levels can lead to earlier leaf senescence. According to the researchers, this is likely because roots and wood cease to use or store leaf-captured carbon at some point, which makes leaves costly to keep. 

The study authors said the results substantially lower their expectations of the extent to which longer growing seasons will increase seasonal carbon uptake in forests, though the universality of this pattern in other forest types remains unknown. 

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

Temperate trees will soon lose their leaves earlier in the season

In recent decades, global warming has caused temperate trees to...

An abrupt shift in the climate over inner East Asia may lead to a tipping point that pushes Mongolia into a permanently dry and barren region. Researchers at <a href="https://www.usu.edu/">Utah State University</a> warn that heatwaves and concurrent <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/corn-yields-in-the-u-s-have-become-more-sensitive-to-drought/">droughts</a> have increased significantly during the past two decades in a "vicious cycle," where a lack of soil moisture produces more heatwaves.

The scientists used tree ring data to examine the past climate from before weather conditions were documented. The researchers acquired heatwave and soil moisture records, which indicate that the recent back-to-back years of record high temperatures and droughts are unparalleled in more than 250 years.

According to the study, soil drying has contributed to record high temperatures in the region, and the compounding effects are intensifying a lack of soil moisture. "The result is more heatwaves, which means more soil water losses, which means more heatwaves - and where this might end, we cannot say," said Deliang Chen.

When soil contains moisture, evaporation cools the air at the surface. But when the soil is dry, heat is directly transferred into the air.

The study authors said that in the past 260 years, only recent decades "show significant anticorrelation between heatwave frequency and soil moisture, alongside a radical decline in soil moisture fluctuation." 

According to the experts, a series of recent heatwaves in Europe and North America indicate that the semi-arid climate of this region has now entered a new regime. 

Lakes across the Mongolian Plateau are rapidly shrinking and disappearing. By 2014, Chinese researchers had documented a 26-percent decrease in the number of lakes greater than one square kilometer in size, and they found an even larger decline in the size of the region's largest lakes.

"Now we are seeing that it isn't just large bodies of water that are disappearing," said study co-author Jee-Hoon Jeong of Chonnam National University in South Korea. "The water in the soil is vanishing, too."

"This may be devastating for the region's ecosystem which is critical for the large herbivores, like wild sheep, antelope and camels. These amazing animals already live on the edge, and these impacts of climate change may push them over," explained study lead author Peng Zhang of the University of Gothenburg.

Daniel Griffin is an expert in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Society at the University of Minnesota. Upon reviewing the study, he said that the long-term perspective from these tree-ring records illustrates a nuanced picture of the changing climate that is now afflicting large swaths of the inner East Asia region.

"It is one thing to recognize that the 'normal' climate conditions are changing. However, what concerns me the most is thinking about the extreme events of the future: how severe might those become?"

"And if the 'new normal' is extremely hot and dry by historical standards, then future extremes may well be unlike anything previously witnessed," said Griffin.

The warming trends in Mongolia and its surrounding countries are particularly interesting to climate scientists because this region of East Asia is directly linked to global atmospheric circulations.

"Summer atmospheric waves tend to create a high-pressure ridge pattern around Mongolia that can persist for weeks, triggering heatwaves," explained Simon Wang of Utah State University. "The warming climate is amplifying these atmospheric waves, increasing the chance of prolonged or intensified high-pressure to occur over Mongolia and this can also have ramifications across the Northern hemisphere."

"Such large-scale atmospheric force is further amplified by local interactions with the land surface," said Hyungjun Kim of the University of Tokyo. "An even worse problem may have already occurred in which an irreversible feedback loop is triggered and is accelerating the region toward a hotter and drier future."

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

East Asia may be permanently locked into hotter and drier climate

An abrupt shift in the climate over inner East Asia...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> confirms that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/grasslands-play-a-major-role-in-mitigating-climate-change/">climate</a> change is disproportionately impacting different parts of the world. Across the world's arid regions, the researchers discovered a concerning pattern, with less vegetation appearing in developing countries and more appearing in wealthier countries.

"We observe a clear trend of arid areas developing in a negative direction in the most economically challenged countries. Here, it is apparent that the growth of vegetation has become increasingly decoupled from the water resources available and that there is simply less vegetation in relation to the amount of rainfall. The opposite is the case in the wealthiest countries," said study co-author Professor Rasmus Fensholt. 

Over 40 percent of the world's ecosystems are arid and this percentage is expected to increase in the coming decades. In these dry areas, vegetation and other wildlife have adapted to survive with only scarce amounts of water, but they are also extremely vulnerable to climate change.

The researchers analyzed 15 years of satellite observations of vegetation and rainfall. To compare the evolution of vegetation in dry regions on a global scale, the team produced a calculation that accounts for the uneven distribution of rainfall. 

"Here, our results demonstrate that in arid regions, particularly those in Africa and Asia, less vegetation grows for the amount of rainwater that falls, while more vegetation grows in arid areas of South America and Australia," said study lead author Christin Abel.

The experts noted that there could be several explanations for why climate change and rising global temperatures are impacting vegetation in arid regions of the world's poorest countries, with rapid population growth being the most obvious. In Africa, for example, using unsuitable land for agriculture produces lower yields and puts increasing pressure on ecosystems that are already stressed.

In wealthier countries, arid regions are much better equipped to face climate change. There are more economic resources to support efficient systems for irrigation and fertilization to maintain large farms.

For the poorest areas of the world, the future trends are only going to get worse. As the arid regions expand, and vegetation becomes less abundant, there could be major food shortages and growing numbers of climate refugees.

Satellite imagery has actually shown that the world's arid regions have become greener in recent years, but the amount of vegetation that is appearing in developing countries does not match the amount of rainfall.

"We have been pleased to see that, for a number of years, vegetation has been on an upwards trend in arid regions," said Professor Fensholt. "But if we dig only a tiny bit deeper and look at how successfully precipitation has translated into vegetation, then climate change seems to be hitting unevenly, which is troubling."

"One consequence of declining vegetation in the world's poorer arid regions areas may be an increase in climate refugees from various African countries. According to what we've seen in this study, there is no indication that the problem will diminish in the future."

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

Less vegetation is appearing in countries that need it most

A new study from the University of Copenhagen confirms that...

Cooking with biomass fuels like wood or dried vegetation is hazardous to lung health, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the <a href="https://www.rsna.org/">Radiological Society of North America</a> (RSNA). Advanced imaging with CT scans revealed that breathing the concentrated <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/honey-trace-environmental-pollutants/">pollutants</a> released by burning biomass can cause considerable lung damage. 

About three billion people all over the world cook with biomass, and pollutants from cooking are linked to an estimated four million deaths a year.

Study co-author Abhilash Kizhakke Puliyakote is a postdoctoral researcher at the <a href="https://medschool.ucsd.edu/Pages/default.aspx">UC San Diego School of Medicine</a>.

"It is important to detect, understand and reverse the early alterations that develop in response to chronic exposures to biomass fuel emissions," said Dr. Puliyakote.

The research was focused on the impact of pollutants among 23 individuals who cook with either liquefied petroleum gas or wood biomass in Thanjavur, India. The experts measured the concentrations of pollutants in the homes, and tested the lung function of the participants.

The analysis showed that individuals who cooked with wood biomass were exposed to higher concentrations of pollutants and bacterial endotoxins compared to liquefied petroleum gas users. The participants who used wood in the kitchen were also found to have a much greater risk of air trapping, an abnormal retention of air in the lungs that is associated with lung diseases.

"Air trapping happens when a part of the lung is unable to efficiently exchange air with the environment, so the next time you breathe in, you're not getting enough oxygen into that region and eliminating carbon dioxide," said Dr. Puliyakote. "That part of the lung has impaired gas exchange."

The researchers identified a smaller subset of biomass users who had very high levels of air trapping - even compared to other biomass users. Among one-third of the individuals classified in this group, more than half of the air they inhaled ended up trapped in their lungs.

"This increased sensitivity in a subgroup is also seen in other studies on tobacco smokers, and there may be a genetic basis that predisposes some individuals to be more susceptible to their environment," said Dr. Puliyakote. She noted that the CT scans provided important details about the effects of biomass smoke on the lungs that were underestimated by conventional tests.

"The extent of damage from biomass fuels is not really well captured by traditional tests. You need more advanced, sensitive techniques like CT imaging. The key advantage to using imaging is that it's so sensitive that you can detect subtle, regional changes before they progress to full blown disease, and you can follow disease progression over short periods of time."

According to Dr. Puliyakote, the lack of emphysema in the study group suggests that exposure to biomass smoke is affecting the small airways in the lungs, but more research is needed to understand the disease process. "For people exposed to biomass smoke for any extended duration, it is critical to have a complete assessment of lung function by health care professionals to ensure that any potential injury can be resolved with appropriate interventions," said Dr. Puliyakote.

The findings have important implications for exposure to biomass smoke from other sources, such as wildfires.

"In conjunction with the increasing prevalence of biomass smoke due to wildfires in the U.S., this study can provide valuable insights regarding similar study designs serving to understand what is certain to be a growing assault on lung health."

The research was presented at RSNA 2020, the 106th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting. 

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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

Cooking with wood can cause lung damage

Cooking with biomass fuels like wood or dried vegetation is...

The restoration of degraded grasslands can mitigate the impacts of climate change, replenish soil organic <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/warming-of-2c-would-unleash-230-billions-tons-of-soil-carbon/">carbon</a> (SOC), and increase biodiversity, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.cabi.org/">CABI</a>. A team of Kenyan and Swiss scientists investigated how grasslands are affected by restoration, as well as by the invasive alien tree species Prosopis julifora in Baringo County, Kenya.

"The importance of managing grasslands to optimize carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation is widely recognized. Soils are the largest terrestrial carbon reservoir containing more carbon than the vegetation and the atmosphere combined," said study lead author Purity Rima Mbaabu.

"Yet, soil organic carbon, which makes up about two thirds of global soil carbon, is sensitive to land degradation with significant negative consequences for soil quality and productivity and an exacerbation of greenhouse gas emissions."

The researchers found that grassland deterioration in Baringo County has led to a 40-percent decrease in soil organic carbon, which supports the structure of soil and improves its water holding capacity. As the landscape loses SOC, it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This means that grassland degradation significantly contributes to climate change.

The study also revealed that three decades of grassland restoration greatly enhanced herbaceous biomass and replenished soil organic carbon to a depth of one meter at a rate of 1.4 percent. The invasion of  P. julifora was found to boost soil organic carbon toward the surface, yet suppressed herbaceous vegetation.

Grasslands make up 40 percent of the Earth's natural vegetation and contain a substantial amount of the world's soil organic carbon. They host a large variety of plants and animals, while supporting the livelihoods of over one billion people worldwide.

Despite their enormous value, grasslands are severely threatened by degradation, development, and invasive species like P. julifora - which has wiped out more than 30 percent of grasslands in Baringo County.

"Halting and reversing land degradation and restoring degraded soils and their associated services in rangelands is essential for climate change mitigation and for ensuring resilient agro-ecological systems that underpin sustainable rural livelihoods and that meet medium to long-term sustainable development objectives such as the 2030 global sustainable development goals (SDGs) and Africa's Agenda 2063," said Professor Daniel Olago from the Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation. "The current choices on how to manage our soil resources will have wide-ranging consequences for human wellbeing for generations to come."

"Our results provide evidence that the replenishment of the soil organic carbon stocks through restoration of degraded grasslands can be achieved within 20-30 years and does not lead to multiple trade-offs with fodder for livestock and other ecosystem services," said Dr. Urs Schaffner of CABI's Swiss Centre in Delémont.

"The extent to which grassland restoration will increase primary productivity and soil organic carbon, however, will depend on socio-economic factors including land tenure systems and enforcement of land use rights affecting the level and type of grazing management."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep">Scientific Reports</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

Grasslands play a major role in mitigating climate change

The restoration of degraded grasslands can mitigate the impacts of...

A new study from <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a> describes how changes in the Antarctic ice sheet are interconnected with melting ice sheets on the other side of the globe. The experts report that ice sheets located thousands of kilometers apart have influenced one another through <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/beaches-with-space-to-migrate-will-survive-rising-sea-levels/">sea level</a> changes over the last 40,000 years.

The study reveals, for the first time, that  changes in the Antarctic ice sheet during the most recent glacial cycle were driven by melting ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere.

Computer modeling showed that during the last Ice Age, water became locked up in land ice in the Northern Hemisphere. This led to a substantial decline in Antarctic sea levels. As the climate warmed, however, melting ice in the Northern Hemisphere led to rising water levels around Antarctica, which then caused the Antarctic ice sheet to retreat.

"Ice sheets can influence each other over great distances due to the water that flows between them," said study senior author Natalya Gomez. "It's as though they were talking to one another through sea level changes."

"Polar ice sheets are not just large, static mounds of ice. They evolve on various different time scales and are in constant flux, with the ice growing and retreating depending on the climate and the surrounding water levels. They gain ice as snow piles up on top of them, then spread outwards under their own weight, and stream out into the surrounding ocean where their edges break off into icebergs."

For the investigation, the researchers combined numerical modeling with a wide range of geological records, from Antarctic sediment cores to records of past shorelines. This data allowed the team to simultaneously simulate changes in the ice and sea levels across both hemispheres over the past 40,000 years, which is a time frame that covers the climate leading up to the peak of the last Ice Age all the way to the present. 

The records indicate that there were significant losses from the Antarctic ice sheet during this period, with sporadic points of acceleration. The only mechanism that could be responsible, according to the experts, were the sea level changes in Antarctica caused by changes to the ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere.

"We found a very variable signal of ice-mass loss over the last 20,000 years, left behind by icebergs breaking off Antarctica and melting down in the surrounding oceans," said study co-author Michael Weber. "This evidence could hardly be reconciled with existing models until we accounted for how the ice sheets in both hemispheres interact with one another across the globe."

"The scale and complexity of ice sheets and the oceans, and the secrets of the Earth's past climate that are locked up in the geological record are fascinating and inspiring," said Gomez. "Our results highlight how interconnected the Earth system is, with changes in one part of the planet driving changes in another. In the modern era, we haven't seen the kind of large ice sheet retreat that we might see in our future warming world. Looking to records and models of changes in Earth's history can inform us about this."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</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

Antarctic ice sheet is controlled by weather in the Northern Hemisphere

A new study from McGill University describes how changes in...

During the worst fire year on record in the United States, scientists are working to understand how wildfires affect interactions between plants and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/migratory-animals-develop-faster-and-die-younger-than-their-relatives/">animals</a>. 
A study based in the northern Rocky Mountains has revealed that the codependency of flowering plants and their pollinators serves as the strongest indicator of which species will be present across burned landscapes.
Study co-author Jonathan Myers is an associate professor of Biology at <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University</a>.

"A large number of studies have looked at how fire affects plants, or how fire affects animals. But what is largely understudied is the question of how fire affects both, and about how linkages within those ecological networks might respond to fire disturbance," said Professor Myers.

The researchers discovered that plant-pollinator interactions are the best predictors of species diversity after a wildfire disturbance. The study showed that following a wildfire, the influence of plants on pollinator diversity increased by up to four times. In addition, the influence of pollinators on plant composition nearly doubled.

"Clearly, pollinators perform a valuable ecosystem service for humans by pollinating all our crops. In intact natural ecosystems, they perform an equally valuable service," said study first author Professor Joseph LaManna of Marquette University, first author of the study. 

"What we are seeing is that plant and pollinator linkages become even more important in disturbed or burned landscapes. These connections are important for restoring ecosystems in which natural wildfire regimes have been altered or suppressed by human activities."

"And as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of wildfires, the potential for biodiversity loss - for losses of individual plant or pollinator species - is going to be even more profound than we anticipated."

Study co-author Laura Burkle at Montana State University surveyed plants and pollinators at 152 sites in Montana, which included plots with no recent wildfire, mixed-severity wildfire, and high-severity wildfire. The data was analyzed in collaboration with The Wilderness Society.

Throughout the sites, the number of individual bees, flies, butterflies, and flowering plants were found to be higher in parts of the landscape that had burned compared to those that had not burned. The experts report that these increases were greater in areas that had experienced mixed-severity wildfire, which leaves some vegetation intact.

"Oftentimes, the public perception about fire in general is that it is bad. But it was impressive how much higher the abundances of both plants and pollinators were -- as well as the number of species -- in the burned landscapes compared with the unburned landscapes," said Professor Myers.

While the study shows how fire can benefit plant and pollinator diversity, the outcome is not the same for high-severity burns that eliminate important landscape features that pollinators require. Pollinator populations are declining in the northern Rockies and across the globe. 

"Thanks to this project, we now have very in-depth knowledge of local pollinator communities, especially the bee communities," said Burkle. "One of the benefits of these data is to be able to provide expert knowledge about declining pollinator species and species of concern, like the Western Bumble Bee (Bombus occidentalis), which is currently being considered for federal listing under the Endangered Species Act."

"When we think about patterns of biodiversity across space, we typically consider different groups of species separately. In our case, we might consider patterns of plant diversity separately from patterns of pollinator diversity. But our study provides solid evidence that - above and beyond the influence of disturbances like wildfires - the relationships that plants have with pollinators are strong contributors to these patterns of biodiversity."

"This means that biotic interactions among species are important and will need to be considered more explicitly in conservation actions, like plans for species range shifts with climate change."

The study is published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652745">Journal 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

Plant and pollinator connections become stronger after wildfires

During the worst fire year on record in the United...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

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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

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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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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



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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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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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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