Farming in ways that support nature can pay off - not just for the environment, but for crops too. That’s the takeaway from a new study that tested how different methods of agroecological farming perform on real working farms in England. 



The study showed that adding simple nature-friendly features like wildflower margins and organic matter improved biodiversity and led to stronger crop performance.



But there’s a catch: to make these methods financially viable on a large scale, many farmers may need more government support.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-real-farms-real-results">Real farms, real results</h2>



The research team, based at the <a href="https://www.ceh.ac.uk/">UK Centre for Ecology &amp; Hydrology</a> and Rothamsted Research, ran a four-year study across 17 commercial farms in southern England. This was the first time anyone tested both the ecological and financial impacts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sustainable-farming-is-good-for-farmers-well-being/">agroecological</a> practices at this scale in the UK.



The researchers didn’t just run lab trials. The researchers partnered directly with farmers to design and carry out real-world experiments, testing three types of farming systems side by side.



The first was a business-as-usual approach, using standard intensive methods without any nature-friendly additions. 



The second, called the enhanced ecological system, introduced wildflower field margins to support pollinators and other beneficial insects, along with overwinter cover crops to protect and enrich the soil. 



The third was the maximized ecological system, which built on the enhanced version by adding wildflower strips within the fields - essentially creating insect “runways” - and using farmyard <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/beer-byproducts-and-manure-used-to-increase-crop-yields/">manure</a> to improve soil health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-bugs-better-soil-higher-yields">More bugs, better soil, higher yields</h2>



The results were clear. The farms that adopted enhanced or maximized ecological methods saw an increase in beneficial species. 



Earthworms, bees, hoverflies, ladybirds, spiders, and lacewings were all more abundant. These helped reduce crop pests like aphids and snails.



That’s not all. The flowering crops - like oilseed rape - produced more seeds thanks to better pollination. The soils held more carbon. And overall, the yields went up.



Even with a little land taken out of production to make room for habitats, the gains in crop health and pollination made a difference. The enhanced ecological system was just as profitable as conventional farming - but only because of current government subsidies.



The maximized system delivered even stronger environmental and yield benefits. But it was more expensive to implement. 



Without more support, most farms would not find it financially competitive. Some farms, especially mixed ones that already have manure on hand, might fare better. But others would struggle without extra help.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-profit-meets-sustainability">Profit meets sustainability</h2>



Dr. Ben Woodcock, one of the study’s lead scientists from the UK Centre for Ecology &amp; Hydrology, elaborated on the research.



“Without the introduction of new financial incentives, many farmers will be deterred from adopting agroecological farming practices and systems. This could leave them locked into high input, intensive farming systems and more exposed to the impacts of pesticide resistance, declining soil health and climate change."



According to Dr. Woodcock, while farmers run businesses that need to be profitable, there is an increasing awareness that more sustainable systems can help "future-proof" their farms in terms of soil health, less reliance on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pesticides-attack-bees-in-multiple-ways-throughout-the-body/">pesticides</a> and climate change.



“Agroecological methods are good for biodiversity, food security, and, in the long-term, provide more secure farm incomes but habitats can take several years to establish, so agri-environment subsidies are essential to helping farmers transition to these more sustainable systems.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-support-for-greener-farming">Support for greener farming</h2>



The researchers believe that showcasing these successful results could help convince more farmers to make the switch. It’s about breaking the cycle of intensive practices that keep farms dependent on chemical inputs and vulnerable to environmental changes.



Professor Jonathan Storkey, an ecologist at Rothamsted Research, said the study confirmed that managing land on farms for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/farming-for-wildlife-how-traditional-practices-can-protect-nature/">wildlife</a> is not in direct conflict with food security but can support sustainable production by increasing yields and reducing pest pressure. 



"These ‘ecosystem services’ could potentially substitute for chemical fertilizers and pesticides which negatively impact the environment," said Professor Storkey. 



“However, our analysis has shown that realizing these benefits will require additional support for farm businesses that currently operate on very narrow profit margins. As input costs increase, however, these agroecological approaches may become more attractive.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-training-makes-a-difference">Training makes a difference</h2>



The quality of nature-friendly measures also depends on how well they’re implemented, and training helps.



Earlier research from the UK Centre for Ecology &amp; Hydrology showed that when farmers receive proper guidance on creating and managing wildlife habitats, those habitats do a much better job of supporting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-pollinators-boost-the-nutritional-value-of-crops/">pollinators</a> and pest-controlling insects.



Field margins and wildflower strips may seem like simple changes, but getting them right requires different thinking than managing crops. The better these habitats are planned and maintained, the more they deliver.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growing-green-nationwide">Growing green, nationwide</h2>



Nature-friendly farming isn’t just about doing good for the environment - it can also help farms thrive. But making the switch isn’t free, and for many farmers, the numbers have to work. 



That’s where targeted subsidies and support come in. The research shows what’s possible. Now, the question is how to make it doable for more farms across the country.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.70079">Journal of Applied Ecology</a>.



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Eco-friendly farms can succeed - but they need support

Farming in ways that support nature can pay off - not just for the environment, but for crops too. That’s the takeaway from a new study that tested how different methods of agroecological farming perform on real working farms in England. The study showed that adding simple nature-friendly features like wildflower margins and organic matter improved biodiversity and led to stronger crop performance. But there’s a catch: to make these methods financially viable on a large scale, many farmers may need more government support. Real farms, real...

A large genetic study has revealed that two distinct groups of humans settled in the Caribbean around 3,000 years apart. According to the <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/">Florida Museum of Natural History</a>, the first group was nearly wiped out after the arrival of the second wave of settlers by an unknown cause - possibly warfare or <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/bumblebees-in-low-quality-habitats-are-more-susceptible-to-disease/">disease</a>. 

For the investigation, an international team of researchers led by Harvard Medical School's Professor David Reich analyzed the genomes of 263 individuals. The study is the most comprehensive analysis of ancient human DNA in the Americas to date.

The experts developed a new genetic technique for estimating past population size. They found that there were far fewer native people in the Caribbean when Europeans arrived than previously thought. The research suggests that this number was likely in the tens of thousands, rather than the million or more described by Columbus.

Study co-senior author William Keegan has studied the history of the Caribbean for more than 40 years. He explained that ancient DNA offers a powerful new tool to help resolve longstanding debates, confirm theories, and explore remaining mysteries.

Keegan said the genetic research "moves our understanding of the Caribbean forward dramatically in one fell swoop," adding that the methods developed for the current study helped to address questions he didn't even know could be addressed.

The genetic evidence offers new insights into the settlement of the Caribbean. The islands' first inhabitants, a group of stone tool-users, boated to Cuba about 6,000 years ago. They gradually expanded eastward to other islands during the region's Archaic Age. 

While the first settlers are more closely related to Central and South Americans than to North Americans, their genetics do not match any particular Indigenous group and their origin is not clear. According to Keegan, similar artifacts were found in Belize and Cuba, indicating a Central American origin.

About 3,000 years later, a group of farmers and potters moved into the Caribbean from South America. After their arrival, the Caribbean transitioned into the Ceramic Age, which was marked by agriculture and widespread pottery production.

Over time, nearly all genetic traces of Archaic Age people vanished, with the exception of one community in western Cuba that persisted as late as the arrival of Europeans. Marriage between the two groups was rare - only three individuals in the study had mixed ancestry.

There is only marginal evidence of Archaic Age ancestry in modern individuals, while many present-day Cubans, Dominicans and Puerto Ricans are the descendants of Ceramic Age people. "That's a big mystery," said Keegan. "For Cuba, it's especially curious that we don't see more Archaic ancestry."

A study of male X chromosomes uncovered 19 pairs of "genetic cousins" living on different islands. These pairs represent people who share the same amount of DNA as biological cousins but may be separated by generations. In the most striking example, a man buried in the Bahamas was related to a man buried 600 miles away in the Dominican Republic.

"Showing relationships across different islands is really an amazing step forward," said Keegan, who added that shifting winds and currents can make passage between islands difficult. "I was really surprised to see these cousin pairings between islands."

Uncovering such a high proportion of genetic cousins in a sample of fewer than 100 men is another indicator that the region's total population size was small, said Professor Reich. "When you sample two modern individuals, you don't often find that they're close relatives. Here, we're finding relatives all over the place."

A technique developed by study co-author Harald Ringbauer used shared segments of DNA to estimate past population size. This technique could also be applied to future studies of ancient people. 

Ringbauer's method revealed that about 10,000 to 50,000 people were living on two of the Caribbean's largest islands, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, shortly before European arrival. This falls far short of the million inhabitants Columbus described to his patrons, likely to impress them, said Keegan.

In the 16th century, historian Bartolomé de las Casas claimed the region had been home to 3 million people before being decimated by European enslavement and disease. While this, too, was an exaggeration, the number of people who died as a result of colonization remains an atrocity, said Professor Reich.

"This was a systematic program of cultural erasure. The fact that the number was not 1 million or millions of people, but rather tens of thousands, does not make that erasure any less significant."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New details emerge about early humans in the Caribbean

A large genetic study has revealed that two distinct groups...

Bumblebees in low quality landscapes have higher levels of disease pathogens, according to a new study led by <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a>. Increased pathogen loads were also found among bumblebees in areas with higher numbers of managed honey bee hives.

The low quality habitats observed in the study were characterized by a relative lack of spring flowers and suitable nesting areas. 

The researchers explained that the findings can be used to inform management practices and support the conservation of bee species that provide essential pollination services in natural and agricultural ecosystems.

"Recent worldwide declines in wild and managed bee populations have been attributed to several factors," said study lead author D.J. McNeil. "For example, extensive habitat loss and degradation has led to a lack of flowers and nest sites, which in turn has contributed to the loss of wild bee abundance and diversity."

McNeil noted that more recently, some bee losses - especially among honey bees and bumblebees - have been blamed on rising levels of novel bee pathogens, perhaps exacerbated by other factors that weaken bee immunity or resistance.

"Many of the factors known to undermine bee health, such as poor nutrition or exposure to pesticides, can increase susceptibility to disease. Bees are more likely to be nutritionally deprived in landscapes with fewer and less diverse flowering plants, and poor nutrition can reduce the immune response and increase pathogen and parasite loads."

According to study co-author Professor Heather Hines, the incidence and loads of a particular pathogen or parasite in bee populations are likely influenced by the composition of bee communities as well. She explained that the incidence of viruses and parasites in wild bumble bees was higher in the presence of honey bee colonies, which often harbor higher loads of pathogens that are transmissible to native bees.

"Given all these interacting factors, disease prevalence and virulence can be challenging to predict in wild bee populations," said Professor Hines. "Our study is among the first to use data from a large geographic scale to evaluate the relative role of landscape features on the distribution and loads of key pathogens and parasites in wild bees."

The study was focused on the common eastern bumblebee. The team collected specimens from diverse sites across Pennsylvania, including 38 of the state's 67 counties.

The researchers screened for three pathogens known to infect bees: deformed wing virus, black queen cell virus, and Vairimorpha - a microsporidian parasite. They also looked for the expression of a gene that regulates immunity. 

Using statistical analysis techniques, the experts linked pathogen loads to several environmental stressors, including floral abundance, nesting habitat quality, insecticide loading, climate conditions, and interactions with managed honey bees.

The results indicate that bumblebees collected in low quality landscapes exhibited the highest pathogen loads, and the main drivers were spring floral resources and nesting habitat availability. The team also measured higher loads of bumblebee pathogens where honeybee apiaries were more abundant.

McNeil said results of the study highlight the need to maintain and create high quality landscapes, such as those with abundant floral and nesting resources, to support healthy wild bee populations. The findings also draw attention to the value of spring floral resources.

"Our results suggest that it may be possible to predict potential risks from pathogens and parasites based on these landscape indices, which can help inform decisions as to where habitat restoration and conservation practices should be applied," said McNeil. "This is particularly timely in light of widespread population declines in many insect groups, especially pollinators like bumblebees."

The researchers hope to incorporate this information into Beescape, an online tool that allows people across the United States to evaluate their landscape quality. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Bumblebees in low quality habitats are more susceptible to disease

Bumblebees in low quality landscapes have higher levels of disease...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.weizmann.ac.il/pages/">Weizmann Institute of Science</a>, researchers have discovered that microplastics are carried by the wind to remote parts of the ocean. The tiny plastic particles get swept up into the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/artificially-cooling-atmosphere-geoengineering/">atmosphere</a> where they can remain airborne for hours or days. 

Through this process, microplastics have even more opportunity to invade the marine environment and work their way into the food chain.

 "A handful of studies have found microplastics in the atmosphere right above the water near shorelines," says Dr. Miri Trainic. "But we were surprised to find a non-trivial amount above seemingly pristine water."

The Weizmann team has been working for years to understand the interface between ocean and air. Many studies have investigated how materials from the atmosphere are absorbed by the ocean, but few have been focused on the phenomenon which occurs in the opposite direction. In a process known as aerosolization, viruses, algal fragments, and other particles are swept up into the atmosphere from seawater.

During a 2016 expedition, the researchers collected aerosol samples over the North Atlantic Ocean. It was challenging to identify and quantify the microplastic bits trapped in the aerosol samples, so the team used an advanced method known as Raman spectroscopy.

The analysis revealed high levels of common plastics such as polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene in the samples. By calculating the shape and mass of the microplastic particles, as well as the average wind direction and speed, the experts determined that the source of the microplastics was likely to be plastic bags and other waste that had been discarded near the shore and entered the ocean hundreds of kilometers away.

When the researchers checked the seawater beneath the sample sites, they found the same types of plastic that were found in the aerosol samples. This suggests that microplastics enter the atmosphere through bubbles on the ocean surface or are picked up by the wind before traveling to remote parts of the ocean.

"Once microplastics are in the atmosphere, they dry out, and they are exposed to UV light and atmospheric components with which they interact chemically," said Dr. Trainic. "That means the particles that fall back into the ocean are likely to be even more harmful or toxic than before to any marine life that ingests them."

"On top of that, some of these plastics become scaffolds for bacterial growth for all kinds of marine bacteria, so airborne plastic could be offering a free ride to some species, including pathogenic bacteria that are harmful to marine life and humans," explained Professor Assaf Vardi.

According to Dr. Trainic, the real amount of microplastic in the ocean aerosols is almost certainly greater than what the measurements showed, because the tests were not designed to detect particles below a few micrometers in size. "For example, in addition to plastics that break down into even smaller pieces, there are the nanoparticles that are added to cosmetics and which are easily washed into the ocean, or are formed in the ocean through microplastic fragmentation."

Smaller plastic particles are not only likely to stay airborne for longer, but are also more likely to be consumed by small marine animals. This plastic cannot be digested, which means that every single particle has the potential to harm a marine organism or to work its way up the food chain to humans. "Last, but not least, like all aerosols, microplastics become part of the large planetary cycles - for example, carbon and oxygen - as they interact with other parts of the atmosphere," said Professor Ilan Koren. "Because they are both lightweight and long-lived, we will be seeing more microplastics transported in the air as the plastics that are already polluting our oceans break up - even if we do not add any further plastics to our waterways."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/commsenv">Communications Earth and Environment</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Microplastics travel by wind to remote parts of the ocean

In a new study from the Weizmann Institute of Science,...

In a new study from <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a>, researchers are describing a previously unknown flower species that dates back 100 million years. The analysis of a well-preserved specimen, which is encased in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ancient-marine-organisms-amber/">amber</a>, is also shedding new light on the breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana. 

Study lead author Professor George Poinar is an international expert in using plant and animal life forms preserved in amber to learn more about the biology and ecology of the distant past.

"This isn't quite a Christmas flower but it is a beauty, especially considering it was part of a forest that existed 100 million years ago," said Professor Poinar.

"The male flower is tiny, about 2 millimeters across, but it has some 50 stamens arranged like a spiral, with anthers pointing toward the sky."

A stamen consists of an anther, which produces pollen, and a stalk that connects the anther to the flower.

"Despite being so small, the detail still remaining is amazing," said Professor Poinar. "Our specimen was probably part of a cluster on the plant that contained many similar flowers, some possibly female."

The flower has an egg-shaped, hollow floral cup. This is the part of the flower from which the stamens emerge. The cup contains an outer layer consisting of six petal-like components known as tepals, and two-chamber anthers with elaborate pollen sacs.

In collaboration with experts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Professor Poinar and his team named the new flower Valviloculus pleristaminis. Valva is the Latin term for the leaf on a folding door, loculus means compartment, plerus refers to many, and staminis represents the dozens of male sex organs found on the flower.

The specimen was sealed in amber on the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana during the mid-Cretaceous period. Then, the specimen was carried on a continental plate across 4,000 miles of ocean from Australia to Southeast Asia, said Professor Poinar.

It has been a mystery to geologists when this chunk of land - known as the West Burma Block - broke away from Gondwana. While some believe it was 200 million years ago; others believe it was around 500 million years ago.

Since angiosperms only evolved and diversified about 100 million years ago, the West Burma Block could not have broken off from Gondwana before then, explained Professor Poinar. This is much later than the dates that were previously predicted.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.brit.org/journal-botanical-research-institute-texas">Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists describe a flower that lived 100 million years ago

In a new study from Oregon State University, researchers are...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.hyms.ac.uk/">Hull York Medical School</a> analyzed more than 50 studies conducted between 2014 and 2020 to investigate the amount of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/microplastic-pollution-causes-deformities-in-sea-urchins/">microplastics</a> in fish and shellfish. The analysis revealed that mollusks such as oysters and clams have the highest levels of microplastic contamination.

"No-one yet fully understands the full impact of microplastics on the human body, but early evidence from other studies suggest they do cause harm," said study co-author Evangelos Danopoulos.

"A critical step in understanding the full impact on human consumption is in first fully establishing what levels of microplastics humans are ingesting. We can start to do this by looking at how much seafood and fish is eaten and measuring the amount of MPs in these creatures."

The researchers determined that microplastic content was as high as 10.5 microplastics per gram (MPs/g) in mollusks, 8.6 MPs/g in crustaceans, and up to 2.9 MPs/g in fish.

Consumption data shows that China, Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States are the largest consumers of mollusks, followed by Europe and the UK.

Among the mollusks examined for the study, those collected off the coast of Asia were the most heavily contaminated. This indicates that waters surrounding Asia are more heavily polluted by plastic.

"Microplastics have been found in various parts of organisms such as the intestines and the liver," said Danopoulos. "Seafood species like oysters, mussels and scallops are consumed whole whereas in larger fish and mammals only parts are consumed. Therefore, understanding the microplastic contamination of specific body parts, and their consumption by humans, is key."

By 2060, the amount of plastic waste produced annually is expected to triple to up to 265 million metric tons per year. Once the plastic makes its way into the ocean, it has the potential to be consumed by fish and marine mammals.

According to the researchers, more data is needed from different parts of the world to understand how the issue varies between different oceans, seas, and waterways.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/">Environmental Health Perspectives</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mollusks contain high levels of microplastics

Researchers at Hull York Medical School analyzed more than 50...

In a new study from <a href="https://plos.org/">PLOS</a>, researchers set out to investigate the effects of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plants-are-losing-their-ability-to-help-mitigate-climate-change/">climate</a> change on bunchgrass prairies. Focusing on the National Bison Range in Montana, the experts found that dramatic seasonal changes are the biggest threat to the long-term survival of bunchgrass prairies.

Intermountain bunchgrass prairies are some of the most endangered ecosystems in North America. These prairies now cover less than one percent of the area they once covered. 

Over the past century, bunchgrass prairies have become hotter and drier, and this trend will persist alongside human-driven climate change. 

Based on 40 years of monitoring, the experts determined that annual climate trends are not as damaging to prairies as intense seasonal changes, especially hotter summers.

The researchers analyzed multiple observations of plant growth and production, abundances of different plant species, and availability of nitrogen to produce a 40-year timeline of ecosystem changes across the National Bison Range.

The analysis showed that annual temperatures increased as precipitation declined in the prairie, which made the region more susceptible to fire. 

The researchers were surprised to find that the amount of plant material produced every year increased by 110 percent. This boost in annual above-ground plant production was associated with increased precipitation and cooler temperatures during the important growing period of late May through June.

However, there were also some major changes in plant composition across the prairie, including 108 percent more invasive species. The non-native species with higher drought tolerance were the most favored overall. 

There were also other ecosystem changes that followed seasonal climate trends - instead of annual trends. For example, summer temperatures were higher than what was expected based on annual trends.

Hotter summers are turning grasslands brown earlier in the year and making it more difficult for plants to resume production in the fall. 

According to the study authors, intermountain bunchgrass prairie could be morphing into a previously unknown type of grassland.

"Forecasting climate change effects on plant production based on expected average annual increased temperature and decreased precipitation may not be appropriate, because seasonal climate changes may be more important and may not follow average annual expectations," said study co-author Dr. Gary Belovsky.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">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

Hotter summers are transforming endangered bunchgrass prairies

In a new study from PLOS, researchers set out to...

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mysterious-and-deadly-dolphin-disease-has-been-linked-to-climate-change/">climate</a> crisis is not just causing sea levels to rise, but is also causing water levels in many lakes to fall. The consequences of shrinking lakes are just as serious as those associated with sea level rise, but are receiving far less attention.

Study lead author Dr. Matthias Prange is a senior research scientist in the <a href="https://www.bodc.ac.uk/resources/inventories/edmed/org/1568/">MARUM Cen­ter for Mar­ine En­vir­on­mental Sci­ences</a> at the Uni­versity of Bre­men.

"The Caspian Sea can be viewed as representative of many other lakes in the world. Many people are not even aware that an inland lake is dramatically shrinking due to climate change, as our models indicate," said Dr. Prange. 

Reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have failed to mention declining waters levels in lakes, and have disregarded the critical impacts of global warming on the affected regions. 

"This has to change. We need more studies and a better understanding of the consequences of global warming in this region." 

According to the researchers, the goal must be to raise awareness of the consequences of climate change for inland seas and lakes so that appropriate strategies can be developed.

The Caspian Sea is the largest lake on the planet. It is referred to as a "sea" due to its large size and relatively high salinity. However, the lake's largest inflow is the Volga River and it has no natural connection to the ocean. 

The water level of the Caspian Sea is determined by inflow, precipitation, and evaporation. Rising temperatures bring about an increase in evaporation, which causes the water level to decline.

The Caspian Sea is an important regional water reservoir, biological resources center, and commercial hub that is bordered by Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia. The researchers report that the water level could fall by 9 to 18 meters during this century, depending on the extent of future global warming. 

"This would affect not only the biodiversity, various species, and habitats that would disappear. The economies of all the bordering countries would be impacted, including harbors, fisheries and fish farming." 

The study authors propose that the Caspian Sea should be used as an example in scientific research to assess the vulnerability of certain regions to falling water levels. They also recommend the creation of a global task force to develop and coordinate mitigation strategies. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/commsenv">Communications Earth and Environment</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lake levels are falling as temperatures rise

The climate crisis is not just causing sea levels to...

Is it possible that the world could be powered by 100 percent renewable energy? A new study from <a href="https://www.tcd.ie/">Trinity College Dublin</a> has shown that it is theoretically possible, but would require a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-window-to-avoid-dangerous-global-warming-is-narrowing/">global</a> effort. 

Led by Professor James Ward from the University of South Australia, the researchers investigated what changes are needed in our energy sources, as well as in our energy consumption, to achieve 100 percent renewability in a way that supports all of the planet.

"We present an alternative approach to estimating the spatial footprint of energy consumption, as this represents a major fraction of the ecological footprint (EF)," explained the study authors. "Rather than depicting the current lack of sustainability that comes from estimating a footprint based on uptake of carbon emissions, our proposed 'Renewable Energy Equivalent Footprint' (REEF) instead depicts a hypothetical world in which the electricity and fuel demands are met entirely from renewable energy." 

According to the researchers, the analysis shows that current human energy demands could theoretically be met by renewable energy and remain within the biocapacity of one planet. 

"However, with current technology there is no margin to leave any biocapacity for nature, leading to the investigation of two additional scenarios: radical electrification of the energy supply, assuming 75% of final energy demand can be met with electricity, and adopting technology in which electricity is used to convert atmospheric gases into synthetic fuel." 

The research raises important questions about the potential conflict between land demands for renewable fuel production.

"Firstly, the high fuel needs of today's high-income countries would have to be reduced as it would require an unsustainably vast amount of land to be covered with biomass plantations if we were to produce enough fuel to satisfy the same levels," explained study co-author Luca Coscieme.

"Additionally, our research shows that we would need to radically 'electrify' the energy supply of such countries - including Ireland - with the assumption that these changes could supply 75% of society's final energy demands. We would also need to adopt technology in which electricity is used to convert atmospheric gases into synthetic fuels."

"We very much hope that the approach designed in this research will inform our vision of sustainable futures and also guide national planning by contextualising energy needs within the broader consumption patterns we see in other countries with energy and forest product consumption profiles that - if adopted worldwide - could theoretically be met by high-tech renewably derived fuels. Countries such as Argentina, Cyprus, Greece, Portugal and Spain are great examples in this regard."

"Even so, the success of this green ideal will be highly dependent on major future technological developments, in the efficiency of electrification and in producing and refining new synthetic fuels. Such a scenario is still likely to require the use of a substantial - albeit hopefully sustainable - fraction of the world's forest areas."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/energies">Energies</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth could be powered entirely by renewable energy

Is it possible that the world could be powered by...

Since the end of the last glacial period, subsea permafrost has been thawing beneath the Arctic Ocean. A new study led by PhD candidate Sara Sayedi and senior researcher Dr. Ben Abbott at <a href="https://www.byu.edu/">Brigham Young University</a> (BYU) estimates that this subsea permafrost region currently traps 60 billion tons of methane and 560 billion tons of organic carbon in sediment and soil, but the precise amounts of carbon remain highly uncertain.
While it is known that this carbon is already being released from the subsea permafrost, it is not clear whether this is a natural response to deglaciation or if human-caused warming is accelerating the rate of emissions.

"Subsea permafrost is really unique because it is still responding to a dramatic climate transition from more than ten thousand years ago," said Sayedi. "In some ways, it can give us a peek into the possible response of permafrost that is thawing today because of human activity."

The researchers determined that the subsea permafrost region currently releases approximately 140 million tons of CO2 and 5.3 million tons of methane each year. Rather than an abrupt release of these greenhouse gases, the experts predict a gradual increase in emissions from subsea permafrost over the next 300 years.

"These results are important because they indicate a substantial but slow climate feedback," said Sayedi. "Some coverage of this region has suggested that human emissions could trigger catastrophic release of methane hydrates, but our study suggests a gradual increase over many decades."

The BYU team collaborated with permafrost researchers from all over the world organized by the Permafrost Carbon Network (PCN), which is supported by the National Science Foundation.

The experts found that if human-caused climate change continues at the current rate, the release of methane and CO2 from subsea permafrost could increase substantially. For example, under a business-as-usual scenario, warming subsea permafrost will release four times more CO2 and methane compared to a scenario which limits global warming to two degrees Celsius.

Even though the climate feedback is expected to be relatively slow, subsea permafrost is not accounted for in any current climate agreements. Sayedi emphasized that there is still a large amount of uncertainty about subsea permafrost and that additional research is needed.

"Compared to how important subsea permafrost could be for future climate, we know shockingly little about this ecosystem," said Sayedi. "We need more sediment and soil samples, as well as a better monitoring network to detect when greenhouse gas release responds to current warming and just how quickly this giant pool of carbon will wake from its frozen slumber."

"I think there are three important messages from this study," said Dr. Abbott. "First, subsea permafrost is probably not a climate time bomb on a hair trigger. Second, subsea permafrost is a potentially large climate feedback that needs to be considered in climate negotiations. Third, there is still a huge amount that we don't know about this system. We really need additional research, including international collaboration across northern countries and research disciplines."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326">Environmental Research Letters</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

Subsea permafrost could unleash catastrophic CO2 emissions

Since the end of the last glacial period, subsea permafrost...

If the clean air benefits of COVID-19 lockdowns in New York City could persist for five years after the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/screen-time-is-a-top-concern-among-parents-during-pandemic/">pandemic</a>, thousands of children and adults would be spared from illness and premature death. 

The research, conducted by experts at the Columbia University <a href="https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/">Mailman School of Public Health</a>,  also estimates that the economic benefits of this hypothetical clean air scenario would total tens of billions of dollars.

"New York City (NYC) experienced a sharp decline in air pollution during the COVID-19 shutdown period - albeit at high social and economic costs," wrote the study authors. 

"It provided a unique opportunity to simulate a scenario in which the city-wide air quality improvement during the shutdown were sustained over the five-year period, 2021 through 2025, allowing us to estimate the potential public health benefits to children and adults and their associated economic benefits."

The goal of the clean air scenario is to inform new policies that can improve air quality - particularly regulations that will reduce harmful emissions from fossil fuel combustion.

During the New York City spring shutdown, the air quality was dramatically improved as a result of an estimated 60-percent decline in automobile traffic combined with declines in air traffic, construction, restaurant operations, and electricity generation.

"We estimated a city-wide 23% improvement in PM2.5 levels during the COVID-19 shutdown months compared to the average level for those months in 2015–2018 (the business as usual period)," explained the researchers. 

"Based on the data for 2020, we extrapolated the ambient levels of PM2.5 for the following five-year period. The estimated cumulative benefits for 2021–2025 included thousands of avoided cases of illness and death, with associated economic benefits from $31.8 billion to $77 billion."

"This 'natural experiment,' tragic though the cause, has provided a hypothetical clean air scenario that can be considered aspirational - one that could be achieved through transportation, climate, and environmental policies that support robust economic recovery with similarly reduced emissions."

The experts used BenMAP, a publicly available computer tool supported by the EPA, to estimate the number of avoided air pollution-related illnesses and deaths. 

"The analysis considered outcomes in children that have not generally been accounted for in clean air benefits assessments, including preterm birth, term low birthweight, infant mortality, child asthma incidence, child asthma hospital admissions and emergency department visits, autism spectrum disorder, as well as adult mortality," wrote the researchers.

Study first author Dr. Frederica Perera is the director of translational research at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health and a professor of Environmental Health sciences at Columbia Mailman School.

"Air quality improvements from the shutdown happened as the result of a tragic situation," said Dr. Perera. "However, our hypothetical clean air scenario could be achieved through air pollution and climate mitigation policies, including those that support low carbon modes of transportation and reduce emissions in other sectors."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environmental-research">Environmental Research</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

Clean air in NYC would save billions of dollars in just a few years

If the clean air benefits of COVID-19 lockdowns in New...

Scientists at <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a> have determined that the threshold for dangerous global warming will likely be crossed between 2027 and 2042. This is a much narrower window than the previous IPCC estimate of between 2020 and 2052. 

Using a new method for projecting Earth's temperature, the researchers have reduced some of the uncertainties surrounding future warming. 

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mysterious-and-deadly-dolphin-disease-has-been-linked-to-climate-change/">climate</a> models that are used to project future temperatures play an important role in understanding the Earth's climate. These models are used to incorporate different factors that interact to affect the climate, such as the atmosphere, ocean, ice, and the sun. While climate models are based on our clearest understanding of Earth and its natural processes, there are still many unknowns.

"Climate skeptics have argued that global warming projections are unreliable because they depend on faulty supercomputer models," said study co-author Professor Bruno Tremblay. "While these criticisms are unwarranted, they underscore the need for independent and different approaches to predicting future warming."

Temperature projections typically have such wide ranges that it is difficult to pinpoint the potential outcomes of different mitigation scenarios. For example, if atmospheric CO2 concentrations are doubled, the models used by the IPCC predict a global average temperature increase between 1.9 and 4.5 degrees Celsius. This estimate represents two extremes, with moderate climate changes on the lower end and catastrophic outcomes on the upper end.

"Our new approach to projecting the Earth's temperature is based on historical climate data, rather than the theoretical relationships that are imperfectly captured by the GCMs. Our approach allows climate sensitivity and its uncertainty to be estimated from direct observations with few assumptions," said study co-author Raphael Hebert.

In their study, the researchers introduced the new Scaling Climate Response Function (SCRF) model to project the Earth's temperature from now through 2100. The model is based on historical data, and reduces prediction uncertainties by about half compared to the approach currently used by the IPCC. 

The researchers found that the threshold for dangerous warming, which exceeds 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, will likely be crossed between 2027 and 2042. The experts also predict that average warming will be a little lower, by about 10 to 15 percent, compared to the IPCC estimate. However, the "very likely warming ranges" of the SCRF model were still within the range projected by the IPCC.

"Now that governments have finally decided to act on climate change, we must avoid situations where leaders can claim that even the weakest policies can avert dangerous consequences," said Professor study co-author Shaun Lovejoy. "With our new climate model and its next generation improvements, there's less wiggle room."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.springer.com/journal/382">Climate Dynamics</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

The window to avoid dangerous global warming is narrowing

Scientists at McGill University have determined that the threshold for...

The global food production system must be changed to prevent widespread biodiversity losses, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a>. The researchers determined that current food production methods are destroying the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/beavers-create-habitats-that-support-threatened-amphibians/">habitats</a> of thousands of species. 

"We estimated how agricultural expansion to feed an increasingly wealthy global population is likely to affect about 20,000 species of mammals, birds, and amphibians," said study co-lead author Dr. David Williams. "Our research suggests that without big changes to food systems, millions of square kilometers of natural habitats could be lost by 2050."

Dr. Williams noted that nearly 1,300 species will likely lose at least a quarter of their remaining habitat to food production, and hundreds could lose at least half. 

"Ultimately, we need to change what we eat and how it is produced if we're going to save wildlife on a global scale. We need to alter both our diets and food production methods."

The researchers estimated how food systems would affect biodiversity at a finer spatial scale than previous studies. The findings are particularly relevant to conservation action, highlighting exactly which species and landscapes are likely to be threatened.

The experts used a new model that estimates where agricultural expansion and abandonment are most likely to occur. This data was combined with projections of how much land each country will need for food production.

The team investigated whether each individual animal species could survive in farmland. The study revealed that habitat losses could be especially severe in sub-Saharan Africa and in parts of Central and South America.

Furthermore, many of the species that will be impacted most by land use changes are not currently classified as being threatened with extinction, which means that there are no conservation plans to protect them.

"As international biodiversity targets are set to be updated in 2021, these results highlight the importance of proactive efforts to safeguard biodiversity by reducing demand for agricultural land," said study co-lead author Dr. Michael Clark of the University of Oxford.

"Discussions on slowing and reversing biodiversity often focus on conventional conservation actions, such as establishing new protected areas or species-specific legislation for threatened species. These are absolutely needed, and have been effective at conserving biodiversity."

"However, our research emphasises the importance of also reducing the ultimate stresses to biodiversity - such as agricultural expansion."

"The good news is that if we make ambitious changes to the food system, then we can prevent almost all these habitat losses."

Changes that could reduce future biodiversity losses include a transition to healthy diets, a reduction in food loss and waste, an increase in crop yields, and international land-use planning. 

By modeling the potential outcome of these food production changes, policy makers will be able to identify which efforts are likely to produce the greatest benefits in any given country or region.

For example, raising agricultural yields would be very beneficial for protecting biodiversity in Sub-Saharan Africa, but would not be advantageous in North America where yields are already high. By contrast, shifting to healthier diets would have major benefits in North America, but not in regions where meat consumption is low and food insecurity is high.

"Importantly, we need to do all of these things. No one approach is sufficient on its own," said Dr. Clark. "But, with global coordination and rapid action, it should be possible to provide healthy diets for the global population in 2050 without major habitat losses."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain">Nature Sustainability</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

Current food production methods threaten thousands of species

The global food production system must be changed to prevent...

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

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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

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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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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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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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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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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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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



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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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