Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features a brilliantly colored phytoplankton bloom in the Barents Sea. In this region just north of Norway and Russia, the blooms appear in satellite images almost every year. 

Nutrients are abundant and well-mixed in the Barents Sea from spring into early summer, and these conditions are just right for microscopic phytoplankton to thrive. Their silica shells and chlorophyll turn the surface waters green.

“It is possible this is a mixed bloom,” said Andrew Orkney, a doctoral candidate at the University of Oxford. “Mixed blooms of coccolithophores and another important bloom-forming group, the diatoms, have been observed off the Norwegian coast in previous years.”

The image was captured on July 15, 2021 by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite.

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory 

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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

Turquoise bloom in the Barents Sea

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features...

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the Büyük Menderes River in southwestern Turkey.

The river rises in west central Turkey near Dinar, then twists and turns across 382 miles until it reaches the Aegean Sea.

According to NASA, The river’s ancient Greek name Maíandros, or Maeander, became synonymous with the bending character of river courses, and the modern geographical term “meander” was born.

Much of the landscape that the Büyük Menderes River flows through is a depression in the landscape known as a graben - an elongated block of the Earth's crust lying between two seismic faults

The false-color image was captured on March 30, 2021 by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8.

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory 

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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

Meandering of the Büyük Menderes River

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> shows wildfire smoke from western North America pouring into the eastern United States.

According to NASA, haze darkened skies and reddened sunsets, unleashed a rash of code red and orange air quality warnings, and even left the smell of smoke in the air in some regions. 

Some of the haziest skies can be seen in New York City, where fine particulate pollution has reached levels that are considered harmful - even for healthy people.

Ryan Stauffer, an atmospheric scientist based at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said that it's a magnitude of particle pollution that New York City hasn’t seen in more than a decade.

The experts report that most of the smoke that has streamed into the eastern U.S. is likely from a cluster of fires near the border of the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario.

The image was captured on July 20 by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on NOAA-20.

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory 

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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

Wildfire smoke pours across the United States

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory shows...

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> shows shows the concentration of black carbon particulates, or soot, over North America on July 21, 2021. The smoke from fires burning in central and western North America continues to spread across the continent.

According to NASA, skies have turned hazy in cities ranging from Boston to Washington, D.C., while smoke from fires in Canada’s Manitoba and Ontario provinces is pouring into the U.S. Northeast.

The black carbon data is obtained from the GEOS forward processing (GEOS-FP) model, which combines observations from satellite, aircraft, and ground-based systems.

Thick plumes of black carbon can be seen streaming from clusters of fires in British Columbia, Oregon, Washington, and California.

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory 

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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

Black carbon is streaming across North America

The Siljan Ring in south-central Sweden Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features Dalarna County in south-central Sweden, which contains the Siljan Ring.

During the Late Devonian period about 380 million years ago, this region was the site of a major asteroid impact. 

The Siljan impact structure, also known as the “Siljan Ring,” is still visible after hundreds of millions of years of erosion. The structure, which measures about 30 miles across, is the largest of its kind in Europe. Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden (Swedish: Konungariket Sverige [ˈkôːnɵŋaˌriːkɛt ˈsvæ̌rjɛ] (listen)), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, Finland to the east, and is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund Strait. At 450,295 square kilometres (173,860 sq mi), Sweden is the largest country in Northern Europe, the third-largest country in the European Union, and the fifth largest country in Europe. The capital city is Stockholm. Sweden has a total population of 10.4 million; and a low population density of 25 inhabitants per square kilometre (65/sq mi). 87% of Swedes live in urban areas, which cover 1.5% of the entire land area. The highest concentration is in the central and southern half of the country.

According to <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=nasa&amp;cvid=917b7c196b5143a4a8cf2b4f464d8e99&amp;aqs=edge.0.69i59j0l4j69i60l2.1741j0j9&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">NASA,</a> people have lived for millennia near the crater without knowing its cosmic origin. A recent study in 2019 found that deep, fractured rocks in the crater were suitable for ancient life.  The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.

The image of the Siljan Ring was captured on June 24, 2020 by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8. 

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory 

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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 Siljan Ring in south-central Sweden

The Siljan Ring in south-central Sweden Today's Image of the...

A number of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-become-less-competitive-in-the-deep-shade/">plants</a> and animals in Kenya's Tana River Basin will not be able to survive the current rate of global warming, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a>. 

On the other hand, if the world could meet the climate goals that were established at the Paris Agreement, however, many of these species could still be saved.

"This research provides the first assessment of the combined effects of development plans and climate change on biodiversity of the Tana River Basin, including identifying potential areas for restoration, and contributes to a greater understanding of biodiversity protection and adaptation options in Kenya," explained the study authors. 

Climate and land use changes are the two biggest threats to biodiversity worldwide. The experts report that land degradation increases the vulnerability of biodiversity on the Tana River Basin. Here, 36 percent of the land has been converted for agriculture. 

The researchers say that some ecosystem restoration may be necessary to best protect species in a changing climate. 

"This research shows how many species within Kenya's Tana River Basin will be unable to survive if global temperatures continue to rise as they are on track to do," said study lead author Rhosanna Jenkins.

"But remaining within the goals of the Paris Agreement, which aims to keep global warming well below 2°C, ideally at 1.5°C, would save many species. This is because large areas of the basin act as refugia from climate change."

Jenkins explained that with higher warming levels, these refuges are lost and the potential for restoration becomes more limited.

"The United Nations declared the 2020s as the 'Decade on Ecosystem Restoration'. Our results show the importance of considering climate change within these restoration efforts."

"With higher levels of warming, many of the species you are trying to restore will no longer be able to survive in the places they were originally found."

"Strong commitments from global leaders ahead of the COP climate change summit in Glasgow are needed to stand any chance of avoiding the loss of species - which for the Tana River Basin is clearly indicated by this work."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">Plos ONE</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

Wildlife on the Tana River Basin will struggle to survive global warming

A number of plants and animals in Kenya's Tana River...

A new study from the University of São Paulo has concluded that the climate crisis will lead to detrimental changes in the stony coral habitats of the tropical Atlantic. The research, published by <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/">Frontiers</a>, concludes that the loss of such species could have a devastating chain reaction of consequences for marine ecosystems unless urgent action is taken.

The researchers projected current and future distributions of three "ecosystem engineer" corals: Mussismilia hispida, Montastraea cavernosa, and the Siderastrea complex. Each species deposits calcium carbonate, an essential compound for the marine ecosystem maintenance.

"Coral reefs provide essential ecosystem services such as food provision, coastal protection, and nutrient cycling, that benefit millions of people - including those who live far from any coral reef," stated study lead author Silas Principe. "If species that are important in structuring the coral reefs are lost, the provision of all those services is consequently also threatened."

Human activity has harmed coral habitats worldwide; intense pollution, fisheries, and tourism all contribute to the loss of coral cover. The climate crisis is yet another factor. Climate change leads to key coral species moving to temperate waters at higher latitudes and may have cascading effects on marine wildlife communities.

The researchers collected data on the three reef types and used distribution models to model their suitability on their current habitat. They also used future projections based on three scenarios - pessimistic, optimistic, and moderate. 

Tragically, decreased abundance of stony corals is expected under each scenario. The Brazilian coast will be particularly affected, as it contains fewer habitat-building coral species.

The researchers urge conservation efforts to focus within the Abrolhos region, northeast coast of Brazil, western Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico. "We show that important reef builder species of the Atlantic will face shifts in its distribution due to climate change," said Principe.

"Certain areas, such as the Abrolhos region in the coast of Brazil, will completely lose at least one of its species in any of the future scenarios. Major areas in the Caribbean will also lose species in the future, although in the coast of Africa some species may expand their current range."

However, there is still hope for Atlantic stony corals. "Although our results predict major negative impacts on Atlantic shallow reefs, we also identified several areas where none or fewer changes are predicted," said Principe. "Managers and policymakers can use this to support the planning process of conservation areas." 

"Researchers and conservationists can use these results to focus research efforts on the so-called 'refuge areas' that may constitute safe areas for coral species in the future."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.

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By <a href="http://calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Three important coral habitats are vanishing

A new study from the University of São Paulo has...

A recent study from the <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/index.html">University of Alberta</a> has analyzed the gut microbiomes of over 400 infants. The researchers found that baby boys with a gut bacterial composition high in Bacteroidetes had more advanced cognition and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/monkeys-depend-on-social-interactions-for-language-development/">language</a> skills after one year. 

"It's well known that female children score higher (at early ages), especially in cognition and language," said study co-author Professor Anita Kozyrskyj. "But when it comes to gut microbial composition, it was the male infants where we saw this obvious connection between the Bacteroidetes and the improved scores."

The researchers studied bacteria found in fecal samples from the infants, identifying three different groups exhibiting similar dominant clusters of bacteria.

The experts discovered that only male infants with Bacteroidetes-dominant gut composition showing signs of enhanced neurodevelopment.

"The differences between male and female gut microbiota are very subtle, but we do know from CHILD Cohort Study data that girls at early ages are more likely to have more of these Bacteroidetes," said Professor Kozyrskyj.

"So perhaps most girls have a sufficient number of Bacteroidetes and that's why they have improved scores over boys."

According to Professor Kozyrskyj, Bacteroidetes are just one of many bacteria that produce metabolites called sphingolipids which are instrumental for the formation and structure of brain neurons. 

“If you have more of these microbes and they produce more sphingolipids, then you should see some improvement in terms of the formation of neuron connections in our brain and improved scores in cognition and language."

Professor Kozyrskyj noted that cesarean birth is one factor that significantly depletes Bacteroidetes. However, breastfeeding, high-fiber diets, living with a dog, and exposure to nature have a positive impact on microbiota composition levels.

The findings do not necessarily suggest that children with a lower proportion of Bacteroidetes will fall behind in school. Instead, the researchers believe the results could be instrumental in the identification of children at risk of neurodevelopmental disorders.

"Over the first one to two years of life, your brain is very malleable," said Professor Kozyrskyj. "Now we're seeing a connection between its malleability and gut microbiota”. 

The researchers will continue to follow the infants to determine whether the findings have the potential to predict autism or ADHD. Other potentially impactful factors are being studied that the experts believe could have an effect on neurodevelopment in infants, including stress and gut colonization by the bacterium Clostridium difficile.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/kgmi20/current">Gut Microbes</a>. 

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By <a href="http://calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Gut bacteria of infant boys can enhance cognitive skills

A recent study from the University of Alberta has analyzed...

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Today&#8217;s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Tanezrouft Basin, which is one of the most barren parts of the Sahara Desert. 
Tanezrouft is located in southern Algeria and northern Mali. The region is often referred to as the &#8220;Land of Terror&#8221; due to its extreme lack of water and vegetation, as well as its scorching hot temperatures.
Video Credit: European Space Agency 
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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

Tanezrouft Basin in the Sahara Desert