As global warming continues to rise, desert lizards are experiencing an energy crisis. These reptiles rely on external temperatures to regulate their body functions, including how much energy they need and when they can forage for food. 



A recent study published in the journal Science&nbsp;reveals that climate change is severely disrupting this balance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warming-deserts-put-lizards-at-risk">Warming deserts put lizards at risk</h2>



Cold-blooded animals, like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-lizard-day-2024-celebrating-our-scaly-companions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lizards</a>, rely on external temperatures to regulate their body heat. Their body temperature directly affects how much energy they need and when they can be active. 



In hot desert environments, food is already scarce, and extreme heat can make it too dangerous for lizards to go out and forage.



Climate change is making this problem worse. As temperatures rise, lizards need more energy just to survive because their metabolism speeds up. 



However, they also have less time to find food because the heat forces them to stay in shaded or underground areas for longer periods. This creates a difficult situation where their food needs increase, but the lizards' ability to meet those needs decreases, putting their survival at risk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-energy-budget-squeeze">Energy budget squeeze</h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
“Cost-of-living is a concept humans are all too aware of, but the same concept applies to ectotherms - or cold-blooded animals - such as lizards," noted study lead author Dr. Kristoffer Wild from the <a href="https://www.unimelb.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Melbourne</a>.



"We just need to switch the currency from money to energy and realize that for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sandy-soil-reptiles-face-extinction-threat-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lizards</a> these costs and their ability to meet them depend on temperature." 
</blockquote>



The researchers found that diurnal (day-active) lizards are especially vulnerable to rising global warming. These lizards depend on daylight hours to hunt for food and sustain their energy levels.



However, as temperatures increase, extreme heat makes it unsafe for the lizards to remain active for long periods. To avoid overheating, they are forced to retreat into shaded areas, burrows, or underground shelters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-desert-lizards-struggle-to-meet-their-needs">Desert lizards struggle to meet their needs</h2>



The reduction in active hours significantly limits their ability to search for and consume food. Since desert lizards require a certain amount of energy to survive, the loss of foraging time creates a major challenge. 



They must find enough food in a shorter window while their energy demands continue to rise due to higher body temperatures.



As a result, diurnal lizards are struggling more than ever in desert environments that are becoming even hotter. With less time to find food and increasing energy needs, their survival is at risk. 



If temperatures continue to rise, these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/anoles-are-the-scuba-diving-champions-of-the-lizard-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lizards</a> may face population declines as they fail to meet their basic nutritional requirements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-lizards-may-benefit-from-warming">Some lizards may benefit from warming</h2>



In contrast, nocturnal (night-active) lizards may actually benefit from warmer temperatures. Since they are active after sunset, higher nighttime temperatures could extend their hunting periods, giving them more opportunities to find food. 



This could help them compensate for the increased energy demands caused by climate change, putting them in a better position to adapt compared to their diurnal counterparts.



Dr. Wild likens this imbalance to a financial crisis. “It’s like diurnal lizards paying higher bills with fewer work hours, while nocturnal lizards can counter high bills by gaining extra work hours during the warmer nights.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-climate-impacts-on-desert-lizards">Predicting climate impacts on desert lizards</h2>



To measure these impacts, the researchers developed a model combining physics and biology.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
“We were able to reconstruct, within two or three degrees, what a field biologist observed in the middle of the Australian and African deserts more than 50 years ago. This gives us confidence to predict the direct effects of climate warming on these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-lizards-have-evolved-to-resist-deadly-snake-venom/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animals</a> in the future,” explained co-author Professor Michael Kearney.
</blockquote>



The findings suggest that desert lizards in historically warmer regions will face greater challenges. Africa’s desert lizards, for instance, will need more food but have less time to find it compared to their Australian counterparts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conservation-and-future-research">Conservation and future research</h2>



The researchers emphasize that conservation strategies must be customized based on each species' unique foraging habits. Climate change does not affect all animals in the same way - some species will struggle more than others.



This means that a one-size-fits-all approach to conservation is not effective. Instead, targeted efforts are needed to address the specific challenges faced by different lizard species.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
“If we can better understand the ecological processes underpinning these cost-of-living pressures, we can better anticipate the species most at risk and act accordingly,” said Professor Kearney.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-survival-of-desert-lizards-in-a-warming-climate">Survival of desert lizards in a warming climate </h2>
</blockquote>



However, rising temperatures are not the only threat. Other climate-related issues, such as food shortages and increasing water needs, add to the stress on desert reptiles. 



These challenges become even more severe in the warmer months - spring and summer - which are also the critical breeding seasons for many species.



If lizards cannot find enough food and water during this time, their ability to reproduce and maintain stable populations will be threatened. Addressing these combined pressures is essential for ensuring the survival of desert lizard species in a rapidly changing climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
“Our next steps will be to bring food and water resources into our calculations and translate the results into growth and reproduction, which will help us predict whether populations will survive further change under warming,” Dr. Wild said.
</blockquote>



The study highlights the urgent need to understand and address the effects of climate change on desert <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snake-evolution-legless-lizards-into-slithering-snakes-100-million-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystems</a>. As temperatures continue to rise, species that rely on delicate energy balances are at increasing risk. 



By predicting how different species will respond to these environmental shifts, scientists can develop better conservation strategies. This research is essential for protecting vulnerable desert lizard populations and ensuring their survival in a rapidly warming world.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adq4372" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



-----



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Desert lizards struggle as global warming raises their energy needs

As global warming continues to rise, desert lizards are experiencing an energy crisis. These reptiles rely on external temperatures to regulate their body functions, including how much energy they need and when they can forage for food. A recent study published in the journal Science&nbsp;reveals that climate change is severely disrupting this balance. Warming deserts put lizards at risk Cold-blooded animals, like lizards, rely on external temperatures to regulate their body heat. Their body temperature directly affects how much energy they need and when they can be...

A study led by the <a href="https://admissions.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a> has produced evidence to suggest that manatees were present along the Texas <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/oahu-could-lose-40-percent-of-its-beaches-to-coastal-erosion/">coast</a> during the last ice age. 

The findings raise new questions, such as whether these gentle "sea cows" have been visiting Texas for thousands of years, or if manatees were permanent residents in this region between 11,000 and 240,000 years ago.

Today, manatees can be seen near Texas only occasionally during the summer months before they return to the warmer waters of Florida and Mexico for the winter.

Study lead author Christopher Bell is a professor in the UT Department of Geological Sciences in the Jackson School of Geosciences. 

"This was an unexpected thing for me because I don't think about manatees being on the Texas coast today," said Professor Bell. "But they're here. They're just not well known."

The study was focused on the analysis of eight fossils, including manatee jawbones and rib fragments from the Pleistocene - the geological epoch of the last ice age. 

Most of the bones were recovered by amateur fossil collectors over the last 50 years from McFaddin Beach near Port Arthur and Caplen Beach near Galveston.

Study co-author William Godwin is a curator at the Sam Houston State University (SHSU) Natural History Collections. 

"We have them from one decade to another, so we know it's not from some old manatee that washed up, and we have them from different places," said Godwin. "All these lines of evidence support that manatee bones were coming up in a constant way."

The research was initiated after a lower jawbone fossil was donated to SHSU by amateur bone collector Joe Liggio. "I decided my collection would be better served in a museum," said Liggio. "The manatee jaw was one of many unidentified bones in my collection."

The fossil analysis suggests that, contrary to other assumptions, manatees were in Texas as early as the Pleistocene.

Manatee jawbones have a distinct S-shaped curve that immediately captured Godwin's attention. However, he said that he was met with skepticism when he sought other manatee fossils for comparison. 

Regardless, the bones Godwin examined belonged to the same species of manatee that visits the Texas coast today, Trichechus manatus.

It is widely accepted that the cooler ice age climate would have made Texas waters even less hospitable to manatees than they are today. 

The fact that manatees were in Texas for any amount of time during the last ice age means that either the coastal climate was warmer than what is generally assumed or that manatees were historically more resilient to colder temperatures.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/">Palaeontologia Electronica</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Manatees may have been Texas residents during the last ice age

A study led by the University of Texas at Austin...

Shifting the focus of conservation efforts in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-amazon-is-rapidly-approaching-a-tipping-point/">Amazon</a> from terrestrial species to freshwater species would produce up to six times the benefits, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a> and the <a href="https://www5.usp.br/">University of São Paulo</a>. By redesigning conservation plans to address the needs of endangered freshwater ecosystems, thousands of animals could be saved without any negative influence on terrestrial life.

Freshwater systems are only found on less than one percent of the Earth's surface, yet is home to a tenth of all known species including one-third of all vertebrates. 

Over the last five decades, populations of freshwater vertebrates have declined by 83 percent, which is more than twice the rate of decline for terrestrial and marine vertebrates in the same time period.

The dramatic loss of freshwater biodiversity has been driven by human activities such as building dams, overfishing, habitat loss and degradation, algal blooms, and the introduction of non-native species. These pressures are now being compounded by the effects of climate change and pollution.

Despite the desperate need for conservation measures to restore freshwater ecosystems, terrestrial communities continue to gain far more attention.

For the new study, an international team of scientists assessed more than 1,500 freshwater and land species in the Brazilian Amazon. The researchers evaluated how well freshwater species are protected through conservation efforts compared to land species.

"Conservation projects generally focus on protecting species that live on land. If freshwater species are considered at all, it is simply assumed that they will be protected incidentally - that is, by chance, as a result of efforts to conserve land species," said study co-lead author Dr. Cecilia Gontijo Leal.

"However, we show that land-based conservation initiatives are likely to protect just 20% of the freshwater species that would have been protected through freshwater-focused conservation. To address the freshwater biodiversity crisis, freshwater species need to be explicitly incorporated into conservation planning."

The experts ultimately found that conservation efforts with increased focus on freshwater ecosystems could deliver big positive gains for these communities without adversely affecting terrestrial biodiversity.

"Through integrated planning that incorporates information on both freshwater and land species, we found that protection of freshwater species can be increased by up to 600% with no reduction in land species protection," said study co-lead author Dr. Gareth Lennox. 

"This presents a great opportunity for conservation, where protection for one species group does not require either losses of protection for others or significant funding increases."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Conservation planning in the Amazon should be redirected to freshwater species

Shifting the focus of conservation efforts in the Amazon from...

Blue whales sing at night in the summertime, but this pattern of behavior completely reverses when winter approaches. As the whales prepare to migrate to their <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/acorn-woodpeckers-duke-it-out-for-days-to-win-a-prime-breeding-territory/">breeding</a> grounds, they start singing during the day, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a>.

"We found that during their feeding season, whales tended to eat during the day and sing at night, but after they had decided to begin their migration, they inverted this pattern and started to produce song primarily in the day, what we refer to as an acoustic signature of migration," said study first author William Oestreich.

In collaboration with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), the researchers studied recordings of individual blue whales and their greater populations in the Northeast Pacific. The experts were surprised to discover patterns of whale vocalizations that indicate when the animals are migrating from their feeding grounds off the North American coast to their breeding grounds off Central America.

"We were originally interested in trying to characterize the seasonal pattern of their presence and different types of sounds that they make, but as we started to dig into the data analysis, we noticed this dramatic separation of the song production during the daytime versus the nighttime," said Oestreich.

Blue whales have distinct breeding and feeding seasons that are separated by long migrations of hundreds to thousands of miles. 

"You can imagine the amount of energy required to make that journey is pretty great," said Oestreich. "That's compounded by the fact that they're the largest animal ever to live on Earth. So it makes the timing and intensity of their feeding season critical for their survival."

Researchers have previously noticed whales singing at different times of the day, but this is the first time these differences have been tied to a broader behavioral pattern. 

"This is something that's been described before in blue whales, but in some studies, they report the day/night difference and in others, there's no differences. So there's this discrepancy in the literature about when and why it happens," said Oestreich. 

The study was focused on data from underwater microphones, or hydrophones, and tags that the researchers placed on individual whales to track their movement. The findings confirm that whale songs are not used strictly for mating calls.

"An unexpected part of this work is that whale songs are typically thought of only in a mating and reproductive context," said Oestreich. "We don't dispute that, but it's interesting that there's this kind of secondary utility of song in terms of detecting foraging or migration based on the time of day the sounds are being produced."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Blue whales sing on summer nights and winter days

Blue whales sing at night in the summertime, but this...

Within the next three decades, alien species will increase by more than 35 percent compared to 2005, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a>. The international team of researchers reports that potentially invasive plants, arthropods, and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/birds-emerged-from-covid-19-shutdown-with-better-songs/">birds</a> are being introduced to new environments at the fastest overall rate. 

"Increases are expected to be particularly large for insects and other arthropods, such as arachnids and crustaceans. We predict the number of aliens from these groups to increase in every region of the world by the middle of the century - by almost 120% in the temperate latitudes of Asia," said study co-author Dr. Franz Essl of the University of Vienna. 

Alien species are plants and animals that humans have moved to regions of the world where they do not occur naturally. When non-native species become invasive, they are capable of altering habitats, disrupting the balance and function of ecosystems, and wiping out native species by competing for limited resources.

The experts predict that around 2,500 new alien species will arrive by mid-century in Europe alone. This means that non-native plants and animals will increase by 64 percent across the continent in a 45-year period. The researchers hope it is possible to reduce the number of alien species with stricter biosecurity regulations.

"Our study predicts that alien species will continue to be added to ecosystems at high rates through the next few decades, which is concerning as this could contribute to harmful biodiversity change and extinction," said study co-author Professor Tim Blackburn. "But we are not helpless bystanders: with a concerted global effort to combat this, it should be possible to slow down or reverse this trend."

The most recent global assessment, which was conducted in 2005, documented 35,000 alien species. For the current study, the research team developed a mathematical model to estimate how many more aliens can be expected by 2050 based on the current rate. 

The model revealed that there will be a 36-percent increase in non-native species by 2050 compared to the numbers recorded in 2005. While Europe will see the biggest influx of non-native plants and animals, Australia is expected to see the least.

"These will primarily include rather inconspicuous new arrivals such as insects, molluscs, and crustaceans. In contrast, there will be very few new alien mammal species such as the well-known raccoon," said study lead author Dr. Hanno Seebens of the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre. 

"We will not be able to entirely prevent the introduction of alien species, as this would mean severe restrictions in international trade. However, stricter regulations and their rigorous enforcement could greatly slow the flow of new species."

"The benefits of such measures have been shown in some parts of the world. Regulations are still comparatively lax in Europe, and so there is great potential here for new measures to curtail the arrival of new aliens."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Alien species will increase by the thousands over the next three decades

Within the next three decades, alien species will increase by...

A new study from <a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers</a> is the first of its kind to reveal that small water droplets on plants are a nutrient-rich food supply for many <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/honey-bees-reveal-how-heat-stress-affects-fertility-among-insects/">insects</a>. The researchers discovered that plant droplets on the edges of blueberry bush leaves are loaded with nutrients for visitors such as bees, wasps, and flies.

The findings indicate that these droplets are a previously overlooked benefit of plants, with major implications for insects in both agricultural and natural ecosystems.

Study senior author Cesar Rodriguez-Saona is a professor and extension specialist in the Department of Entomology in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.

"Our study shows for the first time that plant 'guttation' - fluid from sap secreted at the edges and tips of leaves - is a nutrient-rich source of food for insects," said Professor Rodriguez-Saona. 

The droplets, which appear on nights with high levels of moisture in the soil, have been looked at as simply a source of water for insects. However, it turns out that this water contains carbohydrates and proteins that are essential for many insect species.

The research was focused on insects with three different feeding styles - an herbivore, a parasitic wasp, and a predator - across Rutgers blueberry fields. The study showed that when insects fed on nutritious doses of plant water droplets throughout their adult lives, they had a much higher chance of survival and reproductive success. 

Furthermore, the researchers noted that droplets were present in the blueberry fields for the entire season, and their presence doubled the abundance of beneficial insects that protect plants from pests. This means that water droplets help protect crops from invasive pests.

The researchers suggest that the enormous benefits of plant water droplets may be available to numerous crops where they are common, including rice, wheat, barley, rye, oats, sorghum, corn, tobacco, tomatoes, strawberries and cucumbers.

"These findings are important for the conservation of beneficial insects because they can find and feed on droplets when pollen, nectar, hosts or prey are scarce," said Professor Rodriguez-Saona.

The study authors conclude that the nutritional water droplets are highly reliable compared with other plant-derived food sources such as nectar, which enhances the fitness and population sizes of insects.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Water droplets on plant leaves provide nutrition for insects

A new study from Rutgers is the first of its...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/">Chinese University of Hong Kong</a> have sequenced and analyzed the complete genomes of two very different millipede species. The study is shedding new light on arthropod <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/the-mysterious-evolution-of-venus/">evolution</a>, as well as on the genetic basis of the physiology of millipedes.

According to the study authors, the research reveals unique genomic features, patterns of gene regulation, and defense systems in millipedes that are not observed in other arthropods.

Millipedes and centipedes belong to the group Myriapoda, which is made up of more than 16,000 species of arthropods with segmented trunks and lots of legs. Although their name indicates they have myriad legs, myriapods contain anywhere from 20 to 750 legs. 

Prior to this study, only two myriapod genomes had been sequenced, including a complete genome for the centipede Strigamia maritima and a partial millipede genome.

"The Myriapoda, composed of millipedes and centipedes, is a fascinating but poorly understood branch of life, including species with a highly unusual body plan and a range of unique adaptations to their environment," wrote the study authors. "Here, we sequenced and assembled 2 chromosomal-level genomes of the millipedes Helicorthomorpha holstii."

The researchers fully reconstructed the genomes of the orange rosary millipede and the rusty millipede. The team analyzed the gene transcripts at different stages of development, and the proteins of the toxin-producing "ozadene" glands.

The experts found that the two species have genomes of completely different sizes. The orange rosary millipede has a genome made up of 182 million base pairs, while the rusty millipede has 449 million base pairs. The analysis showed that the rusty millipede's genome contained larger numbers of repetitive "junk" DNA sequences.

Homeobox genes play central roles in body segmentation during millipede development, and the experts discovered many duplications of common homeobox genes that were specific to each of the two species. These duplications were also different from those in the previously sequenced millipede genome.

Many millipedes have ozadene glands on each segment, which produce, store, and secrete a variety of toxic chemicals for defense. The researchers identified multiple genes involved in making these chemicals, including genes for synthesizing cyanide, as well as antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral compounds. The findings support the theory that ozadene gland secretions protect against microbes as well as predators.

The experts say the results of their research provide new insights into the evolution of myriapods, and arthropods in general. "The genomic resources we have developed expand the known gene repertoire of myriapods and provide a genetic toolkit for further understanding of their unique adaptations and evolutionary pathways," said study lead author Jerome Hui.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/">PLOS Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Millipedes have unique genetic features not seen in other arthropods

Researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have sequenced...

A new study from <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">UC Boulder</a> has produced the first evidence that coral reefs are highly sensitive to how quickly a target fishing level is reached. The researchers found that when fishing is increased too rapidly, it can cause entire <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/new-corals-found-deep-in-the-great-barrier-reef/">reef</a> ecosystems to collapse. 

Many fisheries set target fishing levels in an effort to maximize harvest while maintaining long-term sustainability. It would seem that target fishing levels should be approached as quickly as possible. 

However, the results of the study suggest that fishing levels should be reached more slowly to protect reef communities. "The ecosystem depends on the pace at which the environment is changing, not just the magnitude," explained study lead author Mike Gil.

In previous studies, Gil determined that fish look to each other to assess the risk of venturing out to eat algae from a patch of reef. With more fish at a location, it appears safer and additional fish are likely to join the feast. 

This type of feedback loop also works in the other direction. If there are not many fish at a location on the reef, other fish are deterred because it does not seem safe. 

"This feedback makes the ecosystem more prone to collapse under fishing pressure but also more prone to recovery as fishing is reduced. Social fish essentially cause the ecosystem to be much more sensitive, overall, and to be hypersensitive to exactly how quickly we remove fish," said Gil.

The researchers used extensive datasets on reef fish behavior as well as artificial intelligence to track exactly what each fish did and saw every second. 

"We've shown that an animal that maybe a lot of folks would assume is kind of dumb is, in fact, embedded in a social network and is highly influenced by its neighbors, just like humans," said Gil.

Even fish of different species were found to pay close attention to each other, looking for clues as to when it was safe to wander out into dangerous parts of the reef. The fish also stay longer and eat more in these exposed areas when there are larger numbers of fish around.

The new details on how fast fish can be sustainably harvested can inform local and regional scale management decisions that deal with fishing quotas.

Beyond the pressures of fishing, reefs also face other human-induced environmental changes such as nutrient pollution and ocean warming, which has severely damaged reefs worldwide.

"Coral reefs are incredibly tough, resilient ecosystems, but they are not so tough in the face of many challenges happening simultaneously," said Gil.

"As ecologists, we're trying to understand why we see what we see when we step into nature. And if we understand how these ecosystems function, we can effectively manage them and keep them around for future generations."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fishing levels can destroy or save coral reef ecosystems

A new study from UC Boulder has produced the first...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.stir.ac.uk/">University of Stirling</a> have led an international study to investigate how climate change has impacted Central Africa's <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/extreme-rainfall-patterns-disrupt-rainforest-food-webs/">rainforests</a>, as well as the unique elephants that dwell in them. 

The study revealed that a substantial decline in the body condition of the forest elephants has coincided with a drop in the productivity of fruit trees in the Lopé National Park in Gabon. 

The research team determined that fruit production had declined by 81 percent between 1986 and 2018. This correlated with an 11-percent drop in the physical condition of forest elephants since 2008.

On average, elephants and other animals would have been able to find ripe fruit on one in every 10 trees in the 1980s, but have to search more than 50 trees today.

"Large animals like forest elephants are already under severe pressure in Central Africa due to hunting, habitat loss and habitat degradation. If important protected areas like Lopé National Park in Gabon can no longer support them because there is not enough food, then we may see further population declines, jeopardizing their survival in the long-term," said study co-lead author Dr. Robin Whytock.

"We know that large bodied animals, like elephants, are disproportionately important for the healthy functioning of ecosystems and their loss could result in broad changes to forest systems and even reduce the amount of carbon stored there."

The climate of central Africa has become hotter and drier since the 1980s, with the average temperature increasing by almost 10 degrees Celsius. This climate shift is most likely responsible for the decline in rainforest fruit production. For example, some fruit tree species in Lopé National Park are dependent on cooler temperatures to trigger flowering. 

"The massive collapse in fruiting among more than 70 tree species studied at Lopé National Park, Gabon may be due to species missing the environmental cue to bear fruit, because of increased temperatures and less rainfall," said study co-lead author Dr. Emma Bush.

"Less fruit in the ecosystem will have huge impacts on forest dynamics such as seed dispersal, plant reproduction and food availability for wildlife such as forest elephants, chimpanzees, and gorillas."

The research is part of a 37-year, ongoing collaboration between the University and the Government of Gabon. The study has generated a unique dataset that allows researchers to monitor how the rainforests and wildlife of the Congo Basin are responding to climate change.

Study co-author Lee White is Gabon's Minister of Water, Forest, Sea and Environment, and an honorary professor at the University of Stirling.

"Long-term ecological research such as ours is unfortunately extremely rare in the tropics, and it is possible that similar processes are underway, but undetected, throughout the tropical rainforests of our planet," said Professor White. 

"It is alarming that climate change may be resulting in forest elephants going hungry, and we need to seriously consider whether this is forcing elephants out of the forests to approach rural villages in search of food, resulting in an increase in crop raiding."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

African forest elephants are running out of fruit

Researchers at the University of Stirling have led an international...

Biologists at the <a href="https://www.umass.edu/">University of Massachusetts Amherst</a> are describing how cichlid fish changed their shape after a river in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-amazon-is-rapidly-approaching-a-tipping-point/">Amazon</a> was dammed. By studying fish in this context, experts can gain a better understanding of how living organisms, in general, may adapt to major human-induced environmental changes.

In 1984, a dam was closed in the Tocantins River in Brazil. The modification rapidly transformed this clear, flowing river into a deep, murky reservoir. The researchers theorized that fish would exhibit changes in body shape as they shifted their habitats and foraging behavior to adapt to the drastically different surroundings. 

"The once-historic rapids and streams that characterized the system have disappeared from the surrounding area, which in turn has affected the abundance and variety of food sources available to native fishes," wrote the study authors.

The team analyzed museum collections of cichlid fish from before the dam was closed and compared the characteristics of these fish with specimens collected by fishermen 34 years later.

Study co-lead author Craig Albertson said that cichlid fish are known for their ability to alter, in as little as a single season, aspects of their body shape to match feeding conditions and other environmental shifts. 

The researchers evaluated changes in six native species of cichlid fish, ranging from large carnivores to small omnivores. The fish represented distinct local groups with body shapes that match their ecological roles.

"Our overarching hypothesis is that the damming of the Tocantins and subsequent formation of the Tucuruí reservoir has induced shifts in habitat and foraging behavior and that the anatomy of resident cichlid populations has change in ways that allow them to adapt to this novel environmental conditions. This study represents a first step toward assessing this hypothesis," explained Albertson.

"Was anything surprising? Yes! While we expected to see changes in generalist species - those that are already predisposed toward living in a variety of habitats - we were surprised to see shape changes in the specialists as well," said study co-lead author Chase Gilbert. 

"Evolving to specialize on a particular prey-type or habitat, can provide a competitive advantage in the near term, but it can also be an evolutionary dead end in the face of major environmental changes."

According to the researchers, not only are these specialist species still found in the area, but they seem to be just as capable of changing body shape as the generalists.

Albertson said that changes across all species were associated with functionally relevant aspects of anatomy, such as the head, fin, and body shape. He noted that the parts of the body that changed over time are exactly those most likely to allow them to survive in their new environment.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17524571">Evolutionary Applications</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

Cichlid fish transform their shape to handle environmental changes

Biologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are describing how...

Scientists at <a href="https://www.uab.cat/">Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona</a> have investigated the case of the first known cat infected with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/viruses-related-to-sars-cov-2-could-cause-future-pandemics/">SARS-CoV-2</a> in Spain. The researchers ultimately confirmed that cats produce antibodies that not only block the spread of the virus, but also protect cats from developing any symptoms.

The 4-year-old cat named Negrito lived with a family affected by COVID-19. When the cat seemed to be having respiratory difficulties, he was diagnosed with a terminal case of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and euthanized at a veterinary hospital.

A necropsy performed at the High Biosafety Level Laboratories of the Animal Health Research Center (CReSA) confirmed that Negrito suffered from feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and had no other symptoms compatible with a coronavirus infection. Meanwhile, testing showed that the cat had been infected by SARS-CoV-2 with a low viral load.

The experts performed serological tests on Negrito and on another cat that also lived with the same family, Whisky, who had not displayed any symptoms of coronavirus. The tests revealed that both cats had developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. 

"In both cases we have detected neutralizing antibodies, in other words, they have the ability to bind to the virus and block it, this is important because it shows us that the immune system of cats can deal with SARS-CoV-2 and, in these specific cases, protect them from developing symptoms," said study co-author Julià Blanco. 

Ongoing trials have shown that, in addition to becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2, cats can transmit the virus to nearby cats without any clinical signs. However, the researchers suspected that both Negrito and Whisky had been infected by their owners because they did not have contact with other cats.

The genetic sequence of the virus that infected Negrito turned out to share 99.9 percent similarity with the virus of one of the owners, who had died from COVID-19. Study co-author Marc Noguera-Julián said that this suggests that the cat became directly infected from family members.

Considering the number of humans infected with COVID-19 compared to the relatively few cases in animals, the experts say that animals are not playing a significant role in the spread of the virus.

"Pets play a negligible role in the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 and, in particular, cats become very residually infected and there is no evidence of transmission of the virus to humans. This is a case of reverse zoonosis, in which cats are the side victims without the virus causing them health problems," said study co-author Júlia Vergara-Alert.

There has been one reported case in the Netherlands in which a farmer became infected with SARS-CoV-2 through a minks cat, which is the first known potential case of human transmission from a cat.

"We want to check if the case of Negrito and Whisky has been punctual or is repeated in more cases; in this way we will have more scientific information on how the most common pets can become infected with SARS-CoV-2 and to what degree," said study co-author Professor Joaquim Segalés. 

"So far, it is known that around the world there have been some cases of cats and dogs that have become infected through their owners, but these animals have not suffered a serious illness and there is no evidence that they have transmitted the virus to their owners."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cats can fight off COVID-19 with no symptoms of infection

Scientists at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona have investigated the case...

Scientists at <a href="https://www.yale-nus.edu.sg/">Yale-NUS College</a> and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have discovered that tarantulas can see colors, which provides brand new insight into why the giant <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/hurricanes-aggressive-spiders/">spiders</a> are often bright blue or green.

The experts report that tarantulas are not as color-blind as previously thought, as their findings suggest that the spiders can perceive the bright blue colors on potential mates. While the blue colors on tarantulas are likely used for signaling mates, the researchers theorize that the green colors are used as a camouflage.

"While the precise function of blueness remains unclear, our results suggest that tarantulas may be able to see these blue displays, so mate choice is a likely potential explanation," said study co-lead author Dr. Saoirse Foley.

"We have set an impetus for future projects to include a behavioural element to fully explore these hypotheses, and it is very exciting to consider how further studies will build upon our results."

The researchers studied the expression of various proteins known as opsins, which are usually found in the eyes of animals. They found that most tarantulas have almost the same range of opsins that are expressed in spiders that have good color vision, such as the Peacock Spider.

The team used phylogenetic analyses to  reconstruct the colors of 110 million-year-old tarantula ancestors and determined that they were most likely blue. The study revealed that the evolution of green coloration appears to depend on whether the spider is tree-dwelling, which means that the color functions as a camouflage.

The research also showed that the blue coloration of tarantulas has been lost more frequently than it has been gained. On the other hand, the green coloration has evolved a few times but has never been lost.

"Our finding that blueness was lost multiple times in the New World, while regained in the Old, is very intriguing. This leaves several fascinating avenues for future research, when considering how the ecological pressures in the New and the Old Worlds vary," said study co-lead author Dr. Vinod Kumar Saranathan. 

"For instance, one hypothesis would be differences in the light environments of the habitats between the New and the Old World, which can affect how these colours might be perceived, if indeed they can be, as our results suggest."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/for-authors">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</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

Scientists solve the mystery of why tarantulas are blue

Scientists at Yale-NUS College and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have...

Pets played a role in protecting their owners from psychological <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/pandemic-related-losses-and-media-exposure-linked-to-stress-and-depression/">stress</a> and loneliness during COVID-19 lockdowns, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/">University of York</a>. Among thousands of survey respondents who were pet owners, 90 percent said their pet helped them cope emotionally with the lockdown, while 96 percent said their pet helped keep them stay active and fit.

"Findings from this study also demonstrated potential links between people's mental health and the emotional bonds they form with their pets: measures of the strength of the human-animal bond were higher among people who reported lower scores for mental health-related outcomes at baseline," said study lead author Dr. Elena Ratschen.

Overall, most pet owners who participated in the research perceived their pets to be a source of considerable support for them as they sheltered in place. The researchers found that the mental health benefits were not significantly different among species, with the most common pets being cats and dogs.

"We also discovered that in this study, the strength of the emotional bond with pets did not statistically differ by animal species, meaning that people in our sample felt on average as emotionally close to, for example, their guinea pig as they felt to their dog," said Dr. Ratschen. "It will be important to ensure that pet owners are appropriately supported in caring for their pet during the pandemic."

Study co-author Daniel Mills  is a professor in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Lincoln.

"This work is particularly important at the current time as it indicates how having a companion animal in your home can buffer against some of the psychological stress associated with lockdown. However, it is important that everyone appreciates their pet's needs too, as our other work shows failing to meet these can have a detrimental effect for both people and their pets."

The surveys, which were conducted in the UK, revealed that the most popular interaction with animals other than pets was birdwatching. Nearly 55 percent of participants reported watching and feeding birds in their garden.

"While our study showed that having a pet may mitigate some of the detrimental psychological effects of the COVID-19 lockdown, it is important to understand that this finding is unlikely to be of clinical significance and does not warrant any suggestion that people should acquire pets to protect their mental health during the pandemic," noted Dr. Ratschen.

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

Pet owners felt less lonely and stressed during COVID-19 lockdown

Pets played a role in protecting their owners from psychological...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image 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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image 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.

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



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.

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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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.

How does salt makes things taste better?

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



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.

Santiago, Chile in South America

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Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&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.

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



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.

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



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.

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



The mountain range is 430 kilometers in length. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west.



At an elevation of 3404 meters, Pico de Aneto is the highest mountain peak in the Pyrenees, and the third-highest peak in Spain. Pico de Aneto is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, which spans more than 82,000 acres.&nbsp;



"Geological studies have revealed that the Pyrenees Mountains have been around for longer than the Alps, with their sediments first deposited in coastal basins during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras," reports ESA.



"The entire mountain range formed due to the upwelling of large sedimentary rocks by the collision of the Iberian and the Eurasian plate around 100 to 150 million years ago, followed by intense erosion from ice and water."



The western Pyrenees receive more precipitation due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain range contains many lakes, several small glaciers, and some of the highest waterfalls in Europe.



Video &amp; 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.

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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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.

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes a new map of Mars that is providing insight into the planet’s watery past. The map also reveals where future missions could safely land on Mars.&nbsp;



The map has been created over the last decade using observations of water-rich rocks and mineral deposits. The images were captured by ESA’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.



"A big surprise is the prevalence of these minerals, with the map revealing hundreds of thousands of water-affected locations in the oldest parts of the planet," says ESA. "The new data will help answer exciting questions about Mars’ climate history, whether water was globally persistent or confined to short, intense episodes, and whether the conditions were ever suitable for life."



"Specifically, the map shows the locations and abundances of aqueous minerals. These are from rocks that have been chemically altered by the action of water in the past, and have typically been transformed into clays and salts."



According to John Carter of the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS), our collective understanding of Mars has been oversimplified. He explained that planetary scientists have tended to think that only a few types of clay minerals on Mars were created during its wet period, then as the water gradually dried up, salts were produced across the planet.



The new map shows that the composition of Mars is much more complicated than what we thought. For example, while many salts formed after Martian clays, there are some salts that are presumed to be older than some of the clays.&nbsp;



“The evolution from lots of water to no water is not as clear cut as we thought, the water didn’t just stop overnight. We see a huge diversity of geological contexts, so that no one process or simple timeline can explain the evolution of the mineralogy of Mars. That’s the first result of our study. The second is that if you exclude life processes on Earth, Mars exhibits a diversity of mineralogy in geological settings just as Earth does,” said Carter.



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.

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes how cavefish adapted to a sedentary lifestyle over tens of thousands of years. 



The experts found that the muscle metabolism of cavefish has been genetically reprogrammed over time. As a result, the animals have experienced major changes in their morphology and behavior. Despite these changes, however, the cavefish remain healthy and fit.



The research may provide new clues about the evolutionary consequences of prolonged physical inactivity in humans.&nbsp;



“It’s no surprise that people are moving less and less as technology has advanced,” said Rohner. “With cavefish, we have a unique system where we can study what might happen if people remained couch potatoes over very, very long periods of time.”



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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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.

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> some of the most incredible waves in the world, as seen by Landsat satellites.



"With more than 370,000 miles of coastline on Earth, there are plenty of places where epic waves build up, curl over, and hurtle toward the shore.- much to the thrill of surfers," says NASA. "There are some places where these waves are so magnificent that they can be seen from space."



"With the broad perspective of satellites, we can see how these iconic waves develop into the world’s tallest, longest, fastest, and heaviest."



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes why satellite images and measurements of our planet have become "essential to our survival, offering a new outlook of our world."&nbsp;



Rising sea levels pose one of the biggest societal threats associated with climate change. According to ESA, satellite altimeter missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-6 are essential in monitoring global and regional changes in sea level.



"Unbeknown to many, the island of Crete, Greece, plays an important role in the Copernicus satellite altimetry constellation and on an international stage," reports ESA.



"Satellite altimetry data have to be continuously monitored at the ESA’s Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration where different techniques have pioneered the use of transponders to provide the best measurements to validate satellite altimeters in space soon after launch."



Dr. Craig Donlon explains that, by understanding planet Earth through satellite measurements, we are able to find evidence of change.&nbsp;



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...