Over the past 20 years, scientists have observed a subtle but widespread shift in the color of our oceans. While these changes might not be noticeable during a day at the beach, you can easily see them from airplanes and satellites in space.



This is happening on a massive, global scale, signaling to anyone paying attention that significant transformations are taking place beneath the surface of our seas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sounding-alarm-bells">Sounding alarm bells</h2>



Stephanie Dutkiewicz, a senior research scientist at <a href="https://www.mit.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MIT</a>, has been studying this phenomenon closely. She's part of a team that's raising concerns about what these color changes mean for the health of our planet.



"We hope people take this seriously," says Dutkiewicz. "It's not only models predicting these changes; we can now see them happening, and the ocean is changing."



In a study published in Nature, researchers from the <a href="https://noc.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Oceanography Center</a> in the UK and other institutions revealed that more than half of the world's oceans have experienced a shift in color. 



They found that these changes can't be chalked up to natural variations alone -- they're likely a result of human-driven climate change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-greener-ocean-color-near-the-equator">Greener ocean color near the equator</h2>



Tropical regions near the equator have become noticeably greener over time. This isn't just a visual tweak; it's a sign that the ecosystems within the surface ocean are changing. 



The color of the ocean is influenced by what's in its upper layers, especially tiny organisms like phytoplankton.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/earth-ocean-waters_south-carolina-coast_landsat8_green-color_nasa-1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/earth-ocean-waters_south-carolina-coast_landsat8_green-color_nasa-1s.webp" alt="Winyah Bay (roughly midway between Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) receives input from a number of blackwater rivers whose dark, reddish hues arise from the absorptive properties of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) which some have likened to nature's tea. Credit: NASA" class="wp-image-1951739"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Winyah Bay (roughly midway between Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) receives input from a number of blackwater rivers whose dark, reddish hues arise from the absorptive properties of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) which some have likened to nature's tea. Credit: NASA</figcaption></figure>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invisible-forest-of-phytoplankton-thrives-in-a-warming-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Phytoplankton</a> are microscopic, plant-like creatures that contain chlorophyll, giving them their green tint. They're a cornerstone of the marine food web and play a key role in capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 



Shifts in their populations can have ripple effects throughout marine ecosystems and impact the global carbon cycle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blame-the-humans-of-course">Blame the humans, of course</h2>



Lead author B.B. Cael from the National Oceanography Center points out that this isn't a random occurrence. 



"This evidence shows how human activities are affecting life on Earth on a vast scale," he says. "It's another way humans are impacting the biosphere, affecting even the most extensive environments on the planet."



Traditionally, scientists have monitored <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-algae-genes-chlorophyll-boost-crop-yields-land-plants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chlorophyll levels</a> to keep tabs on phytoplankton populations. But tracking changes using chlorophyll alone can take decades because of natural year-to-year fluctuations. 



Back in 2019, Dutkiewicz and her colleagues suggested that looking at the full spectrum of ocean colors could reveal climate change-driven trends more quickly. They estimated that such changes could become apparent within 20 years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellites-spot-the-difference">Satellites spot the difference</h2>



The team analyzed data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (<a href="https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MODIS</a>) on NASA's Aqua satellite. 



Since 2002, this instrument has been observing ocean color across seven visible wavelengths. Their analysis showed a clear trend over two decades, lining up with what their models had predicted.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/earth-ocean-waters_new-zealand-coast_modis-satellite_nasa_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/earth-ocean-waters_new-zealand-coast_modis-satellite_nasa_1s.webp" alt="Phytoplankton blooms are evident throughout the South Pacific Ocean with sediment re-suspended from the ocean floor by waves and tides along much of the New Zealand coastline. Credit: MODIS/NASA" class="wp-image-1951737"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Phytoplankton blooms are evident throughout the South Pacific Ocean with sediment re-suspended from the ocean floor by waves and tides along much of the New Zealand coastline. Credit: MODIS/NASA</figcaption></figure>



Cael explains that these trends match up with the effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-induced-changes-in-ocean-salinity-threaten-biodiversity-and-marine-ecosystems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">human-induced</a> climate change, not just random shifts in the Earth's system. 



This means the changes in ocean color are a direct response to how we're altering the planet's climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-ocean-color-matter">Why does ocean color matter?</h2>



So, what's the big deal about the ocean turning a bit greener? It suggests that the types of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plankton-at-risk-global-warming-threatens-the-oceans-lifeline/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phytoplankton communities</a> are changing. 



Different phytoplankton have varying abilities to capture carbon and support marine life. Changes in these communities can affect the entire food web, from tiny marine organisms all the way up to fish and whales.



Dutkiewicz emphasizes that these shifts will impact all creatures that rely on plankton for food. 



"Different types of plankton influence how much carbon the ocean can absorb," she notes, highlighting the broader implications for climate regulation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-visible-sign-of-invisible-changes">Visible sign of invisible changes</h2>



This research shines a light on the far-reaching effects of climate change on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/overfishing-and-habitat-degradation-have-devastated-marine-ecosystems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine ecosystems</a>. Monitoring ocean color offers a tangible way to detect and understand these shifts. 



The findings are a stark reminder of the significant impact human activities have on Earth's complex systems.



"The evidence is clear: human activities are altering the very color of our oceans," says Cael. This isn't just about aesthetics; it's about the intricate balance of marine life that keeps our planet healthy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-can-we-do-to-help">What can we do to help?</h2>



This shift in the ocean's hue is more than just a scientific curiosity -- it's a call to action. 



Scientists are continuing to study these trends to grasp the full impact on marine ecosystems and the global climate.



By keeping a closer eye on the full spectrum of ocean colors, researchers hope to gain a quicker understanding of how climate change is affecting the oceans.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/earth-ocean-waters_lake-erie_great-lakes_modis_nasa_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/earth-ocean-waters_lake-erie_great-lakes_modis_nasa_1s.webp" alt="At the end of winter the ice is nearly all gone from Lake Erie, and growing phytoplankton populations are revealed mingling with suspended sediments in this relatively shallow Great Lake. Credit: MODIS/NASA" class="wp-image-1951741"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">At the end of winter the ice is nearly all gone from Lake Erie, and growing phytoplankton populations are revealed mingling with suspended sediments in this relatively shallow Great Lake. Credit: MODIS/NASA</figcaption></figure>



This could lead to faster responses and more effective strategies to lessen the impacts.



As we face the realities of climate change, understanding what's happening in our oceans is crucial. Changes in the oceans can affect weather patterns, sea levels, and biodiversity on a global scale.



Addressing these challenges isn't something scientists can do alone. It requires all of us to pitch in -- from reducing our carbon footprints to supporting policies that protect marine environments. 



Every action, no matter how small, contributes to the bigger picture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-color-climate-change-and-human-health">Ocean color, climate change, and human health</h2>



To sum it all up, scientists have noticed that over the past 20 years, more than half of the world's oceans have subtly changed color. 



Stephanie Dutkiewicz points out that this shift matches what climate change models have been predicting. 



The color change is linked to alterations in phytoplankton communities -- tiny, plant-like organisms with chlorophyll that give the ocean its green tint. 



These little guys are essential for marine life and play a big role in capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.



By analyzing satellite data, researchers found that these changes aren't just natural fluctuations; they're consistent with human-driven climate change. 



The shift in ocean color suggests significant changes in marine ecosystems, which could impact the entire food web -- from microscopic organisms to large marine animals. 



This finding highlights how human activities are affecting the planet in profound ways, even down to changing the very color of our oceans. It's a clear sign that we need to take climate change seriously and start making changes now.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06321-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Earth's oceans are rapidly changing colors, and it's too late to stop it

Over the past 20 years, scientists have observed a subtle but widespread shift in the color of our oceans. While these changes might not be noticeable during a day at the beach, you can easily see them from airplanes and satellites in space. This is happening on a massive, global scale, signaling to anyone paying attention that significant transformations are taking place beneath the surface of our seas. Sounding alarm bells Stephanie Dutkiewicz, a senior research scientist at MIT, has been studying this phenomenon closely. She's part...

Based on previous research, scientists have predicted that plants will be able to adapt to rising global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-are-harming-bumblebee-diet/">temperatures</a> by changing their seasonal responses. Changing the timing of seasonal processes, such as new leaf growth in spring, flower formation and seed set, was expected to help plants keep pace with climate change. However, a new, global-scale analysis has revealed that changes in these phenological (seasonal) processes are lagging behind the temperature increases, especially in human-dominated landscapes.



“We would commonly expect phenology to adapt very quickly to climate change, but with these findings, we see that there’s probably a limit to how much adaptation we can see, and this limit is affected by human activities,” said study lead author Yiluan Song. “These findings open up a lot of questions to explore in terms of our expected response of plants to climate change.”&nbsp;



Under the guidance of Professor of Kai Zhu, researchers at <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/">UC Santa Cruz</a> analyzed satellite remote-sensing data in the Northern Hemisphere at mid- to high-latitudes. This data identified the warm-season growth patterns of plants on the ground. They hypothesized that growing seasons in the Northern Hemisphere would start earlier and last longer in response to increases in temperature. But this is not what they found.&nbsp;



Between 1981 and 2014, the length of the growing season changed more slowly than the average annual near-surface temperatures across a majority of the Northern Hemisphere. In some areas, this mismatch was even more extreme, with growing seasons getting shorter instead of longer.&nbsp;



In addition, the phenological mismatch corresponded with human population density and was particularly pronounced in the most human-dominated landscapes, especially croplands.&nbsp;This finding was supported with additional data from on-the-ground observations by citizen scientists which showed that the mismatch between temperature-related environmental conditions and the timing of initial growth of spring leaves increased with human population density.&nbsp;



While growing seasons in these human-impacted landscapes did not match temperature changes, phenological shifts were actually ahead of temperature changes in wildland areas. Researchers have yet to understand the reasons for these findings



One possibility is that the rate of temperature change may simply be too great for plant phenology to adequately keep up. Prior research shows that plants may be limited by their need to respond to other environmental variables too – like the length of the day and levels of precipitation – and that the species types and compositions of plant communities across parts of the Northern Hemisphere may also shape phenological response.&nbsp;



The findings have significant implications for areas where crops are farmed. In agricultural settings, warming temperatures can accelerate crop development, leading to an early harvest, but adaptive management practices could better match plant phenology with climate conditions to take advantage of longer growing seasons. Additional research will be needed to understand how human activities – like irrigation, selective planting, or land disturbance – might affect climate-phenology coupling and what the long-term impacts of this effect could be.&nbsp;



“While plant phenology has been well-researched, conventional approaches focus on natural systems, looking at forests or grasslands and intentionally excluding the areas with human dominance,” explained study senior author Kai Zhu. “But we are in the Anthropocene. When you look at the land across the earth, a large chunk of it has been modified by humans, and I think this study shows that it would be a mistake to not account for that.”



In addition, changes in the plant growth have potential impacts on environmental processes. “We particularly want to know more about the implications of these new findings on the carbon cycle,” said Zhu. “Plants are currently doing us a great service in taking up a lot of the carbon emissions we put into the atmosphere, but the length of the growing season is an important factor that determines how much carbon they can sequester.”



The researchers hope their findings might help to inform new approaches in the study of plant phenology.&nbsp;They argue that maintaining a stable relationship between climate and plant phenology is crucial for maintaining both biological diversity and ecosystem productivity in the future.&nbsp;



“We anticipate that the degree of mismatch may ultimately depend on how humans intervene,” said Zhu. “If we are smart enough, I think we could probably be adaptive to climate change through better management of plants. We are still learning in that process.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/2576604x">AGU Advances</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plants are not keeping pace with climate change

Based on previous research, scientists have predicted that plants will...

The analysis of 131 papers on penguins has confirmed that the marine birds need <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/western-chimpanzees-need-protection-from-human-development/">protection</a>. The research, published in the September issue of <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/marine-policy">Marine Policy</a>, comes as the UN is negotiating a treaty on the sustainable use of international areas in the high seas.&nbsp;



“In the marine environment, coastal states typically retain management of waters up to 200 nautical miles from their shorelines, but beyond that, the high seas, which represent 64 percent of the ocean’s surface and 95 percent of its volume, are considered global commons," explained study first author Jean-Baptiste Thiebot, a researcher at the <a href="https://www.nipr.ac.jp/english/">National Institute of Polar Research</a>.



"Penguins are, largely, ocean wanderers: they venture well offshore during some - or all - of their life stages. Hence, while the public may not think of penguins as traveler animals, we show that penguins are indeed extremely mobile. This mobility also widens the range of threats that they may face at sea, and, in particular, human activities that are intensifying in the high seas.”



According to Thiebot, much of this penguin movement is wide ranging and involves international migration.&nbsp;



“Transboundary movements, notably to areas beyond national jurisdiction, are remarkably prevalent among penguin species - there are at least 120 cases of penguins, representing 13 species, using such areas. We highlight that in 16 of the 18 species examined, the birds may undertake spectacular migrations, seasonally or through life-cycle stages.”



Due to their mobility, as well as to the wide range of threats posed to them by pollution, fishing, and climate change, Thiebot suggests there is a need for flexible conservation.



“We show that the use of areas beyond national jurisdiction by penguin species varies throughout the year, a dynamic pattern supporting the pertinence of developing innovative protection tools, such as mobile marine protected areas,” said Thiebot.



Although the research focused on penguins, it can be seen as part of a greater call for more care of the high seas.



“The current paper is part of a large effort by scientists worldwide to explain the stakes of protecting this biodiversity in the high seas. In the present paper, we examined to what extent penguins are known to use the high seas, and to what extent the conservation of penguins may depend on these legally binding developments.”



The scientists see this paper as just the first step with more research needed in the near future.&nbsp;



“Building on our first-step general approach, further analyses will be required to identify exactly which sites in areas beyond national jurisdiction are a priority for conservation," said Thiebot.



"In the meantime, the ongoing expansion of tracking studies will be key to provide a more complete perspective on the use of areas beyond national jurisdiction by penguins across species, sites and seasons.”



---



By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Penguins are more mobile, and more threatened, than expected

The analysis of 131 papers on penguins has confirmed that...

Since carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere far longer than other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenhouse-gases-threaten-arctic-ozone-layer/">greenhouse gases</a>, driving climate change, efforts to reduce it are critical. On a global scale, plants sequester almost one-third of CO2 emissions through photosynthesis, according to new research led by the <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/">Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory</a> (Berkeley Lab). Thus, forests and other similar ecosystems are some of the world’s most important <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-sinks-are-a-powerful-weapon-against-climate-change/">carbon sinks</a>.&nbsp;



By using a novel methodology combining remote sensing, machine learning, and terrestrial biosphere models, the research team has found that in recent decades, plants are photosynthesizing more in order to keep up with the increased pace of global warming. From 1982 to 2020, photosynthesis increased by 12 percent worldwide. During the same time frame, CO2 emissions rose by 17 percent.



This 12 percent increase in photosynthesis translates to 14 pentagrams of additional carbon taken out of the atmosphere by plants every year, which is the equivalent of CO2 emitted worldwide from burning fossil fuels in 2020.&nbsp;



Not all of the carbon which is taken out of the atmosphere through photosynthesis remains stored in ecosystems - much of it being released back to the atmosphere through respiration. Despite this, the scientists are confident that a direct link between increased photosynthesis and increased global carbon storage exists. However, this may not be enough to curb climate change, especially in the long term.



“This is a very large increase in photosynthesis, but it’s nowhere close to removing the amount of carbon dioxide we’re putting into the atmosphere,” said study lead author Trevor Keenan, an assistant professor of Environmental Science and Policy at Berkeley Lab. “It’s not stopping climate change by any means, but it is helping us slow it down.”



While this study highlights the importance of protecting ecosystems that currently help us slow down global warming, it is not yet clear for how long and to what extent forests will continue to provide these services.



“We don’t know what the future will hold as far as how plants will continue to respond to increasing carbon dioxide,” said Professor Keenan. “We expect it will saturate at some point, but we don’t know when or to what degree. At that point land sinks will have a much lower capacity to offset our emissions. And land sinks are currently the only nature-based solution that we have in our toolkit to combat climate change.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04096-9">Nature</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plants can slow global warming, but they cannot stop it

Since carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere far longer than...

Wild pigs are often considered to be sweet and intelligent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-in-the-mediterranean-are-moving-to-deeper-water-to-survive/">animals</a>, but the unfortunate reality is they contribute to $1.5 billion of property and crop damage in the U.S. each year. It is becoming increasingly difficult to quantify the pig population and their movements due to the massive population of around 9 million animals in the U.S, and therefore mitigation efforts are complicated.



New research from the <a href="https://www.uga.edu/">University of Georgia</a> is aiming to help resolve this issue by tracking wild pigs across the 310-square-mile area of the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. The tracking aims to provide insights into how pigs move and choose habitats, with most areas being chosen due to habitat preferences and air temperature.&nbsp;



“The idea was to provide knowledge of wild pig movements at a temporal scale, at which most management practices and decisions occur,” said study first author Lindsay Clontz. “The variables we incorporated were intended to be universal (i.e., habitat quality, weather, landscape characteristics), making it practical for landowners and managers to make informed management decisions on a week-by-week basis.”&nbsp;



The research team temporarily captured 49 wild pigs through baited traps in order to fit radio collars to track their movements over a year, and the resulting data confirmed that pigs generally choose bottomland hardwood swamps as their habitat. This is due to the availability of forage and water, allowing the pigs to regulate their body temperature within the hot climate.



The experts also discovered that female pigs stay closer to their desired habitats than males on average. “In most mammals, females are more tied to resources than males,” said Beasley. “Males often move around more throughout the landscape to gain access to females - especially pigs, which can breed year-round.”&nbsp;



Furthermore, the study revealed that reductions in air pressure resulted in less pig movement. “You’ve probably heard people talk about pets or animals responding before a storm,” said Beasley. “That’s exactly what we see with pigs: When these bad weather events hit, pigs tend to concentrate their movements, probably in areas of cover to stay out of the elements. That has a direct application in how we implement trapping or other control programs and deciding where and when to concentrate efforts.”&nbsp;



While the core aim of this study was to reduce crop and property damage, the researchers are hoping that it could have more important applications in the future. An example of this would be to track the movements of pigs to mitigate the spreading of diseases such as African Swine Flu, a situation that can pose a huge threat to the meat industry.



“From the domestic standpoint, anytime there’s a detection of an outbreak like that, they often have to go in and slaughter millions of pigs and dispose of them and shut down exports,” Beasley said. “So it’s a major economic and ecological issue.”



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15264998">Pest Management Science</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tracking study on wild pigs reveals when they move and why

Wild pigs are often considered to be sweet and intelligent...

Thousands of square meters of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-destroyed-14-percent-of-the-worlds-coral-reefs/">corals</a> are currently being grown on previously destroyed coral reefs in central Indonesia. Until recently, it has not been clear whether these new corals can revive the local reef ecosystem. 



However, a new study led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> has identified a diverse soundscape emerging from these restored coral reefs. According to the scientists, this rich array of whoops, croaks, raspberries, foghorns, and growls, are clear signs that the ecosystem is recovering.&nbsp;



"Restoration projects can be successful at growing coral, but that’s only part of the ecosystem," said study lead author Dr. Tim Lamont, a researcher at the University of Exeter and the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.buildingcoral.com/">Mars Coral Reef Restoration Project</a>. “This study provides exciting evidence that restoration really works for the other reef creatures too – by listening to the reefs, we’ve documented the return of a diverse range of animals."&nbsp;



The scientists used acoustic recordings taken in 2018 and 2019 as part of the monitoring program for the restoration of central Indonesia’s coral reefs, which involved the use of hexagonal metal frames called “Reef Stars” that were seeded with coral and laid over a large area in order to stabilize loose rubble and initiate rapid coral growth.



"We have been restoring and monitoring these reefs here in Indonesia for many years. Now it is amazing to see more and more evidence that our work is helping the reefs come back to life," said study co-author Mochyudho Prasetya, a researcher in the Mars Coral Reef Restoration Project.&nbsp;



“When the soundscape comes back like this, the reef has a better chance of becoming self-sustaining because those sounds attract more animals that maintain and diversify reef populations," explained study co-author Professor David Smith, a marine scientist at the University of Exeter.



However, there are multiple threats that coral reefs are currently facing all over the world, including climate change and water pollution, which must be urgently addressed in order to offer long-term protection to these vital ecosystems.



"Our study shows that reef restoration can really work, but it's only part of a solution that must also include rapid action on climate change and other threats to reefs worldwide," Dr. Lamont concluded.



The study is published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.14089">Journal of Applied Ecology.</a>



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fish songs are proof of coral restoration success

Thousands of square meters of corals are currently being grown...

Climate change is making life more challenging for the Antarctic fur seal, including a limited supply of krill during the summer months. As a result, female Antarctic fur seals have less reproductive success.



Furthermore, leopard seals have become a bigger threat to fur seal pups in areas where there is a lower abundance of penguins, which are their main prey.&nbsp;



Despite these challenges for Antarctic fur seals in the summer months, little is known about how climate change may impact them in the winter. A team of researchers from the <a href="https://www.ub.edu/web/portal/en/">University of Barcelona</a> set out to investigate.



The Antarctic fur seal is found exclusively in the Southern Ocean, and feeds mainly on krill. The team conducted the research during the austral summer season of 2019 in the Antarctic research station Gabriel de Castilla on Deception Island within the Southern Shetland Islands.&nbsp;



"Little is known about the winter habitat of male Antarctic fur seals and no habitat suitability model has been developed for them. The Antarctic fur seal is often qualified as ice-tolerant, but not ice-dependent, and some authors have characterized adult males as ice-free oceanic foragers," wrote the study authors.



"Antarctic fur seals are highly sexually dimorphic, and differences between sexes in winter habitat use could be related to differences in body mass, which in turn is a major determinant of their thermoregulatory skills and diving performance."&nbsp;



"The study of juvenile and immature males, whose body mass is in between that of adult females and adult males, can be particularly useful to improve our understanding of habitat use by male Antarctic fur seals in winter."



The researchers used satellite tracking to monitor juvenile and immature males, which represent more than the 80 percent of the seals that remain in Antarctic waters during winter.&nbsp;



Females leave Antarctica during this period when the breeding season is over. They move to warmer areas near South America, while the male seals stay behind in Antarctica.



"Males spend most of the winter time in the Antarctic Ocean, without going to the mainland, and they preferentially select areas of less than 1,000 meters deep, located about 200 kilometers from the ice borders and with high levels of chlorophyll and a surface temperature below 2ºC," explained study co-author Lluís Cardona, director of the Antarctic research project Flexseal.



"This coincides with the favorite habitat of the Antarctic krill, the main prey of these otariids. Due to the seasonal dynamics of ice, the krill-friendly habitat moves north during winter and so do the fur seals. As winter progresses, krill migrate deeper into the water and males dive deeper to eat, sometimes up to 180 meters deep."



According to the researchers, the differences in habitats during the austral winter may explain the sexual dimorphism of the species. Adult females weigh about 44 to 110 pounds, and adult males weigh up to 300 pounds. Even the juvenile males are larger than females. 



"An increased body mass involves more capacity to store oxygen, which allows adult males to dive deeper when searching for food," said Cardona.



The experts noted that the most important reproductive population of the Antarctic fur seal is in the South Georgia islands, where the greatest abundance of krill has been available in the summer over the last two decades.&nbsp;



"When this food source decreases, fur seals increase their fish intake but the reproductive success decreases. Therefore, the species can survive without krill but the population of the Antarctic fur seal is less abundant, like in the Kerguelen Islands."



The climate crisis will continue to alter the ecosystems of the Antarctic peninsula and the Southern Ocean. Both male and female fur seals will be increasingly exposed to these environmental changes.&nbsp;



"To adapt to the external changes, the colonies of the Antarctic fur seal should move south across the Antarctic peninsula, but this is an extremely slow process," said Cardona.



"In the future, we will need to manage properly the krill fishing activities in these areas, and this will require to consider not only the female consumption during summer but also the consumption associated with males of all ages during the four seasons of the year," concludes the researcher.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.



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

Antarctic fur seals are struggling in a warmer climate

Climate change is making life more challenging for the Antarctic...

Beautiful,Landscape,With,Rocky,Mountains,And,Famous,Moraine,Lake,In

A new study published in Nature Communications has found that retreating glaciers in the Pacific mountains of North America could potentially create approximately 6,150 kilometers of new Pacific salmon <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-pandas-have-the-perfect-camouflage-for-their-natural-habitat/" data-type="news" data-id="1897600">habitat</a> by the end of the century.



By modelling glacier retreat under different climate change scenarios, a research team led by <a href="https://www.sfu.ca/">Simon Fraser University</a>, Canada and <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx">University of Birmingham</a>, UK, discovered that, under a moderate temperature increase, the glacier retreat could create low-gradient streams (with no more than a 10 percent incline) connected to the ocean, which would be perfect habitats for salmon.&nbsp;



“We predict that most of the emerging salmon habitat will occur in Alaska and the transboundary region, at the British Columbia‒Alaska border, where large coastal glaciers still exist. The Gulf of Alaska sub-region is predicted to see the most gains—a 27 percent increase in salmon-accessible habitat by 2100,” said study lead author Dr. Kara Pitman, a spatial analyst at Simon Fraser University.



“Once conditions stabilize in the newly-formed streams, salmon can colonize these areas quite quickly. It’s a common misconception that all salmon return home to the streams they were born in. Most do, but some individuals will stray - migrating into new streams to spawn and, if conditions are favorable, the population can increase rapidly.”



According to study co-author Alexander Milner, a professor of River Ecosystems at the University of Birmingham who studied glacial retreat and salmon populations in southeast Alaska for over 30 years, after glacial retreat creates favorable spawning habitats, colonization by salmon can occur relatively quickly.



“For example, Stonefly Creek was colonized within 10 years by pink salmon that grew rapidly to more than 5,000 spawners,” he said. “Other species also colonized, including&nbsp;Coho and Sockeye&nbsp;salmon, especially where a lake is associated with the stream.”



While these newly created habitats are a positive development for salmon in some locations, the scientists warn that, through warming rivers, changes in stream flows, and poor ocean conditions, climate change still poses significant dangers for many salmon populations.



“Climate change means we increasingly need to look to the future. We can’t just protect current-day habitat for species but need to consider what habitats they might rely on in the future,” Dr. Pitman concluded.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Melting glaciers will create large habitats for Pacific salmon

A new study published in Nature Communications has found that...

Redpolls are a type of winter <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-finches-can-afford-to-be-picky-when-selecting-a-mate/">finch</a> living in the northernmost regions of the globe and flying south only sporadically. Although all of them share a characteristic red marking on their heads, some redpolls are white with small bills, while others are larger and have whiter bills. Due to these differences, scientists initially thought that there were three different species of Redpoll: the Common Redpoll, the Hoary Redpoll, and the Lesser Redpoll.&nbsp;



However, new genetic research led by the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a> (CU Boulder) has found that these apparently different species are in fact the same, but have a “supergene” that controls differences in morphology and plumage color, making them look different.



“Redpolls have been taxonomically confusing for a long time, and we only get to see them every once in a while in the winter,” said study co-author Scott Taylor, an assistant professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at CU Boulder. “They aren’t a bird you’re guaranteed to see at your feeder, so when it happens, people get excited, and they want to know what they’re looking at.”



By examining the full genome of 73 birds from all the different subtypes, Taylor and his colleagues found that despite the differences in appearance, the birds are almost identical genetically, having a “supergene” which controls the different traits making them look different.&nbsp;



“Often times we assume that a lot of traits can act independently, meaning that different traits can be inherited separately from one another, but this particular result shows that sometimes these traits are actually tightly linked together. At least for these birds, they’re inheriting a whole group of traits together as one,” explained study lead author Erik Funk, a graduate student at CU Boulder.



“I think, solidly now, the new paper shows that there is widespread gene flow across the (Redpoll) genome, except for this one region, and it just so happens this one region influences the way they look,” added Professor Taylor.



Redpolls are not the only ones having such supergenes. Many species, from various birds to certain types of mice, are now known to have them. “It seems to be less common, but I think one of the things that we are learning as we have access to more sequence data now is that maybe they’re not as uncommon as we once thought,” Funk concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-27173-z">Nature Communications</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why Redpolls look different, despite being the same species

Redpolls are a type of winter finch living in the...

If nations taxed carbon and the revenue returned to their citizens, climate change could be limited to 2°C and poverty could be alleviated, according to new research published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>. In a best case scenario, the authors predict that such a plan could reduce global emissions by 60 percent by 2030.&nbsp;



“These results indicate that it is possible for a society to implement strong climate action without compromising goals for equity and development, but this requires a careful focus on equity in policymaking,” explained study co-author Mark Budolfson, associate member of the Center for Population-Level Bioethics at <a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers</a>.



The key to the plan is returning carbon tax to the people evenly. Without this, the researchers caution a slower approach to climate change may be necessary because of the negative impact on the poor.&nbsp;



”The idea would be that rich households pay more because they emit more, but receive the same amount as poor households. In this way there is a net transfer to poorer households,” explained study co-author and senior <a href="https://iiasa.ac.at/">IIASA</a> researcher Fabian Wagner.



The results suggest that the best approach to climate change is to start with a fast reduction of carbon emissions initially, followed by a slower approach to carbon neutrality. In practice, such an approach should quickly lessen climate change and reduce poverty, while maintaining the carbon tax for future benefit as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Adopting strong climate policy need not entail a tradeoff where the people of today (and the poor in particularly) must sacrifice for the benefit of future generations,” said Budolfson.



The current research looked at the feasibility and speed of decarbonization, opinion and political will to back policy support, and the government’s ability to transfer taxes back to citizens.&nbsp;



The scientists feel future research efforts may focus on the distribution of tax revenues across various regions with different carbon taxes, as well as the effect of carbon tax on households with the same income level but different consumption patterns.



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Addressing climate change could help reduce poverty

If nations taxed carbon and the revenue returned to their...

Vitamin D, which we generally get from exposure to the sun, is essential for our bodies, particularly the bones. However, new research from the <a href="https://www.unisa.edu.au/">University of South Australia</a> has found that low levels of vitamin D do not only affect the bones, but could also increase the risk of cardiovascular <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-have-a-high-risk-of-disease-due-to-inbreeding/">disease</a>.&nbsp;



Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide, taking an average of 17.9 million lives each year. In Australia, one in four deaths is caused by CVDs, and treatment for such diseases cost the Australian economy five billion dollars per year.&nbsp;



Low levels of vitamin D are common in many parts of the world, with data from the <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a> showing that 55 percent of participants have low levels (&lt;50 nmol/L), and 13 percent have severe deficiency (&lt;25 nmol/L). In the United States, 24 percent of the people suffer from vitamin D deficiency, in Canada 37 percent, and in Australia 24 percent.



By using a genetic approach to assess the vitamin levels of 267,980 participants and compare it with CVD risks, scientists found that people with vitamin D deficiency are more likely to suffer from heart disease and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/long-term-pollution-exposure-linked-to-hypertension/">hypertension</a>. For the participants with the lowest concentrations of this essential vitamin, the risk of heart disease was more than double than for those with sufficient concentrations.



“Severe deficiency is relatively rare, but in settings where this does occur it is very important to be proactive and avoid negative effects on the heart. For example, deficiency can be a problem for people living in residential care who may have limited exposure to sun,”&nbsp;said study lead author Elina Hyppönen, a professor of Nutritional and Genetic Epidemiology at the University of South Australia.



“We can also get vitamin D from food, including oily fish, eggs, and fortified foods and drinks. This said, food is unfortunately a relatively poor source of vitamin D, and even an otherwise healthy diet does not typically contain enough.”



Fortunately, vitamin D can also be taken from daily supplements, which can be safely used by people with low exposure to sun in order enhance their concentrations and thus improve their overall health.



“Those with the lowest concentrations are likely to have the strongest effects, yet a population-wide approach to eradicate vitamin D deficiency could reduce the global burden of CVDs,” Professor Hyppönen concluded.



The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehab809/6448753">European Hearth Journal</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Vitamin D is essential for heart health

Vitamin D, which we generally get from exposure to the...

New research led by the <a href="https://www.uab.cat/en/">Universitat&nbsp;Autònoma&nbsp;de&nbsp;Barcelona</a> (UAB) has found that the knowledge possessed by Amazonian inhabitants can be crucial for assessing wildlife abundance trends in a context of urgent need for conservation strategies combined with limited financial resources.



The Amazon rainforest is home to 390 billion tree species and represents one of the world’s largest biodiversity regions. However, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deforestation-in-the-amazon-rainforest-hits-new-records/">deforestation</a> is rapidly increasing, resulting in an unprecedented loss of biodiversity. If this process continues at the current rate, 27 percent of the Amazon will be lost by 2030.&nbsp;



The impact of human activity on the rainforest can be measured by fast and accurate estimates of animal populations. However, gathering data about wildlife abundance remains very challenging, since it requires high logistics and financial resources, especially for longitudinal studies carried out in areas that are difficult to access.



Recently, scientists have started considering methods based on local ecological knowledge (LEK), gathered from empirical observations of local peoples. While such methods have previously been accused of subjectivism and lack of scientific validation, a research team from UAB has shown that in fact LEK is as accurate, or even more accurate, than standard scientific practices, especially when it comes to finding species that are rarely observed, such as nocturnal, cryptic, less abundant, or hunted ones.



“The perception of local people is multisensory, involving hearing, smelling,&nbsp;and&nbsp;observing indirect visual signs, such as footprints&nbsp;and scratches, which increase the ability&nbsp;of local people&nbsp;to detect the presence&nbsp;and estimate the abundance&nbsp;of an animal,” explained study lead author Franciany&nbsp;Braga-Pereira, a researcher at UAB.&nbsp;



“In addition,&nbsp;different from surveys on conventional line transects,&nbsp;LEK's effort involves different scales since&nbsp;local people have contact with the forest&nbsp;when&nbsp;carrying&nbsp;out their usual activities, such as hunting, fishing, agriculture, and harvesting of timber and non-timber products,&nbsp;at all times of the day and year, and throughout the territory&nbsp;where they live.”&nbsp;



Braga-Pereira and his colleagues argue that incorporating this method into community-based wildlife monitoring projects could significantly improve the quality of science and contribute to the sustainability of our planet’s tropical forests. Moreover, local communities will be more empowered by having more decision-making capacities in managing their natural resources.



“Ecological knowledge of local populations is more accurate than 10 years of conventional scientific monitoring for animal abundance in the Amazon,” Braga-Pereira concluded.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/2041-210X.13773">Methods in Ecology and Evolution</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Indigenous knowledge can help protect Amazon wildlife

New research led by the Universitat&nbsp;Autònoma&nbsp;de&nbsp;Barcelona (UAB) has found that...

New research led by the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx">University of Birmingham</a> has found that most of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/methane-emissions-are-higher-than-previously-estimated/">methane</a> gas emitted from Amazon wetlands regions is vented into the atmosphere through tree root systems, with significant emissions taking place even when the ground is not flooded.



After carbon dioxide, methane is the second most important greenhouse gas, contributing significantly to global warming. According to an increasing number of studies, it appears that much of our atmospheric methane emerges from wetlands. However, most of these studies assume that methane is only produced when the ground is completely flooded or underwater.



Surprisingly though, recent findings suggest that far more methane is emitted by trees growing on floodplains in the Amazon basin than by soil or surface water, in both wet and dry conditions. While in wetland areas without trees, methane would usually be consumed by the soil on its way towards the surface, in forested wetland areas, tree roots could be acting as a methane transport system, venting it into the atmosphere via the tree trunks.



In such conditions, methane appears to be able to escape into the air even when it is produced in soil and water that is several meters below ground level. Thus, existing models could massively underestimate the extent of methane emissions in wetland areas such as the Amazon basin.



In order to test this hypothesis, the scientists measured methane emissions across three plots on the floodplains of three major Amazonian rivers. The same trees were monitored a few times in a year to asses their response to changing water levels associated with annual floods.



The researchers estimate that almost half of the global tropical wetland methane emissions are funneled out by trees, even during periods when the floodplain water lies below the surface of the ground.



“Our results show that current global emissions estimates are missing a crucial piece of the picture,” said study lead author Vincent Gauci, a professor in the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/gees/index.aspx">School of Geography, Earth, and Environmental Sciences</a> at the University of Birmingham. “We now need to develop models and methods that take into account the significant role played by trees in wetland methane emission.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2020.0446">Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London A.</a>



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Amazon trees are contributing to methane emissions

New research led by the University of Birmingham has found...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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.

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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.

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" 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

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes how Earth is unique in our solar system for its ability to sustain liquid water on its surface. But now, the water cycle is shifting as the climate warms, and scientists must find ways to predict how these changes will affect water availability.



Overall, 96 percent of Earth's water is saltwater, and nearly all of freshwater is found in ice and groundwater. These sources of water are linked as it passes through solid, liquid and gas phases.



In a warmer climate, the water cycle will be transformed. It will be easier for water to evaporate and form clouds, and storms will become more frequent and intense. Some regions will get too much water, while others will be left without enough water. In addition, soil moisture will be lost - which threatens food security.



Scientists are using satellite data from over the last 40 years to track changes that are happening in the water cycle. This will ultimately help us prepare for extreme events and better manage our water resources, according to ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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Saturn,-,High,Resolution,3d,Images,Presents,Planets,Of,The

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> features images of Saturn from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The photographs capture the start of the mysterious "spoke season" on Saturn - when unexplained features appear on its rings. 



According to NASA, both the cause of the spokes and their seasonal variability have yet to be fully explained by planetary scientists.



"Like Earth, Saturn is tilted on its axis and therefore has four seasons, though because of Saturn's much larger orbit, each season lasts approximately seven Earth years. Equinox occurs when the rings are tilted edge-on to the Sun," explains NASA.



"The spokes disappear when it is near summer or winter solstice on Saturn. (When the Sun appears to reach either its highest or lowest latitude in the northern or southern hemisphere of a planet.) As the autumnal equinox of Saturn's northern hemisphere on May 6, 2025, draws near, the spokes are expected to become increasingly prominent and observable."



Experts believe that the spokes may be a product of the planet's variable magnetic field. When magnetic fields interact with solar wind, an electrically charged environment is created. This phenomenon is visible on Earth as the northern lights.&nbsp;



"Scientists think that the smallest, dust-sized icy ring particles can become charged as well, which temporarily levitates those particles above the rest of the larger icy particles and boulders in the rings," says NASA.



The spokes were first observed in the early 1980s by NASA's Voyager mission. Depending on the angle of the rings, the spokes can appear dark or light.



"Thanks to Hubble's OPAL program, which is building an archive of data on the outer solar system planets, we will have longer dedicated time to study Saturn’s spokes this season than ever before," said NASA senior planetary scientist Amy Simon, head of the Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program.



"Despite years of excellent observations by the Cassini mission, the precise beginning and duration of the spoke season is still unpredictable, rather like predicting the first storm during hurricane season."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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Closeup,Of,Fresh,Green,The,Napier,Bush,Grass,As,Animal

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes why herbicides are not as effective in killing weeds anymore. In the 20th century, chemical companies developed thousands of herbicides. The most commonly used herbicide was glyphosate, which was introduced in 1974.



Over the past few decades, dozens of species of weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Depending on the site of action, the part of the plant that an herbicide interacts with, weeds may even be resistant to herbicides that have not been developed yet.&nbsp;



With increasing resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides, weeds are - once again - becoming a major concern for farmers.&nbsp;



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) describes a dust storm on Mars that was nearly twice the size of the United States. As the storm covered the southern hemisphere of the planet, some of NASA’s explorers had to delay their normal activities.



NASA’s Insight lander put itself in a "safe mode" for 11 days to conserve battery power because solar power was disrupted by the dust. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter postponed flights until conditions improved.



"A fleet of NASA orbiters monitor Martian dust storms like this one and serve as lifelines to Earth by relaying data from the rovers and lander on the ground back to the team. This includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, and Odyssey," reports JPL.



"Dust storms like this recent one start close to the ground and are spread by wind as they rise – warming the cold Martian atmosphere."



The images in the video were captured by NASA’s Curiosity as the dust rolled in. A fleet of orbiters monitored the dust storm from above, relaying data from Mars’ explorers back to scientists on Earth.



Video &amp; Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.



Qeshm is separated from the Iranian coast by the Clarence Strait, also known as Khuran.&nbsp;The Hara Forest Protected Area is a network of shallow waterways and forest located between the island and the mainland. This protected region is home to sea turtles, snakes, and more than 150 species of migrating birds.



Qeshm is famous for its wide range of&nbsp;ecotourist&nbsp;attractions, such as the&nbsp;Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5 percent of the world birds and 25 percent of Iran's native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-hummingbirds-avoid-sexual-harassment-by-looking-like-males/">birds</a> annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park in Iran.



Tourists are also drawn to the island to see an age-old Portuguese&nbsp;fort, historic mosques, the&nbsp;Seyyed Mozaffar&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bibi Maryam&nbsp;shrines, and the "Valley of Stars."



The average temperature on the island is 81 degress and the region is often hot and humid. From June to August, the island is described as being oppressively hot. The ideal time to visit is during the winter season. 



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique.&nbsp;



"Inhambane Bay is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows," says ESA. "On one side of the bay lies the historical city of Inhambane, capital of the Inhambane Province, while the sister city of Maxixe, the economic capital of Inhambane, sits across from it. The province is the second largest grower of cashews, after Nampula, and it also produces coconut and citrus fruits."



The beaches of Barra and Tofo are popular with tourists. There are also coral reefs along the long coastline of Inhambane, making it an ideal destination for scuba diving and snorkeling.



"Mozambique’s extensive coastline heightens the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones that develop in the Indian Ocean as well as storm surge flooding," says ESA.



"More than half of the population lives in low lying coastal areas, putting communities at risk. Inhambane Bay was dangerously close to where Cyclone Idai made landfall in 2019 causing widespread destruction to the country."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



"Earth’s oceans are huge heat stores, soaking up 93% of the excess heat from human activity over the past 70 years. Ocean currents redistribute heat around the planet, from the Equator to the poles. Where this ocean heat goes influences weather patterns and regional climate," explains ESA.



"As well as absorbing heat, oceans are a natural carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. This has led to the acidification of ocean water, threating marine life."



The amount of heat and carbon dioxide soaked up by the ocean depends on specific variables, including phytoplankton, temperatures, waves, salinity, and ice cover. Satellites can be used to measure these variables from space.



"From their unique vantage point, satellites provide key information for understanding the complexities of our planet and monitoring environmental issues," says ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the importance of monitoring the shape of the sea surface, which is constantly changing. These observations have many applications, such as ship routing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-modem-ocean-is-a-tough-place-for-whales-to-survive/">ocean</a> current forecasting, and debris tracking.



"A project supported by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities recently investigated a new technique to measure sea surface topography very precisely," reports ESA.



"The technique involves looking at satellite navigation (GNSS) signals that have been reflected off of the sea surface at very low angles. At these so-called grazing angles, waves and surface roughness have very little impact on the reflection process; the sea surface acts as a very smooth mirror."



Estel Cardellach is the principal investigator at the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, who first submitted the idea for the project.



“In a mirror-like reflection the phase of the signal can be tracked – it is continuous," said Cardellach. "Different surface heights result in different phase measurements. It gives a very precise measurement of the surface altitude at a few centimetres’ precision.”



The researchers developed a GNSS receiver and set up an experiment in the Balaeric Islands to collect signals from the receiver that were reflected off the sea surface. Ultimately, these signals will provide improved measurements of the shape of the sea surface.



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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Aerial,Photo,Of,River,In,Amazon,Rainforest,Jungle,In,Peru

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center</a> describes how scientists are using autonomous sound sensors to monitor deforestation in the Amazon. By recording soundscapes, the experts can determine which animals are present through their distinct sounds.&nbsp;



Using this method, sounds can be used as scientific measurements to analyze the effects of deforestation. The researchers will gain a better understanding of how the acoustics of a forest can be used to measure its health.&nbsp;



"From space, parts of the Amazon rainforest that have previously been logged or burned may look lush and green, like a place buzzing with activity and full of sounds. But inside the rainforest, the animal life may tell a different story, of a harsh environment and a quieter soundscape," says NASA.



Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center&nbsp;



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

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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