Ever notice how nature doesn't stick to a single "theme"? Fields of wildflowers seamlessly transition into hardy shrubs, which give way to towering trees as you venture deeper into a landscape. This is not just coincidence. 



A recent study has brought to light nature's ingenious plan behind this apparent randomness in landscapes and habitats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-different-habitats-different-stories">Different habitats, different stories</h2>



A study conducted across 30 field sites in the UK has revealed the magic behind mother nature’s multi-faceted design. The research was led by a team of ecologists at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>.



The experts took on the task of answering some of the most pressing questions in conservation and land management. Their findings shed new light on the interplay of species across <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/landscapes-with-different-habitats-greatly-increase-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">various habitats</a>.



Why does this matter? Well, imagine a sprawling landscape as a complex jigsaw puzzle. Each distinct habitat - whether woodland, farmland, or urban area - represents a unique piece of this puzzle. 



According to the research, fitting together different habitat "pieces" leads to a more complete, richer, and vibrant picture of biodiversity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-landscapes-and-habitats">Landscapes and habitats</h2>



Study lead author Dr. Talya Hackett is an alumnus of Bristol's School of Biological Sciences who is currently affiliated with the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>. 



"Conservation and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-environment-day-2024-a-call-for-land-restoration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">restoration projects</a> are increasingly focusing on landscape-scale efforts. Yet, data on species interactions are often limited to specific habitats, such as woodlands, farmland, or urban areas," said Dr. Hackett.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ecological-balance-of-multi-habitat-landscapes">Ecological balance of multi-habitat landscapes</h2>



The researchers unearthed significant differences in food web structures among landscapes containing one, two, or three habitats. 



The multi-habitat landscapes hosted a greater number of species and displayed an evenly distributed abundance. The diversity was not just in numbers but also in species type, with unique habitat specialists rounding off the mix.



The research offers a fresh perspective on ecosystem stability. The "multi-habitat landscape model" demonstrates an enhanced resistance to species loss. Think of it as a safety net for biodiversity.



Lose a species in one habitat, and another from a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-will-changing-tundra-landscapes-affect-earths-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">different habitat steps</a> in to balance the scales.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-multi-habitat-landscapes">Significance of multi-habitat landscapes</h2>



Elaborating on this fascinating concept, co-lead author Professor Jane Memmott explained that landscapes are more than just a sum of their individual habitats.



They present unique properties, such as increased resilience against species loss and improved pollination, transcending their components' individual capabilities.



Taking a detour from traditional conservation strategies, the study emphasizes the importance of maintaining multi-habitat landscapes.



Our natural environments are a vibrant interplay of unique habitats that are all interconnected. It's like a relay race where each habitat passes the baton to the next, facilitating a seamless flow of life and energy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-comprehensive-approach-to-conservation">Comprehensive approach to conservation</h2>



Study co-author Dr. Alix Sauve noted that understanding the symbiotic relationships between habitats is key when planning new nature reserves.



Dr. Suave suggests that the landscape context of potential sites should be considered to maximize ecosystem function and long-term stability.



The study examined over 11,000 species interactions. Wild strawberries served as the "test plant" for assessing pollination efficiency within different landscapes. The results confirmed that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-diseases-flourish-in-city-landscapes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitat diversity</a> positively impacts pollination.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-on-the-horizon">What's on the horizon?</h2>



The study has opened a Pandora's box of exciting research opportunities. The team plans to delve into investigating the effects of specific habitat combinations and their compatibility. 



Moreover, future studies might also explore other ecological functions such as seed dispersal and decomposition in multi-habitat landscapes.



This has considerable implications for agricultural practices too. It could enhance food production, pest control, and overall ecosystem health. Ultimately, the research highlights the interconnected nature of ecosystems at the landscape scale.



"Mobile species effectively glue the various habitats together, underscoring the intricate connections that sustain biodiversity and ecosystem services," said Professor Memmott.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-the-study">Significance of the study</h2>



To preserve our natural world in all its splendid diversity, we need to shift our focus from individual habitats to a multi-habitat landscape approach. 



Our role in nature's symphony is to maintain the harmony between different habitats to ensure the melody of biodiversity continues to play.



Just like how a landscape is a mosaic of habitats, the future of conservation management lies in embracing this multi-faceted approach. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07825-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Landscapes with a mix of habitats are biodiversity hotspots

Ever notice how nature doesn't stick to a single "theme"? Fields of wildflowers seamlessly transition into hardy shrubs, which give way to towering trees as you venture deeper into a landscape. This is not just coincidence. A recent study has brought to light nature's ingenious plan behind this apparent randomness in landscapes and habitats. Different habitats, different stories A study conducted across 30 field sites in the UK has revealed the magic behind mother nature’s multi-faceted design. The research was led by a team of ecologists at...

A new tool could help fishermen increase their yields while still protecting at-risk species to the benefit of both the fishing industry and conservationists. 

No-fishing zones <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/no-fishing-zones-penguins/">proven successful in the protection</a> and restoration of endangered and threatened species, but they can present a hindrance to fishermen. 

Currently, protection zones are often static and don’t reflect the constant variations in ocean conditions, which means fishermen may not be able to meet their target quotas or end up catching protected species as bycatch anyway. 

Conservationists and fishers have long had difficulty finding common ground between protecting and making a profit. 

Now, a tool called EcoCast could be just the solution both the fishing industry and conservation scientists have been looking for. 

EcoCast was developed by researchers from <a href="https://www.sdsu.edu/">San Diego State University</a> in collaboration with the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA) and provides computer-generated maps of zones that could meet fishing quotas while avoiding areas with protected species. 

“This is a really different way of approaching fisheries management," said Rebecca Lewison, a lead scientist on the project. “EcoCast pioneers a way of evaluating both conservation objectives and economic profitability. Instead of trying to shut down U.S. fisheries, EcoCast is trying to help U.S. fishermen fish smarter, allowing them to meet their set quota of target catch and avoid unwanted bycatch.”

A new report outlining EcoCast’s development and potential was recently published in the journal Science Advances. 

EcoCast collects data from the <a href="https://coastwatch.noaa.gov/">NOAA's CoastWatch program</a>, which monitors ocean conditions worldwide with satellites. Fishers will receive up to date reports daily noting where protected fish populations are likely to be located.  

The tool warns fishers of potential bycatch locations for leatherback sea turtles, blue sharks, and California sea lions but could be expanded to include more species and areas. 

“We're harnessing the field of big data so that information on ocean conditions can be of use to fishermen," said Elliott Hazen, the lead author of the new paper.

After demonstrating the way EcoCast could be used by fishermen, the researchers discovered that the tool could still protect species but reduce no-fishing zones, making them two to ten times smaller and giving fishers more pace to meet their quotas. 

“EcoCast represents a new approach to dynamically manage our ocean resources, which is an exciting advance in fisheries management,” said Lewison. “By working directly with fisheries, we can develop tools that can help US fleets to fish smarter.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandett</a>e,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New technology helps fishermen and conservationists both win

A new tool could help fishermen increase their yields while...

The European Commission has proposed new laws which have been designed to eliminate the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-galapagos-islands/">plastic</a> waste that is most commonly washing up on Europe's beaches. The European Union's governing body is targeting the 10 single-use plastic products which, along with fishing gear, account for 70 percent of the marine litter in Europe.

If the legislation is passed by the 28 Member States, some disposable plastics such as straws and cutlery will be completely banned across the European Union, while plastic food containers and cups will be largely reduced.

A <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-3927_en.htm">press release</a> from the European Commission explains that different measures will be used for different products.

“Where alternatives are readily available and affordable, single-use plastic products will be banned from the market. For products without straight-forward alternatives, the focus is on limiting their use through a national reduction in consumption.”

The initiative will make plastic producers financially responsible for some of the waste management and clean-up associated with their products. For example, producers of plastic fishing gear will be required to cover the costs of waste collection as well as the costs of awareness-raising measures.

The proposed law will also make it mandatory for countries across the European Union to collect 90 percent of single-use plastic drink bottles by 2025.

The European Commission explained that the incentive to develop more sustainable solutions will give companies in Europe a competitive edge in taking the technological lead over global competitors.

First Vice-President Frans Timmermans is responsible for sustainable development in the EU. He said that plastic waste is “undeniably a big issue and Europeans need to act together to tackle this problem.”

“Across the world, plastics make up 85% of marine litter,” the Commission stated. “And plastics are even reaching people's lungs and dinner tables, with microplastics in the air, water and food having an unknown impact on their health.” 

“Tackling the plastics problem is a must and it can bring new opportunities for innovation, competitiveness and job creation.”

For World Environment Day on June 5th, the European Commission will launch an EU-wide awareness campaign which will highlight how individual consumers can help to combat plastic pollution and marine litter.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

European Union has moved to ban certain single-use plastics

The European Commission has proposed new laws which have been...

A new study from <a href="http://www.earth.columbia.edu/">The Earth Institute at Columbia University</a> has found that urban development and global warming are reducing cloud cover in many coastal regions of southern California. Low-lying clouds are not developing as frequently in the morning hours, and hotter temperatures are increasing the risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drought-wildfires-pacific-northwest/">wildfires</a>.

“Cloud cover is plummeting in southern coastal California,” said study lead author Park Williams. “And as clouds decrease, that increases the chance of bigger and more intense fires.” 

Williams explained that increasing heat drives away clouds, allowing more sunlight through to heat the ground and dry out vegetation. Rapid urbanization, which increases near-surface temperatures, is the primary contributor to declining cloud cover, but the warming climate is also contributing to the issue.

The research team found that low-lying summer clouds have declined by 25 to 50 percent since the 1970s in Los Angeles. Normally, stratus clouds form over coastal southern California during early morning hours. 

“Clouds that used to burn off by noon or 1 o'clock are now gone by 10 or 11, if they form at all,” said Williams.

The researchers analyzed hourly cloud observations collected at airports to investigate the trend of changing cloud cover. They compared this pattern to data from the U.S. Wildland Fire Assessment System, where experts keep regular measurements of vegetation moisture in the hills outside of Los Angeles. 

The comparison revealed that periods of less cloud cover during the summer directly corresponded with lower vegetation moisture and a higher risk of fire.

The total area burned in summer was not found to increase as a result of fewer clouds, but Williams said there are too many other factors at play, such as variations in rainfall and winds. Also, as urban areas have grown, burnable areas have decreased. Furthermore, fire-fighting strategies are becoming increasingly effective.

“Even though the danger has increased, people in these areas are very good at putting out fires, so the area burned hasn't gone up,” said Williams. “But the dice are now loaded, and in areas where clouds have decreased, the fires should be getting more intense and harder to contain. At some point, we'll see if people can continue to keep up.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Park Williams/Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

Is California getting too sunny? Fewer clouds increase fire risk

A new study from The Earth Institute at Columbia University...

The Galapagos Islands, one of the most protected areas on Earth, are now facing a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/major-companies-plastic-pollution/">plastic pollution</a> problem even though 97 percent of the islands are off limits to humans. 

Seals have been recorded playing with plastic water bottles, hermit crabs are using bottles as shells, and Galapagos finches are lining their nests with plastic fibers. 

Microplastics have also been discovered in the sand, presenting a threat to smaller species. 

According to an exclusive <a href="http://www.itv.com/news/2018-05-29/galapagos-islands-plastic-pollution-itv-news-investigation/">ITV report</a>, the plastics problem in the Galapagos represents a unique opportunity to target the source of the plastic and stem the tide of waste. 

The Galapagos Islands are home to one of the most unique and diverse ecosystems on the planet, and some species that live on the island can’t be found anywhere else in the world. 

This is why it was such a draw to Charles Darwin who used finches on the island to point out how a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/beak-shape-determined-diet/">species evolves with its environment</a>. 

The islands are technically protected, but now the presence of plastic on the shores of the Galapagos are a major threat to the many endangered and unique species living there. 

“The larger, charismatic species are more at risk with larger items and smaller animals at the bottom of the food chain, that really support this diversity here, are much more susceptible to these smaller pieces,” said Ceri Lewis from the University of Exeter.

According to the ITV report, researchers from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> have been given rare access to some of the untouched areas of the island in order to survey the Galapagos’ currents, tide patterns, and amount of plastic on its beaches to target the source of the waste. 

One visit yielded 156 bottle caps along an 82 feet stretch of beach, which emphasizes just how pervasive plastics are even though the Ecuadorian government has banned plastic straws and bags on the island. 

It is suspected that the plastic is washing up from ships who are discarding their rubbish as they pass by the islands. 

If ships are avoiding high disposal fees charged by ports, it might be time to reconsider port regulations for managing ship waste according to conservationists. 

However, before solutions to the plastic waste on the Galapagos can be found, researchers must first confirm exactly how the plastic is making its way to the shore. 

“We are actually really excited here in Galapagos,” Lewis said. “We think there is a real opportunity to really understand the problem - in real detail - and do something about it.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: <a href="http://www.itv.com/news/2018-05-29/galapagos-islands-plastic-pollution-itv-news-investigation/">ITV</a>

Plastic pollution hits Galapagos Islands despite protected status

The Galapagos Islands, one of the most protected areas on...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.unimelb.edu.au/">University of Melbourne</a> have found that the world's wealthiest regions will not suffer the impacts of local climate change nearly as much as developing areas if global warming is not limited to the standards set by the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/country-paris-agreement/">Paris agreement</a>.

“The results are a stark example of the inequalities that come with global warming,” said study lead author Andrew King.

“The richest countries that produced the most emissions are the least affected by heat when average temperatures climb to just 2°C, while poorer nations bear the brunt of changing local climates and the consequences that come with them.”

The most temperate nations will be the least impacted, with the United Kingdom dodging the most negative impacts. The worst affected areas will be countries along the Equator, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo.


Even if global temperatures are limited to just 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the outcome will remain the same.


The researchers used the signal-to-noise ratio for their analysis. In this case, the signal is the local change in average temperatures, while the noise is the variability of local temperatures.


Regions outside of the tropics have a greater year-to-year variability in temperature and will be much more adaptable compared to Equatorial regions, where there are already high average temperatures and less variation throughout the year. In the more vulnerable areas, even a small rise in temperatures will generate immediate, noticeable impacts.


This scenario worsens the future climate change burden of developing nations.

“Economically powerful nations, who are most responsible for the emissions that led to global warming, are going to have to pick up the slack if they want to maintain economic growth in developing countries,” said study co-author Luke Harrington.

“It's why we need to invest in limiting the worst impacts of climate change for developing nations today. By assisting developing nations to meet these challenges we help maintain their economic stability and security into the future and by extension, our own as well.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Developing countries will suffer the most from global warming

Researchers at the University of Melbourne have found that the...

Residents of Hawaii’s Big Island have been <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-fissures-kilauea-evacuations/">evacuating</a> since the first fissures from the Kilauea volcano starting spewing up lava and sulfur dioxide earlier this month. 

After several eruptions, earthquakes, and even more fissures opening on the island, lava was recorded making its way to the ocean and sending clouds of toxic laze skyward. 

Laze occurs when hot lava meets the ocean and a dangerous mixture of hydrochloric acid and volcanic glass particles results. 

But now, residents have been warned of yet another hazard from Kilauea’s eruptions. Vog is another harmful mixture of gases and vapors that form a heavy volcanic smog. 

Vog is created by vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide gas released from Kilauea's vents. When the gases and vapor mix with sunlight, it creates a haze that can cause serious respiratory problems. 

Sulfur dioxide emissions <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-quality-kilauea-volcano/">have more than tripled</a> since Kilauea first started erupting. 

Tradewinds, which are expected to die down this weekend, have been blowing the vog offshore but with the increasing emissions from the volcano, more and more haze is being released and residents continue to be affected. 

“Everyone is having symptoms now on some level,” Josh Green, a state senator and emergency room physician, told the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html">Daily Mail</a>. 

Those without respiratory or health issues may experience burning eyes, headaches, and sore throats, but people with asthma could be hospitalized. 

Although the trade winds are good news for Big Island, for Guam it’s a different story. Recent volcanic haze has stretched across the Pacific and <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/29/us/hawaii-kilauea-homes-destroyed/index.html">according to CNN</a>, threatens people living on the Mariana Islands. 

Guam has issued air quality warnings to residents and mariners who could face visibility issues due to the volcano’s emissions. 

Big Island continues to deal with lava flow, ash, dangerous gases, earthquakes and now vog, and residents near lava flows have been warned to leave now or face getting trapped. 

Kilauea has been extremely active and its current eruption cycle has been going on since the 1980s. There’s no telling when the volcano’s activity will stop as Kilauea’s eruption is one of the longest-lived eruptions in recorded history, according to the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/faqs.htm">National Park Service. </a>

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why vog from the Kilauea eruption poses such a health threat

Residents of Hawaii’s Big Island have been evacuating since the...

Researchers at <a href="http://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a> have found that the climate has a major influence on the behavior of so-called “zombie ants.” However, it is the fungi that control these ants, and not the ants themselves, that are evolving alongside <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-china-us-economy/">climate change</a>.

For millions of years, a parasitic fungus has been manipulating carpenter ants by taking control of their nervous systems, giving rise to the term “zombie ants.”

Once infected, an ant begins its subservient journey to a dying grip on leaves or twigs, where the insect eventually releases the spores of the fungus from its head after death.

It has been well-documented that zombie ants cling to aerial vegetation to assist in the distribution of their controlling fungi. But now, researchers have found that the choice of leaves or twigs that the ants grasp onto are linked to environmental conditions, suggesting that the fungi have adapted to their local climate.

Study co-author David P. Hughes is an associate professor of Entomology and Biology at Penn State. “In tropical areas, zombie ants bite onto leaves, but in temperate areas, they bite twigs or bark,” he explained.

Previous studies have shown that around half of the carpenter ant species can be infected in any given population, yet each species has its own fungus. 

While zombie ants are known to exist on all continents except Europe, a fossil zombie ant has now been discovered in Germany, which means they existed in Europe at some point as well.

“They are probably not in Europe because the forests there are so managed,” said Professor Hughes. “They likely went locally extinct there.”

Once inside of the ant’s body, the fungus manipulates the individual to climb high into the tree branches and clamp onto a leaf or a twig in a death grip, a strategic move that allows the spores of the fungus to gradually spread. The infectious spores fall onto the ants below, and the fungus multiplies. 

“In the late summer and early fall there are both leaves and twigs everywhere the ants reside,” said study co-author Raquel G. Loreto. “But in temperate areas the trees are deciduous and lose their leaves in the fall. There, the ants bite onto twigs.”

The German fossil, which dates to around 47 million years ago, shows that the ant was biting into a leaf. During that era, all of the forests were evergreen, so all of the zombie ants would have chosen to bite into leaves.

On the other hand, when the climate cooled off, temperate forests grew in the northernmost and southernmost areas worldwide. Zombie ants in those areas that bit onto leaves would have hit the ground as quickly as the leaves fell. 

The fungi evolved over time so that, in temperate areas, zombie ants were directed to bite onto twigs or bark.

“Some of the ants do not simply bite the twigs, but wrap their back legs around the twig and hold on,” explained Loreto. “They probably do this because biting twigs in not enough to hold them on.”

The research team studied tropical zombie ants first, and established that they always bite leaves. On the other hand, temperate zombie ants were found to always bite twigs and bark. 

Overall, 90 percent of the dead temperate ants were found to have their legs wrapped around the twigs. 

“We can estimate that these changes occurred between 40 and 20 million years ago," said Hughes. “However, because of the scarcity of zombie ant fossils, we can't be any more specific than that at the moment.”

“What is remarkable here is that we have shown that the complex manipulation of an animal by microbe has responded to selection pressure the climate imposes on animals and plants. That was a cool finding that really excited us.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15585646">Evolution</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: David Hughes, Penn State

The fungus that drives zombie ants has adapted to climate change

Researchers at Penn State have found that the climate has...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> has found that dengue fever could be largely avoided in the future by combating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stopping-global-warming-save-species/">global warming</a>. The researchers are reporting that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius could prevent around 3.3 million cases of dengue fever per year in Latin America and the Caribbean alone.

The dengue virus is spread by mosquitoes in over 100 tropical and subtropical countries, affecting 390 million people worldwide each year. An infection from the virus causes symptoms including fever, headache, muscle, and joint pain, and there is currently no vaccination or treatment for the disease.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, there are an estimated 54 million annual cases of dengue fever.

The mosquitoes that carry the virus thrive in warmer and humid conditions, and a rise in global temperatures by 3.7 degrees Celsius could cause 7.5 million additional cases per year by the middle of this century.

“There is growing concern about the potential impacts of climate change on human health,” said study lead author Dr. Felipe Colón-González. “While it is recognized that limiting warming to 1.5°C would have benefits for human health, the magnitude of these benefits remains mostly unquantified.” 

“This is the first study to show that reductions in warming from 2°C to 1.5°C could have important health benefits.”

The researchers analyzed cases of dengue fever in Latin America, and used computer models to project the impacts of the virus under different climate warming scenarios.

The team found that limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius could reduce dengue cases by up to 2.8 million per year by the end of the century, and limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius could prevent up to half a million additional cases.

Brazil would benefit the most if warming is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, avoiding up to 1.4 million cases per year by 2100. The study also revealed that curbing global warming could prevent dengue from spreading to areas where incidence is currently low.

“Understanding and quantifying the impacts of warming on human health is crucial for public health preparedness and response,” said study co-author Dr. Iain Lake.

“Warming has already reached 1°C above pre-industrial levels, and the current trajectory, if countries meet their international pledges to reduce CO2, is around 3°C - so clearly a lot more needs to be done to reduce CO2 and quickly if we are to avoid these impacts.”

The research is published in the <a href="http://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

Slowing global warming can prevent millions of dengue fever cases

A new study led by the University of East Anglia...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-bleaching-fish-diversity/">Great Barrier Reef</a> covers an area of 348,000 kilometers and contains the world’s largest collection of coral reefs. It is indeed a natural wonder of great significance, and its continued preservation and protection from degradation and bleaching is an important mission for many in the scientific community. 

It’s no secret that climate change, human activities, and ocean temperature variations have caused catastrophic bleaching events, which not only impacts the corals themselves but also the species that rely on corals to thrive. 

Now, a new landmark study of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) has discovered that the reef may be more resilient to major sea level changes than previously realized. 

Researchers led by Jody Webster from the <a href="https://sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a> reconstructed the evolution of the reef over the past 30,000 years using data collected from fossil reef cores at 16 different sites off the coast of Australia. 

The study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, shows both glaciation and deglaciation events had a significant impact on the reef. 

All in all, the researchers found that the reef has suffered 5 death events driven by sea-level changes, and in response to these changes, the reef migrated across the ocean floor.

When sea levels dropped 30,000 years ago and again 22,000 years ago, the reef was exposed to air and went through two major death events. During this time, as sea levels dropped, the reef moved further seaward to avoid surface exposure. 

Two more death events occurred when sea levels rose after glacial melting and the reef subsequently moved inward towards to the shore. 

High increases in sediment were likely the biggest driver behind the reef’s deaths, and the fifth death event was linked to a massive sediment increase which reduced water quality, according to the study. 

The results point to a more hopeful outlook for the GBR in the face of global warming. However, the rapid increases in temperature and sea-level due to current changes in climate may be too much for the reef to properly adapt as it has before. 

“Our study shows the reef has been able to bounce back from past death events during the last glaciation and deglaciation,” said Webster. “However, we found it is also highly sensitive to increased sediment input, which is of concern given current land-use practices. I have grave concerns about the ability of the reef in its current form to survive the pace of change caused by the many current stresses and those projected into the near future.” 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The Great Barrier Reef has undergone five different death events

The Great Barrier Reef covers an area of 348,000 kilometers...

Residents of Ellicott City, Maryland, found themselves in a desperate situation on Sunday when over six inches of rain fell in just two hours and triggered catastrophic flash flooding. 

The town's historic Main Street was transformed into a powerful river that tossed around cars and debris. The brown water ripped through shops and restaurants, rising above the first floor of some buildings. 

People scrambled to reach higher ground in the flooded buildings, where many were forced to spend the night before being rescued Monday morning.

Unfortunately, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/atmospheric-rivers-heavier-future-flooding/">flooding</a> is not an unfamiliar sight in the small Howard County community, located about 12 miles west of Baltimore. The people and businesses of Ellicott City were still recovering from a devastating flood that also came out of nowhere in July of 2016.

Today's survey of the damage has revealed that the intensity of this year's flooding is worse compared to that of 2016, but there have been no confirmed casualties. There is a search underway, however, for missing National Guard member Eddison Hermond, who was reportedly swept away by the force of the water while helping to rescue others.

Nick Johnson owns a furniture store in downtown Ellicott City. He saw videos and photos of the destructive floodwaters on social media yesterday, and said that he was surprised to see people reposting images from 2016. He was soon shocked to realize that this was not footage from two years ago, but that the flooding was happening again.

“We don't know the extent of the damage except that it's far worse than it was two years ago,” Johnson told <a href="https://weather.com/">The Weather Channel</a>.

According to the <a href="https://www.weather.gov/">National Weather Service</a>, the nearby Patapsco River swelled up by 17.8 feet during the slow-moving storms. The river, which is a major waterway that feeds into the Chesapeake Bay, hit a record 24.1 feet on Sunday.

Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman said that there are no words to describe the devastation.

Kittleman told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/">CNN</a>: “There are a lot of people whose lives are going to be devastated again, and they've been working so hard to come back and we just need to be there for them and to tell them ... all of our resources are there to help them.” 

“I can't imagine what they're going through. I couldn't imagine what they went through two years ago, and now it's even worse.”

Experts say that this is the second time in two years that Ellicott City has experienced a 1000-year flood, which has only a 0.1 percent chance of happening in any given year.

Dangerous flash flooding remains a threat for regions of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas as Subtropical Storm Alberto moves in, and some areas could receive as much as a foot of rain.

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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

Image Credit: EPA/Jim Lo Scalzo

Flash flood devastates historic Maryland community… again

Residents of Ellicott City, Maryland, found themselves in a desperate...

Tropical rainforests play a vital role in regulating climate and absorbing carbon, but climate change could greatly impact Amazon forests and reduce their CO2 storage abilities. 

Already, severe droughts in recent years have caused huge swaths of tropical rainforests to die off, decreasing carbon storage and impacting species that rely on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amazonian-neighborhood-watch-mixed-flocks/">Amazonian</a> habitats. 

Understanding how tropical rainforests respond to drought is a key part in predicting the impact of future climate change, but unfortunately, little research has existed on the drought sensitivity of tropical forests. 

But now, researchers from <a href="http://eee.columbia.edu/">Columbia Engineering</a> have found that Amazon forests are not uniform in their response to climate change, and that tree height and age influences a rainforest’s susceptibility to drought.

The results were published in the journal Nature Geoscience. 

Tropical rainforests represent the Earth’s largest terrestrial CO2 sink, and if habitat reduction in the Amazon continues due to climate change and human activities, this will greatly affect the amount of carbon that can be stored. 

Pierre Gentine, an associate professor at Columbia Engineering, led the study and found that tree height impacts photosynthesis in tropical rainforests.

Remote sensing observations of solar-induced fluorescence, precipitation, canopy height, and data on approximate forest age and biomass were all used to measure tropical forest sensitivity in the study.

The results showed that forests above 30 meters are three times less sensitive to changes in precipitation. Taller forests are also less susceptible to drought because they have deeper root systems.

However, in the face of climate change, despite the resilience of taller trees, these forests may be the most impacted by climate change driven temperature increases and atmospheric dryness. 

“Our findings suggest that forest height and age are an important regulator of photosynthesis in response to droughts,” said Gentine. “Although older and taller trees show less sensitivity to precipitation variations (droughts), they are more susceptible to fluctuations in atmospheric heat and aridity, which is going to rise substantially with climate change.”

The study sheds insight on how tree age impacts susceptibility to climate change and could help with managing and protecting older forests from habitat reduction. 

“Our study makes it clear that forest height and age directly impact the carbon cycle in the Amazon,” said Gentine. “This is especially significant given the importance of the Amazon rainforest for the global carbon cycle and climate.”

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Taller, older Amazon rainforests are more durable through drought

Tropical rainforests play a vital role in regulating climate and...

The unbalanced trade relations between the United States and China puts the U.S. economy at risk when climate change-induced regional flooding interrupts production and exports, according to a new study. 

The research, conducted at the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/pik-frontpage">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research </a>and published in the journal Nature Climate Change, shows how regional floods prompted by global warming will impact the global economy and cause major losses. 

This is the first study to assess the effect of flooding due to climate change on a global scale and the results emphasize the interconnectivity of global trade and supply chains. 

Flooding is projected to increase in many parts of the world due to global warming, and in China flood damages could even increase by 80 percent within the next 20 years. Damages from flooding won’t just affect China, but also many countries that rely on exported goods from China, like the United States.

For the study, the researchers used a new economic computer simulation called an Acclimate-model which was specifically designed to show global impacts on the world’s economy. 

The researchers used projections of near future river floods on a regional scale based on current greenhouse gas emission levels in the atmosphere and simulated the global impacts from the future projected flood events with the Acclimate-model. 

“This work combines two very innovative lines of work: global risk assessment for natural hazards and network theory to understand how localized shocks propagate in time and space,” said Stéphane Hallegatte. The lead economist for The World Bank. “It contributes to scientific progress in multiple ways, but one of the most important policy messages for me is that the world is so interconnected that natural disasters are not local events anymore: everybody can be affected by a disaster occurring far away.”

China could suffer the biggest direct economic losses from floods, according to the model, totaling more than 380 billion US dollars over the next 20 years. The United States and European Union, countries with major trade relationships with China, would, in turn also incur severe indirect losses. 

In the US, the study estimates that indirect losses over the next 20 years could total up to 170 billion dollars because the country’s unbalanced trade relationship with China. 

The researchers say that the EU might be better equipped to adapt to climate-related trade impacts and could even profit by exporting more to China when it needs it. 

The US, on the other hand, imports far more from China than it exports, and with President Trump’s plans to impose tariffs, this will only further impact trade susceptible to climate change. 

“But Trump's tariff sanctions are likely to leave US economy even more vulnerable to climate change,” said Anders Levermann, the project leader. “As our study suggests, under climate change, the more reasonable strategy is a well-balanced economic connectivity, because it allows to compensate economic damages from unexpected weather events - of which we expect more in the future.”

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change in China to impact the U.S. economy

The unbalanced trade relations between the United States and China...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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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



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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



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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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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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