Scientists have uncovered a disturbing twist in how climate change affects our oceans, revealing that tiny changes at the bottom of the food chain can have massive impacts on most fish populations.



The findings of a recent study highlight the intricate workings of the ocean's food web and how it's more vulnerable to warming temperatures than previously thought.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-ocean-creatures-big-fish-impact">Tiny ocean creatures, big fish impact</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-heatwaves-have-complex-effects-on-phytoplankton-food-web/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Phytoplankton</a> are tiny, plant-like organisms that float around in oceans, seas, and lakes. Even though you can't see them without a microscope, they're incredibly important. 



They use sunlight to make their own food through photosynthesis, just like plants do on land. In the process, they produce a huge amount of the Earth's oxygen -- some estimates say up to half of it. 



These little guys are the starting point of the food chain in aquatic environments, feeding small fish, shrimp, and other marine creatures.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-from-africa-sparked-a-massive-phytoplankton-bloom/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Phytoplankton</a> also play a big role in absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to regulate our planet's climate. But they're sensitive to changes in their environment, like warming waters.



When climate models predict that warming oceans will reduce phytoplankton levels by 16% to 26% in regions like the North Atlantic, it's a cause for concern.



But here's where it gets alarming: the study found that this seemingly modest drop in phytoplankton could slash the ocean's capacity to support fish by a staggering 38% to 55%. That's more than double the initial decrease in phytoplankton.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-phytoplankton-and-the-hidden-amplifier">Phytoplankton and the hidden amplifier</h2>



Dr. Angus Atkinson from the <a href="https://pml.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plymouth Marine Laboratory</a> and Dr. Axel Rossberg of <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University</a> of London led the research team behind this discovery.



They took a straightforward approach by examining real-world data on plankton sizes from oceans, seas, and lakes around the globe. 



By looking at the sizes of plankton, they could determine how efficiently energy moves up the food chain -- from tiny phytoplankton to the fish we rely on.



This amplification effect hinges on a surprising twist: temperature, often blamed for food web disruptions, appears to play a secondary role. 



Instead, the key driver is the overall amount of phytoplankton, which governs how efficiently energy flows from tiny plankton to larger fish.



"Our global analysis sheds light on a hidden vulnerability," explained Dr. Atkinson. "We were surprised to find temperature didn't directly affect food web efficiency. Instead, we see ecosystems <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invisible-forest-of-phytoplankton-thrives-in-a-warming-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adapting to warming</a> by changing plankton size. "



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nutrients-the-unsung-hero">Nutrients: The unsung hero</h2>



In the open ocean, nutrients come from deeper waters. As the surface warms, it becomes more layered, making it harder for these nutrients to reach the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/spectacular-phytoplankton-bloom-in-the-north-atlantic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phytoplankton at the top</a>.



"Close to shore or in lakes, excess nutrients from land can cause imbalances like harmful algal blooms," notes Dr. Rossberg. 



"But at the vast scales relevant to climate change, it's the lack of nutrients from deeper waters that becomes the major bottleneck."



To clarify, warming oceans, seas, and lakes impact fish indirectly by reducing nutrient supply from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toxic-legacy-decades-old-ddt-found-in-deep-sea-fish/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deeper waters</a>, ultimately shrinking phytoplankton size and hindering energy transfer throughout the food web.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-real-world-impact-for-ocean-fish">Real world impact for ocean fish</h2>



When phytoplankton numbers change, the impact can ripple through the entire <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oceans-twilight-zone-stabilizes-the-marine-food-chain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine ecosystem</a>, impacting everything from water quality to the abundance of fish.



This isn't just a problem for the fish; it's a problem the planet. Many communities around the world depend on fishing for food and livelihood. 



The study highlights the need to consider climate change impacts when managing fisheries.



"Global averages can mask the true picture," explains Dr. Atkinson. "Some of the most significant projected declines are in areas with concentrated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-stocks-are-collapsing-globally-as-overfishing-continues/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fishing activities</a>."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



So, what can we do about it? The researchers suggest a multi-pronged approach to ensure sustainable fisheries in the face of climate change. 



"We need a combination of data on plankton size structure and sophisticated computer simulation models to design truly 'climate-smart' ocean protection strategies," concludes Dr. Rossberg. 



"By understanding the hidden amplifiers within the food web, we can better safeguard the future of our oceans and the vital resources they provide."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oceans-fish-and-the-global-food-chain">Oceans, fish, and the global food chain</h2>



To sum it all up, these scientists found that even a small drop in phytoplankton levels due to warming oceans can massively reduce fish populations. 



They discovered that it's not just the temperature rise itself causing problems, but the decrease in nutrients reaching these tiny organisms. 



This leads to smaller plankton and less efficient energy transfer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbial-awakening-arctic-food-webs-are-transforming-from-green-to-brown/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">up the food chain</a>, which is bad news for fish and, by extension, us.



This study underscores underscores the interconnectedness of Earth's ecosystem. Tiny changes at the bottom can have huge impacts at the top. 



It's a reminder that we need to pay attention to even the smallest players in the ecosystem if we want to protect the health of our planet. 



By understanding these hidden mechanisms, we can work towards smarter strategies to safeguard our oceans and the communities that rely on them.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-44406-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Earth’s oceans, seas, and lakes are quickly losing their ability to keep fish alive

Scientists have uncovered a disturbing twist in how climate change affects our oceans, revealing that tiny changes at the bottom of the food chain can have massive impacts on most fish populations. The findings of a recent study highlight the intricate workings of the ocean's food web and how it's more vulnerable to warming temperatures than previously thought. Tiny ocean creatures, big fish impact Phytoplankton are tiny, plant-like organisms that float around in oceans, seas, and lakes. Even though you can't see them without a microscope, they're...

With record-breaking temperatures leading to more confounding discussions of the undeniable impacts of climate change, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> has assembled a list of ten unusual weather occurrences… along with one insane (but not so unusual) fire tornado.

&nbsp;

Ocean freezes over in Massachusetts. 

In January 2018, the Winter Storm Grayson, also known as ‘the bomb cyclone,' caused certain sections of the northeastern coast to freeze over. Temperatures dropped below -20º F, making parts of the region resemble the shores of Alaska.

&nbsp;

Sahara Desert sees snow.

 In December of 2017, snow fell upon the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-falls-sahara-desert/">Saharan desert</a> town of Ain Sefra, Algiers in North Africa for the first time in 37 years. It only lasted for a day and then melted away. Temperatures in the Sahara can reach 136º F. 

&nbsp;

Wildfires burn western Greenland.

Much of Greenland is normally covered by ice. However, in August 2017, a satellite over western Greenland detected wildfires. There were more wildfires in Greenland in 2017 than any year since 2002.

&nbsp;

Hottest daily low temperature on record in Oman.

On June 17, 2017, the port city of Khasab, Oman earned the new world record for the “hottest daily low temperature” at 111.6º F.

&nbsp;

Peru devastated by El Niño floods.

The Los Angeles Times estimated $3.1 in damage, dozens of casualties, and hundreds of thousands of people left homeless in the South American country of Peru due to floods caused by a coastal El Niño storm in March of 2017.

&nbsp;

Bavarian town sees rainbow… arched over a tornado.

Kürnach, a small town about 60 miles from Frankfurt, saw a phantasmic white tornado swirling under a perfect rainbow in March of 2017. There was even reportedly footage of a secondary rainbow…

&nbsp;

Sierra Ski Resorts get too much snow.

In April 2017, California’s Sierra Nevada mountains went from snow-starved just two years earlier to 800 inches of snow. It was the wettest year for the region since the El Niño storms of 1982 and 1983. There was so much snow that ski season was extended into August.

&nbsp;

Oklahoma goes from nearly 100 degrees to snow in three days. 

In February 2017, the town of Magnum, Oklahoma registered record-breaking heat of 99.4 º F, only to see snow fall three days later on Valentine’s Day. The ground was too hot to result in any visible snow cover.

&nbsp;

First February tornadoes ever recorded hit Massachusetts. 

In February 2017, the Massachusetts towns of Conway and Goshen were ripped through by a pair of tornadoes. These were the first tornadoes to hit the state in the month of February since weather patterns started being recorded in the 1950s.

&nbsp;

Lightning strikes Seattle’s Space Needle while it snows.

It is indeed a rare occurrence for winter snow and thunder to happen at the same time. In late February 2017, lightning struck the Space Needle while snow fell upon the city of Seattle. On average, there is a less than .5 percent chance of both snow and thunder happening there between November and March in that region.

&nbsp;

Fire tornado captured in Western Australia.

In January 2017, a fire whirl over 3,000 feet high was filmed in the midwest region of Western Australia. While not entirely uncommon to the region, video footage of such an occurrence is hard to find. 

--

By <a href="mailto:dajostep@gmail.com">Darryl Joseph</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The 10 craziest weather occurrences

With record-breaking temperatures leading to more confounding discussions of the...

A new study has revealed that fresh bodies of water are becoming more acidic. While it is widely known that rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) have caused significant ocean acidification, this is some of the first evidence to show that freshwater bodies are absorbing extra <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/co2-levels-record-highs/">CO2</a> as well.

The researchers discovered that some freshwater ecosystems have become more acidic with rising partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2). 

In lab studies, the team demonstrated that increasing levels of freshwater pCO2 negatively affect at least one core species. The scientists identified a tiny freshwater crustacean that becomes unable to defend itself after exposure to pCO2.

The findings suggest that increasing CO2 levels may be having widespread effects on freshwater ecosystems. Dr. Linda Weiss of <a href="http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/index_en.htm">Ruhr-University Bochum</a> in Germany is the lead author of the study.

“Ocean acidification is often called ‘climate change's equally evil twin,’ and many current investigations describe tremendous effects of rising CO2 levels on marine ecosystems,” said Dr. Weiss. “However, freshwater ecosystems have been largely overlooked. Our data indicate another pCO2 problem: pCO2-dependent freshwater acidification.”

Researchers have shown that ocean acidification can have negative consequences for marine food chains, nutrient cycles,  biodiversity, and overall productivity. Despite all of these potential issues, very little is known about freshwater acidification.

To investigate whether or not freshwater bodies were undergoing a transformation similar to that of ocean acidification, the research team focused a study on four freshwater reservoirs in Germany. 

After analyzing over 35 years of data that spanned from 1981 to 2015, the experts confirmed that there has been a continuous rise in pCO2 levels over this time period. The team found that freshwater bodies may even be acidifying at a faster rate than the oceans.

The researchers also developed a study to closely examine the impact of pCO2 on freshwater crustaceans called Daphnia, which are a primary source of food for many larger marine creatures.

Daphnia respond to predators by producing helmets and spikes that make them difficult to eat. The research team found that rising pCO2 levels get in the way of the Daphnia’s ability to put up its defenses.

“High levels of CO2 reduce the Daphnia's ability to detect their predator,” said Weiss. “This reduces the expression of morphological defenses, rendering them more vulnerable.” 

Weiss explained that this phenomenon needs to be studied on a global scale. She said that the findings of the research have raised the question, “Are all freshwater impoundments prone to this kind of acidification?”

The study is published in <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Freshwater bodies have become more acidic with rising CO2 levels

A new study has revealed that fresh bodies of water...

An international team of researchers conducted one of the first-ever investigations into how the public perceives threats to the world's oceans. The study revealed that the majority of people feel that the marine environment is at serious risk from human activities and support action for ocean protection. 

The researchers analyzed a set of public opinion surveys regarding marine issues that involved over 32,000 people in 21 countries. They found that 70 percent of respondents believe that the marine environment is directly threatened by human activities, and that 45 percent of participants feel that this threat is either high or very high.

The respondents identified <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-reduce-plastic-pollution/">pollution</a> and fishing as the most urgent issues, followed by habitat alteration, climate change, and biodiversity loss. 

Heike Lotze is a researcher at <a href="https://www.dal.ca/">Dalhousie University</a> in Canada and the lead author of the study. “People around the world are aware that the ocean is threatened and what are the major threats to the ocean,” said Lotze.

Over 70 percent of respondents also supported marine protected areas (MPAs), which are regions established to conserve natural resources found in the ocean. MPAs help to protect marine ecosystems by restricting human activities such as fishing, habitat alteration, or oil and gas extraction.

“There's a lot of scientific thought put into ocean conservation around the world. But there's much less information out there on what people actually think about the ocean and some of the protection measures,” said study co-author Jennifer O'Leary. 

“This is important because anytime we are introducing protection measures, we're asking people to change their behavior. And we know from behavioral research that focusing on what people already think is important can make changes easier for people to accept."

While the public was found to perceive pollution as the biggest issue to marine environments, scientists typically rank habitat loss and fishing as the highest threats. The researchers also discovered that, while the majority of the public supports MPAs, there were many respondents who were unclear on exactly what an MPA is and how many are already established.

“What surprised me about the results was that most people overestimated the amount of ocean area being protected, and thus have a more optimistic view of ocean conservation and management than there actually is,” said Lotze. “However, most people still wanted to see much more ocean area protected than currently is, thus there is a clear wish for more ocean conservation.”

The study will be published in the February issue of the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ocean-and-coastal-management">Ocean and Coastal Management</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Global public agrees oceans are in trouble, supports protection

An international team of researchers conducted one of the first-ever...

A team of researchers has discovered that green sea turtles along Australia's northern Great Barrier Reef (nGBR) are undergoing some dramatic changes as a result of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/river-flooding-climate-change/">climate change</a>. The study revealed that turtles born on the region's warmest beaches are now 99.8 percent female. 

The sex of a sea turtle is not determined genetically, as it is in mammals. According to the researchers, cooler temperatures produce more males and warmer temperatures produce more females. For example, the experts found that turtles being born on a cooler beach just south of their study site are only 65 percent female.

The researchers explained that the pivotal temperature, which will produce 50 percent males and 50 percent females, varies across different species and nesting groups.

The experts used data on air and sea surface temperatures to estimate sand temperatures that nests would have experienced in the nGBR from 1960 to 2016. The team used a temperature model which they acknowledged had some limitations, but said that this model “clearly shows that green turtle nests at Raine Island and Moulter Cay were consistently incubated above the pivotal temperature  since the early 1990s.”

Although sea turtles often choose to breed when the sand is slightly warmer than pivotal temperatures, global warming has boosted the temperature in the nGBR enough to really tip the gender scale. The researchers are concerned about what this means for sea turtles as temperatures continue to rise.

“While rising temperatures may initially result in increased female population sizes, the lack of male turtles will eventually impact the overall fertility of females in the population,” wrote the study authors. “For the nGBR, many of these questions will be answered as the adult population become increasingly female biased. As such, our study raises new concerns over the immediate threats of climate change to sea turtle populations.”

It remains unclear how the turtles will respond to this major gender shift. Males breed much more often than females, but this cannot likely compensate for such a large number of missing males. The researchers suggested that females may begin to seek out mates further south in the cooler climate.

The study authors said that this investigation “highlights the need for immediate management strategies aimed at lowering incubation temperatures at key rookeries to boost the ability of local turtle populations to adapt to the changing environment and avoid a population collapse - or even extinction.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change has made 99.8 percent of these sea turtles female

A team of researchers has discovered that green sea turtles...

Reducing global temperatures and CO2 emissions will lessen the effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-ice-storms/">climate change</a>, but its impact is already altering the global landscape.

The increasing frequency of severe weather, along with higher precipitation levels, has prompted more widespread river flooding around the world. Increasing flood protection will be a necessity for many countries, and researchers set out of to calculate the total necessary measures needed in a new study published in the journal Science Advances. 

The United States, parts of India and Africa, and several countries in Europe are most at risk of facing severe increases in river flooding. Unless additional protection measures are put in place, millions more could be affected than already are by flood damage.

“More than half of the United States must at least double their protection level within the next two decades if they want to avoid a dramatic increase in river flood risks,” said Sven Willner from the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/pik-frontpage">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> and the study’s lead author. 

The team of researchers created comprehensive computer simulations using data from major rivers around the world, precipitation changes, and evaporation. Much of the climate data, including changes in rainfall, came from the largest modeling <a href="https://www.isimip.org/">intercomparison project of climate impacts</a>. 

Willner and his team found that if no adaptations are made in river flood management, the number of people affected by flooding will increase drastically.

In northern America, the number of people in high-risk river flood areas would jump from 0.1 million to 1 million, and in Asia, those numbers skyrocket from 70 million to 165 million. 

Co-author Ander Levermann noted that even countries with good infrastructure need to make changes in management and protection to keep people from losing their homes. 

The increases in river flood risks that will occur over the next several decades can be linked to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions already present in the atmosphere, which is why the researchers caution against doing nothing in the face of climate change. 

“If we act now, we can protect against the risks of the next two decades,” said Levermann. “But further climate change must be limited by cutting greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels to avoid risks that surpass our abilities to adapt.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

River flooding will increase worldwide due to climate change

Reducing global temperatures and CO2 emissions will lessen the effects...

The phenomenon of urban agriculture has become increasingly more apparent over the years – whether the gardens and plants themselves are community projects or simply provide some greenery to the drab concrete and brick. While it may seem that the benefits of these plantings are only local and somewhat limited, they may actually provide a significant environmental impact when considered collectively.

New research from collaboration between <a href="https://www.asu.edu/">Arizona State University</a> and Google provides an assessment of the value of urban agriculture, and the benefits it provides on a global scale. The findings are presented in “A Global Geospatial Ecosystems Services Estimate of Urban Agriculture,” in the current issue of <a href="http://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)2328-4277/">Earth's Future</a>.

“For the first time, we have a data-driven approach that quantifies the ecosystem benefits from urban agriculture,” says Matei Georgescu, an ASU associate professor of geographical sciences and urban planning and corresponding author of the paper. “Our estimates of ecosystem services show potential for millions of tons of food production, thousands of tons of nitrogen sequestration, billions of kilowatt hours of energy savings and billions of cubic meters of avoided storm runoff from agriculture in urban areas.”

Using the Google Earth Engine, the researchers analyzed global population, urban, meteorological, terrain, and Good and Agricultural Organization (FAO) datasets to arrive at their global scale estimates – and then aggregated them by country. The estimated value of four ecosystems services resulting from existing vegetation in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-grow-faster-cities/">urban areas</a> was found to be roughly $33 billion. This includes a projected annual food production of 100 to 180 million tons and energy savings of 14 to 15 billion kilowatt-hours.

If urban agriculture is implemented on a global scale, the overall annual worth is estimated to be as much as $80 to $160 billion, and could help feed a world that faces future challenges to industrial agriculture as a result of climate change. “We’ve known there are benefits to having these small plots of land in our cities, but we found that the benefits extend well beyond having fresh food in the hands of those who will consume it,” explains lead author Nicholas Clinton of Google, Inc. These benefits include improved access to healthy foods, and increased urban nitrogen fixation, pollination and control of storm water runoff, among others.

“Relatively temperate, developed or developing countries with the right mix of crops are expected to have the greatest incentives for urban agriculture,” he said. “These would include China, Japan, Germany and the U.S.,” says Clinton.

Overall, the research team found that the environmental and societal benefits of urban agriculture extend well beyond what we once previously thought. It would stand for the benefit of everyone if cities and countries looked to improve their urban agricultural efforts.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The benefits of urban agriculture may be greater than we thought

The phenomenon of urban agriculture has become increasingly more apparent...

Wildfire smoke plumes linger high up into the air even after a fire has been extinguished. This smoke, which contains fine particles and toxic gases, can be carried thousands of miles away from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/charcoal-wildfires-carbon-emissions/">fires</a>. In an unprecedented analysis, researchers have determined that these smoke plumes drastically affect air quality.

The study, which was led by Alexandra Larsen of <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a>, is the first of its kind to examine the long-term effects of wildfire smoke across the United States.

To measure the impact of wildfires on air quality, the researchers investigated relevant data collected between 2006 and 2013. Information analyzed by the team included satellite data on the presence and spread of smoke plumes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hazard Mapping System (HMS).

The researchers also used the Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality System, which measures daily levels of ozone and fine particulate matter.

The study revealed that ozone concentrations were 11.1 percent higher on days when plumes were visible compared to days when they were not. On days when smoke plumes could be seen, fine particle levels were found to be 33.1 percent higher than normal.

Larsen was surprised to discover that the presence of wildfire smoke also affected the ozone. While plumes had occurred only on 6-7 percent of days, these plumes accounted for 16 percent of unhealthy days due to small particles and 27 percent of unhealthy days due to ozone.

“Smoke-plume days accounted for a disproportionate number of days with elevated air quality index levels, indicating that moderate increases in regional air pollution due to large fires and long-distance transport of smoke can tip the air quality to unhealthy levels,” said Larsen.

The biggest impacts from wildfire smoke were found across Massachusetts, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, and Kansas. Smoke plumes over these states caused ozone concentrations to rise.

“Enhanced ozone production in urban areas is a concern because of the population size potentially impacted and because air pollution levels could be already elevated due to local and mobile sources,” said Larsen.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/jes">Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Smoke and toxic gases travel thousands of miles after wildfires

Wildfire smoke plumes linger high up into the air even...

For the third time in nearly forty years, snow fell in parts of the Sahara Desert this past weekend. In the early morning hours, up to 16 inches of snow covered the desert town of Ain Sefra in Algeria.

The town itself only got a couple of inches, but just outside of Ain Sefra there were snow-white sand dunes which are usually bright orange. 

Even though Ain Sefra is located around 3,547 feet above sea level and surrounded by the Atlas Mountains, it is very rare to see snow here. 

“Cold air was pulled down south into North Africa over the weekend as a result of high pressure over Europe,” explained a representative of the Met Office. “The high pressure meant the cold weather extended further south than normal.”

With an average temperature of 99 degrees in the month of July, extreme heat is a much more familiar occurrence in Ain Sefra than freezing cold. And the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/10-largest-deserts-world/">Sahara Desert</a> is not the only region of the world that is experiencing extreme weather. 

In the United States, Winter Storm Grayson dumped snow and ice as it charged up the East Coast from Florida to Maine with near-hurricane force last week, leaving behind brutally cold temperatures.

Meanwhile, Australia is experiencing its hottest summer in decades. The temperature in Sydney hit 117 degrees on Sunday, which is the highest recorded temperature in this region since 1939.

Snow fell in 2016 and 2017 in Ain Sefra, and the last time the area saw snow fall before that was 1979.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sahara-3.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-992549" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sahara-3-300x200.png" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>

[caption id="attachment_992550" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sahara-2.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-992550" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sahara-2-300x199.png" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a> Photo Credit: Discover Algeria on Twitter[/caption]

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Photo Credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/Discover_DZ/status/950054509723750400">Discover Algeria on Twitter</a>

Snow falls on the Sahara Desert for the third time in 40 years

For the third time in nearly forty years, snow fell...

There are millions of species on Earth, ranging from large elephants to single-celled organisms. But according to new research, no matter the size, geographic location, or lifespan, all species are given the same chance for survival. 

The study was conducted by researchers from the United States and the United Kingdom and published in the journal Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution. 

The report describes how all species are “fit” for survival with no species having an absolute advantage over the other. 

Each species transmits the same amount of energy to the next generation when reproducing. In other words, gram for gram, blue whales and bacteria give the same amount of energy to their offspring. 

“We found, rather astonishingly, by examining the production rate and the generation time of thousands of plants, animals, and microbes that each would pass on, on average, the same amount of energy to the next generation per gram of parent, regardless of size,” said  Charles A.S. Hall, one of the co-authors of the study.  

The research team built an energy allocation model using data that included rates of energy investment, growth and reproduction, generation times, and body sizes of hundreds of plants and animals.

The model showed an “equal fitness paradigm,” where no matter how opposite the relationship between growth rate and generation time, they all expelled the same amount of energy during reproduction. 

Smaller species like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-algae-food-shortages/">algae</a> have short lifespans and reproduce quickly, while larger species with longer life spans can have gestation periods that take years.

The results show that there is no real evolutionary advantage among the world’s species and that no matter how diverse the range of plants, animals, and organisms, each has the same chance of life and reproduction as the next. 

“There is no single way of living and using energy that is best," said Hall and his co-author James H. Brown. “Given the array of environmental conditions on the planet, one kind of organism might gain a temporary advantage, but such gains will soon be countered by other, competing organisms.” 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

All species have an equal chance of life, study finds

There are millions of species on Earth, ranging from large...

A friend of mine, Sasa, volunteered at the UN climate change conference COP23.  While she was there, she emailed me about a group, Guardians of the Forest, who visited COP23 to be heard.  

Guardians of the Forest went on a bus tour, reaching at the end Bonn, the host of COP23.  Along the way, Guardians of the Forest organized events in Cologne, Brussels, Paris, London, Amsterdam and Berlin.  The goal of the tour was to raise awareness of the plight of native peoples and their unique position in preserving natural environments.  

Guardians of the Forest is a group of indigenous people from all over the world, dedicated to conserving the environments they live in, the very source of their lives and unique cultures.  Sasa and I met in Madagascar, where we worked with local people on reforestation efforts; involving indigenous people in saving <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mining-deforestation-amazon-rainforest/">rainforests</a> seems essential to both of us.  It goes beyond just rain forests in exotic locations though, it’s something that applies to landscapes, environments and species in the US.  It is important not to fall into the trap of thinking of native people as ‘noble savages’ who always look out for the environment.  The picture is complex but native cultures can show us different perspectives on the environment, something we desperately need.  In our western, science saturated society, animals, plants, even mountains are often seen as objects or ‘resources’, something to be used.  It’s of incredible importance to talk to people who see these things as a part of home.  Would the apple tree under which you shared your first kiss or buried your dog be a resource?

Mina Setra, a Guardian of the Forest of Indonesia, says it eloquently, “We (indigenous people) look after our forest; it is our life, our home and home of our ancestors. We are the best Guardians of the forest."

According to the Guardians of the Forest website, 40% of murdered environmental defenders in 2016 were indigenous peoples.  At the same time, indigenous peoples make up only 5% of the world’s population.  Some of these were people fighting not only for the environment but demanding basic rights and respect from large corporations like oil companies and their own governments.  The brutality and ambivalence faced by indigenous environmentalists worldwide is also mirrored in how native peoples in the US are treated.  The Standing Rock Sioux were virtually ignored by the government in their demand that no pipeline be put through their land, endangering their water supply.  Police descended on the Standing Rock protestors with concussion grenades, tear gas and violence.  

We also see how governments ignore these marginalized people in reference to Bear’s Ears National Monument.  The monument was declared because of a request from an alliance of several Native American governments.  Bear’s Ears was set to be the first national monument co-managed by Native American groups.  When Donald Trump shrank the monument by 85% he ignored this Indigenous input.  Ryan Zinke, Trump’s secretary of the interior didn’t even meet with Native American leaders before suggesting the reduction of the National Monument.

Native groups are incredibly important to the environment the world over.  Some national parks in Africa initially forced local indigenous people out, only to the detriment of the environment.  Some ecological interactions involve humans; even you and I.  Traditional people are usually more keenly aware of being part of a bigger ecosystem.  Traditional knowledge, local specific knowledge of an environment is key to finding our way back to a natural balance within the environment.

In Brazil, large tracts of rainforest have been left alone for the time being, with traffic into them severely limited.  These forests are preserved not for the environment itself but to give the native peoples living uncontacted within the right to maintain their traditional lifestyle.  Working for these native people’s rights also has the added benefit of course of preserving pristine Amazonian forest.

The Guardians of the Forest make the problems indigenous people face very clear as well as the cause of it.  Olo Villalaz from Gunayala tribe in Panama, also a member of AMBP an alliance of native peoples and forests said, 

“People were very interested for our bus tour, we brought a message about situation in the rainforest, and how we all have to unite  to save the world and how they can help. People in Europe usually do not know that soya come from bloody place for us, indigenous people. However, when people in Europe became aware of that, they want to start using sustainable products. The other threat for indigenous people is a mining expansion; especially it is a problem in Colombia. In Hamburg and other ports in Europe, it is possible to see mountains of charcoal that was brought from these mines. 

Even that developed countries are looking for sustainable production and renewable energy, they still rely on the coal for the energy production, and many people in developing countries, especially indigenous communities, are suffering because of that. Many companies are still using destructive methods to extract the commodities. It is necessary to speak to politicians, to explain what is happening in our countries, and that sustainable development is a necessity”  

Environmental justice was a big subject at the round table the Guardians of the forest took part in.  It brings to mind that environmentalism isn’t just about creating a nice place to play, it is about a way of life and living itself for the most vulnerable.  We must remember that our actions as consumers as interconnected people in a web of species have long reaching consequences.  

David, from Guarani tribe in Brazil “Everything has its spirits, every single element of nature taught us how to live. People that are disconnected from the nature are trying to kill us, remove us from our home. We are only defending our way of living, which is the most sacred to us. We have wisdom to leave in the nature; we are all leaving in the big communities via the voices of our ancestors. Day by day. We need to respect our land, she is our mother, and she teach us how to live in the harmony”.

Most of the problems that Indigenous people face are coming from overconsumption of the developed world; palm oil, raw materials, soya, fossil fuels. There is a necessity to raise the public awareness and to reduce the consumption.

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<a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Exclusive By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a> and Sasa Danon

Guardians of the Forest: Natives and ecological preservation

A friend of mine, Sasa, volunteered at the UN climate...

Limited energy flows between producers, carnivores, and herbivores can lead to the collapse of marine food webs, according to a new study. The research demonstrates that increased ocean temperatures reduce the transfer of energy from the primary producers at the seafloor to the intermediate consumers, and ultimately to predators at the top of marine food chain.

These restrictions on vital energy flow can potentially lead to a decrease in food availability for top predators. The disruption can also lead to negative impacts for many other marine species located throughout the rest of the food chain as well.

"Healthy food webs are important for maintenance of species diversity and provide a source of income and food for millions of people worldwide," said lead author Hadayet Ullah of the <a href="https://www.adelaide.edu.au/">University of Adelaide</a>. “Therefore, it is important to understand how climate change is altering marine food webs in the near future.”

Researchers constructed 12 large 1,600-liter tanks to mimic the levels of ocean temperatures and acidity which could be brought on by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-humidity/">climate change</a>.

The tanks held miniature food webs which included many species such as algae, shrimp, sponges, snails, and fishes. The containers were maintained under future climate conditions for six months.

Over the course of six months, the researchers measured the survival, growth, biomass, and productivity of all animal and plant species, and applied these measurements to an advanced food web model.

“Whilst climate change increased the productivity of plants, this was mainly due to an expansion of cyanobacteria (small blue-green algae),” said Ullah. “This increased primary productivity does not support food webs, however, because these cyanobacteria are largely unpalatable and they are not consumed by herbivores.”

Projecting how ecosystems will function under the influence of global warming is a complicated undertaking, and most research has been focused on only a few species at a time.

“If we are to adequately forecast the impacts of climate change on ocean food webs and fisheries productivity, we need more complex and realistic approaches, such as large mesocosms that provide more reliable data for sophisticated food web models," said project leader Professor Ivan Nagelkerken.

Marine ecosystems are already being transformed by global warming, and it is critical to understand these effects worldwide in order to better protect these food webs.

The study is published in the open access journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/">PLOS Biology</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

Marine food webs could collapse under future climate change

Limited energy flows between producers, carnivores, and herbivores can lead...

Pharmaceutical pollution in urban streams can cause aquatic microbial communities to become resistant to drugs, according to a new study. The researchers set out to determine what this means for water quality and ecological function.

Emma Rosi is an aquatic ecologist at the <a href="http://www.caryinstitute.org/">Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies</a> and lead author of the study.

“Wastewater treatment facilities are not equipped to remove many pharmaceutical compounds,” said Rosi. “We were interested in how stream microorganisms - which perform key ecosystem services like removing nutrients and breaking down leaf litter - respond to pharmaceutical pollution.”

The research team selected four <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/freshwater-streams-polluted-salt/">streams</a> in Baltimore, Maryland, which ranged from urban to suburban. They tested for the presence of painkillers, stimulants, antihistamines, and antibiotics.

Microorganisms like bacteria and algae are key in maintaining freshwater health. They break down contaminants, promote nutrient cycling, and form the base of the stream’s food web.

“Different types of microbes can withstand different types and concentrations of synthetic chemicals,” said Rosi. “When we expose streams to pharmaceutical pollution, we are unwittingly altering their microbial communities.”

The study revealed that urban streams had a higher number of drugs present in higher concentrations compared to suburban streams. 

The researchers also developed a test which singled out the drugs and examined how microbial communities responded to each in terms of survival and function.

“Stream microbial communities are sensitive to pharmaceuticals, which can suppress both respiration and primary production,” said co-author John J. Kelly. “We used respiration as a proxy to assess microbes' ability to maintain biological function in the presence of pharmaceuticals.”

Caffeine, cimetidine, and ciprofloxacin were found to cause a reduction in microbial respiration across all sites, while diphenhydramine was found to have a marginal effect. The antibiotic ciprofloxacin had a negative effect on respiration rates, but only in suburban streams.

The experts noted that the type and density of microbial species were different at urban and suburban sites after drug exposure. In urban streams, microbial communities transformed in composition and were better able to maintain respiration rates, suggesting that these streams harbor resistant microbes that manage to thrive where non-resistant species cannot survive.

“We suspect that since urban streams have received frequent pharmaceutical inputs over long timescales, pockets of drug-resistant microbes have developed in these streams,” said Rosi. “They are ready to colonize substrates, even when drugs are present. When faced with pharmaceutical exposure, these resistant microbes can maintain ecological function, even when other species have been eliminated.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://eco-sphere.com/">Ecosphere</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

Microbes becoming resistant to pharmaceutical pollution

Pharmaceutical pollution in urban streams can cause aquatic microbial communities...

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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

[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



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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 



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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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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