Krill may be small, but their role in carbon storage is monumental. Beneath Antarctica's icy waters, these tiny crustaceans are emerging as unexpected heroes in the fight against atmospheric carbon.



While the significance of blue carbon habitats like mangroves, seagrasses, and saltmarshes is well-known, recent research highlights the vital contribution of Antarctic krill and their impressive carbon storage capacity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-unsung-heroes-of-carbon-capture">The unsung heroes of carbon capture</h2>



When we think of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mountains-both-carbon-sinks-and-carbon-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon sinks</a> - the vital natural systems that absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere - we might not consider the role of small crustaceans.



The new findings reveal that Antarctic krill store amounts of carbon that are comparable to critical blue carbon habitats like mangroves, seagrasses, and saltmarshes.



Despite <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/antarctic-krill_store-huge-amounts-carbon_credit-Imperial-College_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">their minute size</a>, these krill contribute significantly to carbon cycling, thanks to their enormous combined populations.



"A key player in the biological carbon pump is the Antarctic krill,&nbsp;Euphausia superba, whose faecal pellets, moults and carcasses can completely dominate Southern Ocean carbon fluxes to the ocean’s interior in the Austral growth season," wrote the researchers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-krill-in-carbon-cycling">The role of krill in carbon cycling</h2>



Krill are often viewed as merely being food for larger animals. Whales, seals, and penguins relish these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-deep-sea-crustacean-species-discovered-in-the-bahamas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crustaceans</a>, and humans also fish them for bait, aquaculture, and dietary supplements. 



However, the value of krill extends far beyond the food chain.



“For the past decade we have been piecing together the role krill have in carbon cycling, finally resulting in this amazing finding that krill, and their poo, store similar amounts of carbon as some coastal marine plants," explained Dr. Emma Cavan, one of the lead authors from <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Imperial College London</a>.



Protection for these vital creatures is an urgent matter. 



"I hope this means we can now work towards conserving krill and their valuable Southern Ocean ecosystem with the same gumption as we are seagrasses and mangroves," Cavan continued.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-storage-in-ocean-systems">Carbon storage in ocean systems</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-impacting-marine-life-more-than-we-realized/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marine life</a> plays a pivotal role in locking carbon away from the atmosphere in ocean systems. The term "blue carbon" was coined over a decade ago to describe the crucial role <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/native-aquatic-plants-could-help-clean-coastal-waters/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coastal marine plants</a> play in this process. 



Yet, the ocean has other storage methods far from the coast through animals like krill. These creatures feed on phytoplankton - microscopic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/good-news-plants-are-absorbing-more-human-produced-co2-than-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plants that absorb carbon</a> during photosynthesis.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/antarctic-krill_store-huge-amounts-carbon_illustration_credit-Imperial-College_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/antarctic-krill_store-huge-amounts-carbon_illustration_credit-Imperial-College_1s.webp" alt="Illustration of Antarctic krill in the Southern Ocean ecosystem. Credit: Glynn Gorick/Imperial College" class="wp-image-1945051"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Illustration of Antarctic krill in the Southern Ocean ecosystem. Credit: Glynn Gorick/Imperial College</figcaption></figure>



When krill excrete or shed their exoskeletons, the carbon they've consumed sinks to the ocean depths, where it remains for a long time. 



This process could lock away at least 20 million tons of carbon annually, which is the equivalent of up to $46 billion worth of carbon storage.



“Antarctic krill are well known for being at the center of the unique Southern Ocean ecosystem and supporting an important fishery. But this study paints another picture of krill -- on their key role in storing carbon," noted study co-author Professor Angus Atkinson from <a href="https://pml.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plymouth Marine Laboratory</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-krill-swarms">The power of krill swarms</h2>



The massive populations of krill make them effective carbon storers. Swarms can contain up to 30 trillion individuals, producing a deluge of carbon-rich waste products.



“One of the amazing things about krill is that they form massive swarms, which can be over a kilometer in length," said Dr. Anna Belcher, a co-author from the <a href="https://www.ceh.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UK Centre for Ecology &amp; Hydrology</a>. 



"This drives a huge 'rain' of krill poo after feeding, making krill globally important for locking carbon away from the atmosphere."



The study also reveals that the depth needed to secure carbon storage effectively is surprisingly shallow, with an average of 381 meters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-krill-for-carbon-storage">Protecting krill for carbon storage </h2>



Antarctic krill are under increasing threat from rapid polar climate change, which is drastically altering their habitat. These krill are also targeted by an expanding fishery that further depletes their populations.



The combined pressures make the carbon storage capacity of krill an urgent and vital area for protection. 



Preserving this crucial carbon sink is essential for maintaining the delicate balance of the Southern Ocean ecosystem, and for meeting global climate goals.



The research highlights the need to integrate carbon considerations into broader conservation policies.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-52135-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Tiny Antarctic krill store enormous amounts of carbon

Krill may be small, but their role in carbon storage is monumental. Beneath Antarctica's icy waters, these tiny crustaceans are emerging as unexpected heroes in the fight against atmospheric carbon. While the significance of blue carbon habitats like mangroves, seagrasses, and saltmarshes is well-known, recent research highlights the vital contribution of Antarctic krill and their impressive carbon storage capacity. The unsung heroes of carbon capture When we think of carbon sinks - the vital natural systems that absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere - we might...

This week, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/07/climate/climate-change-drastic-warming-trump.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate&amp;action=click&amp;contentCollection=climate&amp;region=rank&amp;module=package&amp;version=highlights&amp;contentPlacement=1&amp;pgtype=sectionfront">New York Times</a> obtained a leaked report by scientists at 13 federal agencies detailing the effects of climate change. The expansive report details hard evidence of human-induced climate and examines how each region of the United States will be affected.

The report had actually been uploaded to a nonprofit internet archive and was available to the public in January of this year, but was not widely read or heard of until the New York Times broke the story. Scientists fear the report will be dismissed by the Trump administration due to its lack of interest in scientific fact supporting climate change. 

The head of the EPA, Scott Pruitt, who was appointed by Trump, is likely unwilling to concede to the report’s findings that rising CO2 emissions caused by human activity are a primary contributor to climate change. 

The report projects that average <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heat-waves-increase-mortality-rates/">temperatures</a> will rise as much as almost 2 degrees Celsius this century, and have already risen 1.18 degrees across 48 states compared to the early 1900s. And, as climate change science shows, a few degrees can have devastating consequences. 

No part of the country has been untouched by climate change, as rising temperatures, heavy bouts of precipitation, and heat waves all have connections to man-made climate change and are only projected to be worse. 

In the midwest, extreme rainfall has risen 9 percent in comparison to the early 20th century, and could rise to 20% if carbon emissions remain unchecked. 

In the northeast, the average annual temperature has already risen 1.37 degrees, and is expected to rise another 9.11 degrees by the end of the century.

In the northwest, temperatures have already gone up 1.51 degrees, and are expected to increase by another 8.51 degrees this century.

In the southeast, extreme rain has already increased by 8 percent, and is expected to increase another 21 percent by the end of the century.

In the southwest, extreme rainfall is expected to increase by 20 percent, and temperatures will rise by 8.65 degrees.

The report demonstrates how cutting carbon emissions emissions nation and worldwide is crucial to countering the growing impact of climate change. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a>, Staff Writer

Report reveals how climate change will affect each part of the US

This week, the New York Times obtained a leaked report...

Evidence of climate change continues to mount, showing everything from rising temperatures, drought, increased atmospheric CO2 levels, growing dead zones in our oceans, habitat loss, severe weather, and flooding. Now, data from five decades (1960 through 2010) in Europe shows that climate change is directly responsible for earlier and earlier spring flooding in the western and northeastern regions of the continent. 

The data also revealed flooding later and later in the season in areas around the North Sea and the Mediterranean coast. 

Flooding is a costly problem worldwide increasing in both severity and frequency, especially for coastal economies, thanks to climate change. It has been estimated that flood damage and fallout results in losses of roughly 100 billion US dollars per year, and with earlier and heavier flooding in parts of the world, that number is set to increase. 

Prof. Gunter Blöschl, chair of the Vienna Doctoral Programme on water resource systems and head of the <a href="http://www.iww.rwth-aachen.de/index.php?lang=en&amp;page=homepage">Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, </a>and his colleagues gathered data over a fifty year period from 4,200 hydrometric stations in 38 European countries to find correlations between the climate change and earlier flooding in Europe. 

The research team found that nearly all the stations in the study shifted toward earlier flooding with some as much as 15 days earlier. This early flooding could be the result of shifts in moisture retention in the soil which is also linked to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-facilitate-spread-diseases/">climate change</a>. 

Blöschl’s findings add to the growing body of research that shows the adverse effects of climate change and show how costly ignoring this evidence can be. If measures aren’t taken that factor in the impacts of climate change-induced flooding, costly consequences will include crop failure and loss, damage to infrastructure, and diminished access to fresh water.

----

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Photo Credit: ASI / Land Tirol / BH Landeck

Climate change causing earlier spring flooding in Europe

Evidence of climate change continues to mount, showing everything from...

It’s been a summer of record breaking heat waves in Spain, with some recorded temperatures as high as 109 degrees Fahrenheit. These sometimes long-lasting heat waves are no stranger to many parts of the world, but are cause for concern among the scientific community due to the ill health effects and rise in mortality rates that they can cause.

Research has shown an increase in mortality rates of 15% to 20% during extremely hot periods, and recovery from heat waves can take several days even after the heat wave recedes. 

The <a href="http://www.csic.es/">Spanish National Research Council</a>, or CSIC, participated in an international study that looked at heat waves in 400 cities across eighteen countries from 1972 to 2012. The study specifically looked at the effects extreme heat had on people’s health. The results were published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

The research concluded that the risks heat waves pose on a person’s health are the same whether the spell lasts several days or just one day. Thus, even short but potent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heat-waves-disrupt-airplanes-takeoffs/">heat waves</a> can be very dangerous.

As temperatures increase, the risk to health and well-being also increases, and those effects can last up to three or four days after the heatwave tapers off. 

Even though the scientific community agrees that heat waves are periods during which high temperatures reach an intolerable threshold, there’s not a global definition or account of just what makes a heat wave. 

"Although, from a health point of view, a heatwave is described as a day of which the temperature exceeds a certain threshold, there is no internationally agreed definition,” said  Aurelio Tobí­as of CSIC's Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Studies.

Climate change will no doubt increase the number of heat waves, and studies like this one could have important implications for creating global standards for intolerable conditions and proper preparation for changing conditions.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Severe heat waves, even brief ones, increase mortality rates

It’s been a summer of record breaking heat waves in...

A study from <a href="http://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a> shows that European sea bass are getting stressed out by noises from offshore construction. Exposure to the noise pollution also make the fish confused and disoriented when faced with a predator. 

"Over the last few decades, the sea has become a very noisy place. The effects we saw were subtle changes, which may well have the potential to disrupt the sea bass's ability to remain 'in tune' with its environment,” explained lead author Ilaria Spiga.

The research team played recordings of piling and drilling sounds to observe the responses of sea bass. The fish fled to an area the scientists referred to as the “safe zone.” When the researchers mimicked the presence of a potential predator, the sea bass became confused and made turns in the water which did not move them to safety. 

"Sea bass, along with other bony fishes, rely on a characteristic 'startle and response' mechanism to get away from predators,” said Spiga. “Exposure to underwater noises can make it harder for fishes to detect and react to predators. It could also impair their own ability to detect food.”

The drilling sounds used in the study were recorded in the English Channel during the installation of a new tidal barrage. The piling sounds were captured from the construction of a new lifeboat station at Swansea Bay. The drilling was continuous noise, while the piling consisted of low frequency sounds that occurred in intense bursts.

Offshore construction, shipping, and some onshore activities can all intensify the noise levels underwater. 

"Man-made marine noise could potentially have an adverse effect on reproduction also,” said Spiga. “If fishes actively avoid areas where these sounds are present it could prevent them from entering spawning grounds, or affect communication between individuals."

Despite the fact that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noise-pollution-protected-areas/">noise</a> is recognized as a pollutant by the European Union's Marine Strategy Framework Directive, only larger and more complex projects have to be approved by the Marine Noise Registry. The research team is urging officials to expand the reach of legislation by putting limits on the length of time that underwater construction can take place. 

The study is published in <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/marine-pollution-bulletin">Marine Pollution Bulletin</a>. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ocean noise pollution makes fish stressed and disoriented

A study from Newcastle University shows that European sea bass...

It’s a pretty common adage that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genetic-variant-linked-arthritis/">arthritis</a> and hip or joint pain serve as a somewhat of a weather predictor. We’ve all heard that people with arthritis can tell when it’s about to rain because they feel increased swelling and pain in their joints.

It turns out that weather does indeed have a direct impact on arthritis and joint pain, but has more to do with temperatures and activity levels than rain.

Data from Google search trends gathered across 45 states was used to determine what effect, if any, weather had on searches for joint pain and arthritis. Researchers from the 

The <a href="http://www.uwmedicine.org/">University of Washington Medicine</a> and <a href="http://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard</a> found that it was temperature and activity levels that drove the most searches, while there was a tapering off of search trends for joint pain during rainy weather. 

As temperatures rose within the range of 23 degrees to 86 degrees Fahrenheit, Google searches about joint pain increased as well. Searches for knee pain peaked at 73 degrees and tapered off at higher temperatures, while hip pain searches peaked at 83 degrees and tapered off at higher temperatures. But rainy weather actually decreased search results for both knee and hip pain. 

The researchers concluded that warmer temperatures, which could spur more activity, are a likelier cause in the influx in Google searchers rather than rainy and damp weather.

"We haven't found any direct mechanism that links ambient temperature with pain. What we think is the much more likely explanation is the fact that people are more active on nice days, so more prone to have overuse and acute injuries from that and to search online for relevant information. That's our hypothesis for what we'll explore next," said Scott Telfer, researcher from the University of Washington School of Medicine.

This study could prove an invaluable tool for further data driven studies using Google search trends to decipher what impacts and prompts online searches in relation to a person’s health. 

-----

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Google searches reveal surprising news about rain and joint pain

It’s a pretty common adage that arthritis and hip or...

Currently, over half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, and the United Nations estimates that another 2.5 billion people will move to cities by 2050. Urbanization is increasing globally as the Earth’s population continues to grow, which has led to expanding cities as well as expanding worries regarding the environmental costs of increased urbanization. While this trend continues, the need to study the trade-off between economic benefits and environmental policy costs of urbanization is only getting larger.

Defining the relationship of how pollution scales as urban population grows is necessary for policymaking, yet has remained unknown. The important question is: do environmental regulations that decrease pollution emissions from urbanization also hurt the economic benefits of this urbanization?

A recent study led by researchers at <a href="about:blank">Carnegie Mellon University</a>, and published in the multidisciplinary journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>, has found that air pollution policy reduces the extent to which population growth in urban areas results in increased pollution emissions, without harming economic growth of urbanization.

“We find that the relationship between urbanization (population) and economic output (GDP) is not affected by environmental policy,” says Nicholas Muller of the <a href="http://tepper.cmu.edu/">Tepper School of Business</a>. “This has profound implications for the current policy debate that frames environmental goals and economic goals as at odds with each other.”

The researchers analyzed data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in an effort to determine if the counties in the U.S. that are compliant with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), which were established in 1990 by the Clean Air Act Amendment. This data was paired with county-level data on population, economic indicators, and pollution levels to assess the economic and environmental impacts of pollution regulation.

“When a county is found to be non-compliant with NAAQS, it is subject to stricter regulation than compliant counties,” says Akshaya Jha from the <a href="http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/index.aspx">Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy.</a> “By comparing the outcomes of compliant and non-compliant counties, we can determine how the stringency of environmental regulation affects both economic output and environmental damages.”

The results showed that stricter NAAQS criteria imposed on counties that were non-compliant actually reduced pollution damages while not detracting from the rate of economic growth relative to compliant counties. The researchers also found that the pollution per person decreases as population grows, so pollution does not scale linearly with population.

Ultimately, these findings show that environmental policy may decrease the consequences of pollution from urbanization without hurting that area’s economic growth. This is important moving forward if we want to continue to expand our cities while limiting impact on the environment. Economists and environmentalists must work together to determine how we can further reduce environmental impact without moving backwards in our <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/biodiversity-help-economy-colombia/">economy</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why environmental policy doesn’t have to hurt economic growth

Currently, over half of the world’s population lives in urban...

Roughly 94 million years ago, the Earth’s ocean underwent a 50,000-year period of ocean deoxygenation that preceded an ancient climate event that severely disrupted ocean chemistry and caused the extinction of many marine species – and it looks eerily similar to what’s happening in our oceans today.

According to new research from <a href="https://www.fsu.edu/">Florida State University</a>, there are distinct similarities that can be drawn between the rates of oxygen depletion in our oceans today and those that occurred almost 100 million years ago.

“We found that before this major shift in the climate, there was a stretch of oxygen depletion of about 50,000 years,” says Jeremy Owens, an assistant professor of geology at <a href="https://www.fsu.edu/">FSU</a>. “The rate of deoxygenation during that time is somewhat equivalent to the rate at which many scientists suggest we’re losing oxygen from our oceans today.”

Owens teamed up with researchers from <a href="https://www.asu.edu/">Arizona State University</a> and the <a href="http://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute</a> for this study. They used a newly created Thallium isotope analysis to assess organic-rich sediment off an underwater plateau near the coasts of Suriname and French Guyana. From this sample analysis, they found evidence of rapid oxygen loss that occurred roughly 50,000 years before the globally recognized climate event.

The burial of massive amounts of organic carbon is a major indicator of significant climate disturbance. This discovery of the 50,000-year interval of deoxygenation that came before the climate event may also help decipher the relationship between major climate shifts and buried organic carbon.

“The easiest way to bury organic carbon is for there to be a lack of oxygen because decreased oxygen slows down microbial respiration, and thus more primary producers sink down to the seafloor,” Owens said. “This oxygen depletion prior to the event makes a lot of sense as it sets the stage for widespread organic carbon burial – carbon that we now use for some of our fossil fuels.”

The study revealed that the beginning of the deoxygenation period was directly following a significant increase in volcanic activity. As this activity grew, carbon dioxide was released into a warming atmosphere and the oceans were subjected to a deluge of excess nutrients. This led to a rise in aquatic plant growth and oxygen depletion known as eutrophication.

What is most interesting about this finding is that this series of events is rather similar to the climate events we are currently experiencing. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/ocean-circulation-absorb-carbon-dioxide/">Carbon dioxide</a> emissions along with a warming atmosphere and eutrophication is exactly what we’re facing today given fossil fuel emissions and climate change.

“The volcanism linked to deoxygenation in the past represents the same kind of process as we see today – we’re just dealing with different sources,” Owens explains. “If the climate event in our study is analogous to modern events, we have to consider what that might mean for our oceans.”

Although scientists still don’t know how rapidly the planet’s oceans are deoxygenating, it’s estimated that they lose a small percentage every decade. While this may not seem very significant, when this loss is drawn out on a geologic scale it actually appears to be happening relatively quickly. 

“It’s not a problem way off in the distance, and it’s not just carbon dioxide we should be worried about,” Owens said. “These processes are also having an impact on oxygen levels, and that’s a major issue for many organisms.”

An issue for many organisms, not least of which may be us if we lose a large portion of our sea life and the ocean’s ability to retain oxygen. While studies such as this one look to the past for similarities and an idea of what we’re heading into, we also need to look towards the future and figure out how we can fix these problems before they become irreversible.

More information on this study can be found in the journal Science Advances.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Is ocean deoxygenation event a sign of history repeating itself?

Roughly 94 million years ago, the Earth’s ocean underwent a...

According to new research, the length of time it takes for an area to recover from drought depends on factors such as future climate conditions and geographic location. The authors of the study point out that, as droughts become more frequent, ecosystems may not have time to fully recover before being hit with another dry spell.

There are different ways to define drought. From a meteorological perspective, it is defined as a period of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/severe-drought-plagues-north-dakota/">less than average precipitation</a>. In agricultural terms, drought occurs when a lack of rainfall weakens crops. From a hydrological point of view, it is when water sources such as lakes and reservoirs begin to dry up.

A research team led by William Anderegg of the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a> set out to determine what it takes to recover from all three of these types of drought in different regions of the world. 

“There was a broad presumption that ecosystems and plants recovered almost immediately when the weather got wetter," said Anderegg. "We didn't know what the patterns were globally, including which plants seemed to recover faster or slower and which variables influenced that recovery time."

The team used a tool called the Standardized Precipitation-Evaporation Index to evaluate drought conditions. It combines measurements of temperature, soil moisture, recent rainfall, and the demand of plants for water. 

To evaluate recovery times, the team analyzed global satellite data to measure the rates at which plants convert sunlight into biomass, or gross primary productivity. According to the researchers, drought recovery means an ecosystem fully returns to the level of productivity that it experienced before the drought.

It can take a long time for plants to recuperate  from drought conditions, and sometimes they never recover. Disease and fire caused by drought can leave permanent damage to vegetation. 

The study, published tomorrow in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/">Nature</a>, revealed that climate conditions after a drought have the most influence on recovery time. Wet conditions will accelerate recovery, while dry conditions will slow down progress.

Location affected recovery time as well. Most regions can overcome the impact of the dry spell in less than six months, and some areas need up to a year. The scientists discovered that high-latitude Arctic regions and the tropics of South America and Southeast Asia need as much as two years to recover. 

"That's worrisome because those regions store the largest chunks of carbon in ecosystems across the globe," said Anderegg.

Climate models predict that droughts will become more frequent and last longer. This increases the chance that ecosystems may be hit with new droughts before they have recovered from the previous one. 

"That could have a double whammy effect," explained Anderegg. "A second drought could be harder on an ecosystem and have the potential to push it off a cliff." 

-

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Recovering from drought takes time, some damage permanent

According to new research, the length of time it takes...

The Greater Prairie-chicken was once a common bird in North America, but like many endangered grassland birds, they are becoming more and more of a rarity. Today only small pockets of Greater Prairie-chickens exist in the plains and parts of the Midwest. And recently, there has been a growing concern that wind energy farms might add to the growing list of threats facing the endangered birds.

Wind energy, especially in the Great Plains, is increasing in popularity, and wind energy facilities are popping up all over the place to create a bountiful source of renewable, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wyoming-targets-solar-wind-energy-law/">clean energy</a>. 

A new study published in The Condor: Ornithological Applications, led by Jocelyn Olney Harrison from the <a href="https://www.unl.edu/">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a> in conjunction with her colleagues, finds that wind energy facilities in Nebraska have little to no effect on the Greater Prairie-Chicken nesting grounds. 

The research team studied nesting sites near a small wind energy facility and captured 78 female prairie chickens from different breeding areas spaced at different locations across the facility. They fitted the birds with transmitters and monitored their nests and movements. 

The team discovered that no matter how close a nest was to the wind energy facility, it seemed to have no effect on the bird’s mating and habits overall. Instead, the scientists found that the greatest threats were infrastructure and grazing patterns of animals. 

“We suggest that livestock grazing and other grassland management practices still have the most important regional effects on Greater Prairie-Chickens, but we caution future planners to account for potential negative effects of roads on nest site placement,” said Harrison. 

Further studies will need to be done with a larger scope to see if wind energy facilities have a significant impact on all grassland birds. But the promising findings of this project show that wind energy is not as great a threat as other current practices that lead to habitat loss.

----

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a>, Staff Writer 

Photo Credit: L. Powell

Wind energy facilities do not impact endangered grassland birds

The Greater Prairie-chicken was once a common bird in North...

Climate change has increased the risk and severity of droughts, with massive droughts now occurring all over the world, some lasting years. Droughts can damage crops, create a hazard zone for wildfires and kill trees and plant life. 

Vancouver, British Columbia has recently <a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/3652201/b-c-wildfires-have-now-scorched-an-area-larger-than-pei/">been blanketed in a foggy gray smog</a> thanks to raging wildfires that have burned almost 3,000 square miles in total. The cause of these fires is still under investigation, but many suspect a link to ongoing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluctuating-sea-temperature-droughts/">drought</a> conditions.

Understanding exactly how droughts impact trees and wildlife and how tree death occurs could help prevent future wildfires and crop failure. 

Recently, researchers set out to understand what exactly what causes trees to die during a drought. A collaborative team of researchers, including lead author Henry Adams from<a href="https://go.okstate.edu/"> Oklahoma State University</a> and 62 other scientists, published their results in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

The team studied and simulated drought conditions and found that tree death was caused by a combination of hydraulic failure and carbon starvation. Carbon starvation occurs when dry trees close their pores, blocking the entry of necessary carbon needed for photosynthesis. Hydraulic failure occurs when the tree becomes unable to move water from its roots to its leaves.

Healthy trees are an important part of the ecosystem as they feed on CO2, and fewer trees due to droughts means more CO2 in the atmosphere and an increase in climate change. 

"Droughts are simultaneously happening over large regions of the globe, affecting forests with very different trees. The discovery of how droughts cause mortality in trees, regardless of the type of tree, allows us to make better regional-scale predictions of droughts' effects on forests,” said the director of the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation’s</a> MacroSystems Biology Program, Liz Blood. 

Understanding exactly how tree death occurs in times of stress, like a drought, could have a positive impact on prevention and preservation of trees and help counter climate change. 

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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

What actually causes trees to die during droughts

Climate change has increased the risk and severity of droughts,...

Environmental scientists have discovered that burning coal produces microscopic particles of titanium oxide. Known as titanium suboxide nanoparticles, these tiny particles can enter the lungs and possibly the bloodstream.

The particulates are as small as 100 millionths of a meter, according to a research team led by <a href="http://www.science.vt.edu/">Virginia Tech College of Science</a>. When the particles are released, they can travel with air currents locally or even globally.

Virginia Tech Professor of Geosciences Michael F. Hochella Jr. led the study.  

"The problem with these nanoparticles is that there is no easy or practical way to prevent their formation during coal burning," said Hochella. 

He added that most of the nanoparticles would be caught by particle traps in nations with strict regulations such as the United States. However, countries such as Africa, China, and India do not have environmental regulations that prevent coal ash and smoke from invading the air.

The titanium suboxide - known as Magnéli phases - was previously thought to be extremely rare, but the findings of this study suggest that these nanoparticles exist all over the world. Powerful electron microscopes are allowing scientists to study them for the first time in their natural environment. 

The research team located these nanoparticles in ash and gaseous waste emissions from coal plants across the globe, but they were not limited there. The scientists also discovered titanium suboxide nanoparticles on city streets, in soil, in stormwater ponds, and at wastewater treatment plants.

"I could not believe what I had found at the beginning, because they had been reported so extremely rarely in the natural environment," said Yi Yang, a professor at East China Normal University who participated in the study. "It took me several months to confirm their occurrence in coal ash samples."

Nearly all coal contains titanium oxides in one of three mineral forms. When these minerals are burned in the presence of coal, they easily and quickly convert to highly unusual particle forms of titanium oxide. The nanoparticles are then drawn out with the gases that leave the power plant.

If inhaled, the nanoparticles can move deep into the lungs, and can potentially enter into the air sacs that move <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/low-oxygen-early-jurassic-oceans/">oxygen</a> into our bloodstream. Research has indicated that the particles are toxic to human lungs, but it is not yet known to what degree. 

"Future studies will need to very carefully investigate and assess the toxicity of titanium suboxide nanoparticles in the human lung, and this could take years, a sobering thought considering its potential danger," Hochella said.

The study is published in the online journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</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

Burning coal releases potentially dangerous and harmful particles

Environmental scientists have discovered that burning coal produces microscopic particles...

<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">The Centers for Disease Control</a> (CDC) predicted that the summer of 2017 would be one of the worst tick seasons ever. With summer nearly half over and tick borne illnesses on the rise, it would seem their predictions were not without merit. Ticks thrive in tall grasses and wooded, leafy areas, and carry several illnesses including Lyme Disease.

According to CDC epidemiologist Dr. Christopher Braden, Lyme disease cases have nearly doubled in recent years compared to the early 2000s. 

This increase in tick populations, as well as mosquitos and other disease carrying pests, are a worldwide problem. The trick is reducing or managing their population levels without adversely affecting vital pollinator insects like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/east-african-honey-bees/">bees</a> and butterflies.

The solution and success of vector-control without harming pollinators in the process can be found by starting local, according to new research performed by entomologists, disease-vector control management experts, and pollinator experts. 

The research has been published in the Journal of Medical Entomology and shows that pest control and pollinator protection can be ensured by a local, community effort during the planning stages before any pest control measures are taken. 

There are vector-control practices that try to protect “nontarget organisms,” but conditions can vary so differently even county to county, coordinating with a pollination expert will ensure that the best measures are taken to ensure the desired result for all parties. 

A 2014 Vector-Borne Disease and Pollinator Protection task force was created by the <a href="http://pollinator.org/nappc/">North American Pollinator Protection Campaign</a> and studied better ways to promote local collaborative efforts among the two worlds. 

"Nobody wants people to get sick unnecessarily, and nobody wants to damage populations of organisms that are important to the functioning of healthy environments," said Dr. Howard Ginsberg, chair of the task force.

Preventing flea, tick, and mosquito borne illnesses can be helped by managing population levels. But this recent research shows how important it is to utilize a collaborative effort on a local level in order to find the best balance between disease and pest control without sacrificing vital pollinators.  

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By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The battle to protect bees while managing ticks and mosquitos

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) predicted that the summer...

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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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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

[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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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

[sendtonews key="u0TYxxqfF7-2186404-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA’s...