Underwater,Marine,Life,,Boulder,Brain,Coral,,Colpophyllia,Natans,,In,The

We've all heard that temperatures are rising. But in the southwestern Pacific, around the Fijian archipelago, sea surface temperatures have hit an all-time high -- the highest in over six centuries -- greatly harming coral in the region.



This startling discovery, revealed through coral research, comes from an international team of experts in climate science, proving once more the severe implications of rising temperatures.



In fact, the team's research indicates that 2022 was the hottest year in these regions since 1370. These findings were revealed by examining a massive colony of Diploastrea heliopora, a giant coral species found in Fiji.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coral-reefs-in-rising-sea-surface-temperatures">Coral reefs in rising sea surface temperatures</h2>



Aside from their breathtaking beauty and diverse ecosystems, coral reefs serve as profound archives of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2024-is-likely-the-hottest-year-in-recorded-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">past climatic and environmental shifts</a>.&nbsp;



Specifically, changes in the chemical composition of these long-lived massive corals provide invaluable data that traces centuries of climatic changes in the tropics, shaping the narrative of human experiences with climate fluctuations.



A notable scientist contributing to this research is Professor Denis Scholz, head of the Isotope-geochemical Palaeoclimatology / Speleothem Research group at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (<a href="https://www.uni-mainz.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JGU</a>) Institute of Geosciences.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coral-colony-and-sea-temperatures-nbsp">Coral colony and sea temperatures&nbsp;</h2>



Speaking of valuable, the team procured a 2-meter-long (6.5-foot) core from the aforementioned giant coral colony. 



Considering the coral only grows 3 to 6 millimeters (0.12 to 0.24 inches) annually, this is no small feat.



Experts then analyzed the core's skeletal chemical composition, drawing conclusions on temperature variations spanning 627 years. 



This data was further enriched by 26 years of instrumental water <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2024-is-expected-to-exceed-the-1-5c-warming-limit/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">temperature measurements</a>.



Ever heard of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/el-nino-event-may-push-earth-towards-its-hottest-year-ever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">El Niño</a>-Southern Oscillation? It's one of the primary phenomena influencing global climate, affecting human activities and natural ecosystems across the globe.&nbsp;



The southwestern Pacific region plays a significant role in modulating this very oscillation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-living-temperature-sensors">Living temperature sensors</h2>



We have thermometers and other temperature measuring devices. But nature has provided researchers with living temperature sensors in the form of corals. 



These underwater wonders record the chemical composition of their surrounding ocean in their skeletons, day in and day out.



One particular aspect of this recording is the skeletal Strontium to Calcium ratio. When this ratio dips, it points to higher temperatures. 



According to Professor Denis Scholz, head of the Isotope-geochemical Palaeoclimatology / Speleothem Research group at the JGU Institute of Geosciences, the current Strontium/Calcium ratio in the Fijian archipelago coral implies the highest sea surface temperature in the past 653 years.



"We used the uranium-thorium dating method to determine the age of each deposited layer. Thus, we were able to independently check and finally confirm the identification of the counting of individual annual layers. This enabled the precise and absolute dating of the coral," explained Scholz.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-through-past-to-predict-future">Looking through past to predict future</h2>



These findings don't merely paint a picture of our past, but they also provide a glimpse into our future.&nbsp;



Given the current climate model simulations, researchers are predicting more frequent bouts of droughts and heavy rainfall events in different areas of the Pacific throughout the 21st century.&nbsp;



And if no measures are taken to counter these effects, the results could be disastrous for both the ecosystems of the vulnerable Pacific islands and their inhabitants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-marine-biodiversity">Implications for marine biodiversity</h2>



The rich marine life in the southwestern Pacific is under threat from the rising temperatures of its seas. Coral reefs, which are like underwater rainforests, are home to about 25% of all ocean species.&nbsp;



Warmer water temperatures can lead to coral bleaching, which harms these beautiful ecosystems and reduces the variety of life they support.&nbsp;



This not only affects the corals themselves but also disrupts the natural balance among species and threatens the health of fisheries that island communities rely on for food and income.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uniting-for-a-common-goal">Uniting for a common goal</h2>



This alarming study is a result of global collaboration spanning three continents. 



Involved universities and organizations include Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (<a href="https://www.unam.mx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNAM</a>), Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, the <a href="https://le.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leicester</a>, the University of New South Wales (<a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNSW</a>), <a href="https://www.monash.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monash University</a>, <a href="https://www.u-bordeaux.fr/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Université de Bordeaux</a>, the <a href="https://www.hereon.de/index.php.en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon</a>, and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.



In the face of these startling revelations on rising sea surface temperatures, how will you respond? Let's redefine our approach to ecological responsibility.



The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ado5107" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



-----



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Pacific Ocean temperatures have never been this high in 650 years

We've all heard that temperatures are rising. But in the southwestern Pacific, around the Fijian archipelago, sea surface temperatures have hit an all-time high -- the highest in over six centuries -- greatly harming coral in the region. This startling discovery, revealed through coral research, comes from an international team of experts in climate science, proving once more the severe implications of rising temperatures. In fact, the team's research indicates that 2022 was the hottest year in these regions since 1370. These findings were revealed by examining...

Court: EPA Must Revise Ship Ballast Water Dumping Regulations. A federal appeals court has ordered the government to rewrite regulations of ballast water discharges from ships, one of the leading culprits in the spread of invasive species across U.S. waterways.
The ruling Monday by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals came in a lawsuit filed by environmental groups against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A federal appeals court has ordered the government to rewrite regulations of ballast water discharges from ships. Also showing a lot more environmental groups.
The groups say an EPA permit issued in 2013 isn't strong enough to prevent vessels from introducing more harmful organisms such as zebra mussels, which have caused heavy damage in the Great Lakes and spread as far as the <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=west+coast+&amp;qs=n&amp;form=QBRE&amp;sp=-1&amp;pq=west+coast+c&amp;sc=8-12&amp;sk=&amp;cvid=7B4EB1169B0347B19F2931267D35F594">West Coast</a>. Court: EPA Must Revise Ship Ballast Water Dumping Regulations
The court says the <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/nasa-prepares-to-take-astronauts-back-to-the-moon/">EPA</a> erred in numerous ways, including by adopting international limits on live organisms in ballast water when technology was available to require tougher standards.The Environmental Protection Agency is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it began operation on December 2, 1970, after Nixon signed an executive order.
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Court: EPA Must Revise Ship Ballast Water Dumping Regulations

Court: EPA Must Revise Ship Ballast Water Dumping Regulations. A...

Estimating The Impact Of Permafrost Carbon And Climate Change. Berkeley Lab scientist leads effort to shed light on a potentially huge player in the planet's climate...permafrost carbon

One of the big unknowns in predicting climate change is the billions of tons of carbon frozen in Arctic permafrost. As global warming causes soil temperatures to increase, some of this carbon will decompose and enter the atmosphere and accelerate climate change.

Although permafrost carbon has the potential to be a huge player in the planet's climate, it's difficult to predict the amount that will enter the atmosphere for a given increase in temperature. That's because the current way to estimate feedback between permafrost <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/warming-of-2c-would-unleash-230-billions-tons-of-soil-carbon/">carbon</a> and climate is by using complex Earth system models that include a wide range of atmospheric and land surface phenomena. When it comes to representing the dynamics of permafrost carbon, these models don't use data from direct observations of the amount of carbon that is currently frozen in Arctic permafrost.

[caption id="attachment_2384952" align="alignleft" width="150"]<a href="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/10/05173228/permafrost-graphic_1big_LLNB.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-2384952" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/10/05173228/permafrost-graphic_1big_LLNB-150x150.jpg" alt="The new approach includes data from recently compiled soil carbon maps of permafrost in Alaska, Canada, and Russia." width="150" height="150" /></a> The new approach includes data from recently compiled soil carbon maps of permafrost in Alaska, Canada, and Russia.[/caption]

Now, a team of researchers led by a scientist from the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has developed a simple model of permafrost carbon based on direct observations. Their approach could help climate scientists evaluate how well permafrost dynamics are represented in the Earth system models used to predict climate change.

The scientists present their research in a paper published online Oct. 5 in the journalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A.

"In the classic way of evaluating how well climate models account for permafrost carbon, scientists ask: Does the model predict soil carbon levels that are close to what is observed?" says Charlie Koven, a staff scientist in Berkeley Lab's Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division who led the research.

"But we flipped the question and started with: What are the actual, observed stocks of carbon in the soil? With this approach, we built the simplest possible model of Arctic permafrost carbon and its dynamics," Koven says.

Their approach takes into account recently developed soil carbon maps that identify the distribution and type of carbon in permafrost soils in Alaska, Canada, and Russia. It also includes a meta-analysis of several lab studies in which permafrost was held at a constant above-freezing temperature for months or even years. These incubation experiments quantify the rates of carbon lost due to permafrost thaw. A third component is a meta-analysis of soil thermal models that track soil dynamics in response to climate warming. These models account for the effects of melting snow, freezing and thawing of soils, and differences in soil thermal properties, to name a few phenomena.

The scientists ran their simplified model under two scenarios. In one scenario, fossil fuel emissions begin to curb dramatically by the middle of this century and the global temperature increases 1.8 degrees Celsius. In the other scenario, fossil fuel emissions continue at current rates unchecked and the global temperature increases 3.4 degrees Celsius.

They averaged the results from the two scenarios, and found that for every one degree Celsius of global warming, the amount of permafrost carbon that enters the atmosphere is equivalent to 1.5 years of global carbon dioxide emissions.

"We found for a given amount of warming, there is an extra amount of carbon released, which would lead to further warming--in other words, a feedback loop," says Koven.

Koven notes that their approach doesn't include many important processes that may increase or mitigate carbon release from permafrost soils.

"But the beauty of simple models is they are very easy to understand. We know exactly what goes into this," Koven adds. "The processes responsible for permafrost carbon-climate feedback have not been well represented in many models, and our approach is a way to start. It serves as a data-constrained estimate on the large-scale permafrost carbon response to warming."

The research was funded partly by the Department of Energy's Office of Science.
###
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. For more, visit <a href="http://www.lbl.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.lbl.gov</a>.

Estimating The Impact Of Permafrost Carbon And Climate Change

Estimating The Impact Of Permafrost Carbon And Climate Change. Berkeley...

Estimating The Impact Of Permafrost Carbon And Climate Change. Berkeley Lab scientist leads effort to shed light on a potentially huge player in the planet's climate...permafrost carbon

One of the big unknowns in predicting climate change is the billions of tons of carbon frozen in Arctic permafrost. As global warming causes soil temperatures to increase, some of this carbon will decompose and enter the atmosphere and accelerate climate change.

Although permafrost carbon has the potential to be a huge player in the planet's climate, it's difficult to predict the amount that will enter the atmosphere for a given increase in temperature. That's because the current way to estimate feedback between permafrost carbon and climate is by using complex Earth system models that include a wide range of atmospheric and land surface phenomena. When it comes to representing the dynamics of permafrost carbon, these models don't use data from direct observations of the amount of carbon that is currently frozen in Arctic permafrost.

[caption id="attachment_2384952" align="alignleft" width="150"]<a href="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/10/05173228/permafrost-graphic_1big_LLNB.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-2384952" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/10/05173228/permafrost-graphic_1big_LLNB-150x150.jpg" alt="The new approach includes data from recently compiled soil carbon maps of permafrost in Alaska, Canada, and Russia." width="150" height="150" /></a> The new approach includes data from recently compiled soil carbon maps of permafrost in Alaska, Canada, and Russia.[/caption]

Now, a team of researchers led by a scientist from the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has developed a simple model of permafrost carbon based on direct observations. Their approach could help climate scientists evaluate how well permafrost dynamics are represented in the Earth system models used to predict climate change.

The scientists present their research in a paper published online Oct. 5 in the journalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A.

"In the classic way of evaluating how well climate models account for permafrost carbon, scientists ask: Does the model predict soil carbon levels that are close to what is observed?" says Charlie Koven, a staff scientist in Berkeley Lab's Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division who led the research.

"But we flipped the question and started with: What are the actual, observed stocks of carbon in the soil? With this approach, we built the simplest possible model of Arctic permafrost carbon and its dynamics," Koven says.

Their approach takes into account recently developed soil carbon maps that identify the distribution and type of carbon in permafrost soils in Alaska, Canada, and Russia. It also includes a meta-analysis of several lab studies in which permafrost was held at a constant above-freezing temperature for months or even years. These incubation experiments quantify the rates of carbon lost due to permafrost thaw. A third component is a meta-analysis of soil thermal models that track soil dynamics in response to climate warming. These models account for the effects of melting snow, freezing and thawing of soils, and differences in soil thermal properties, to name a few phenomena.

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/scientists-study-earth-to-find-similar-worlds/">scientists</a> ran their simplified model under two scenarios. In one scenario, fossil fuel emissions begin to curb dramatically by the middle of this century and the global temperature increases 1.8 degrees Celsius. In the other scenario, fossil fuel emissions continue at current rates unchecked and the global temperature increases 3.4 degrees Celsius.

They averaged the results from the two scenarios, and found that for every one degree Celsius of global warming, the amount of permafrost carbon that enters the atmosphere is equivalent to 1.5 years of global carbon dioxide emissions.

"We found for a given amount of warming, there is an extra amount of carbon released, which would lead to further warming--in other words, a feedback loop," says Koven.

Koven notes that their approach doesn't include many important processes that may increase or mitigate carbon release from permafrost soils.

"But the beauty of simple models is they are very easy to understand. We know exactly what goes into this," Koven adds. "The processes responsible for permafrost carbon-climate feedback have not been well represented in many models, and our approach is a way to start. It serves as a data-constrained estimate on the large-scale permafrost carbon response to warming."

The research was funded partly by the Department of Energy's Office of Science.
###
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. For more, visit <a href="http://www.lbl.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.lbl.gov</a>.

Hoesung Lee To Head UN Panel On Climate Change. A South Korean professor of climate change economics will lead the Nobel Prize-winning group of climate scientists that keeps track of global warming.
The United Nations-affiliated Intergovernmental Panel on <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=climate+change&amp;cvid=2877ff35b8d44f4dae56c57ce3e30ada&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Climate Change</a> announced Tuesday it had elected Hoesung Lee, one of its vice chairmen, to its top post.
Lee is president of the government affiliated Korea Energy Economics Institute and past dean of the College of Environment at Keimyung University.Hoesung Lee To Head UN Panel On Climate Change
Each country is allowed one vote for climate panel leader. Lee pledged to work more closely with business and industry and pay special attention to job creation, health, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/map-living-conditions-global-poverty/">poverty</a> reduction and technology development.
The previous chairman, Rajendra Pachauri, resigned in February after charges of sexual harassment were leveled against him in his native India.Climate variability includes all the variations in the climate that last longer than individual weather events, whereas the term climate change only refers to those variations that persist for a longer period of time, typically decades or more. In the time since the industrial revolution the climate has increasingly been affected by human activities that are causing global warming and climate
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Hoesung Lee To Head UN Panel On Climate Change

Hoesung Lee To Head UN Panel On Climate Change. A...

United Nations Releases First Draft Of Global Climate Pact. The United Nations on Monday released a first draft of the global climate pact negotiating text for the major conference on climate taking place in Paris in December.
The document is a step forward for the talks, slimming down the text from more than 90 pages earlier this year to just 20.United Nations Releases First Draft Of Global Climate Pact
Negotiators from 195 countries are to gather for a new session of talks Oct. 19-23 in Bonn, Germany.
A large number of proposals in the text are in parentheses, meaning they are still to be negotiated. The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nature-documentaries-climate-action/">document</a> notably includes a long-term goal for reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions, but details and deadline remain to be discussed.
The Paris conference on climate is aiming for an ambitious deal to keep the rise in worldwide temperatures since pre-industrial times below 2 degrees Celsius.
Financing is considered as key to an agreement, with poor countries expecting some assistance from rich ones to help them cut carbon emissions while developing their economy.
The text mentions that financing could be more than the $100 billion per year already promised by 2020, coming from both public and private sources.
The potential agreement would reflect "common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in light of different national circumstances", the draft specifies.
The text also provide for a review of national climate targets in the future. Countries would be required to communicate their emissions goals every five years, a process seen as crucial to implementing an agreement.United Nations Releases First Draft Of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=PACIFIC&amp;cvid=85e81936106b4071b352ead8ee051021&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Global</a> Climate Pact
"The whole process is a very useful next step," said former U.S. Sen. Tim Wirth, vice chairman of the United Nations Foundation. "But obviously, it's still not going to be enough."
Every five years nations have to be prepared to tighten their commitments, he said, and then there's the problem of enforcing the agreement.
"How well governments are meeting their commitments, that's always hard," said Wirth, who raised questions about how transparent emissions calculations will be and who watches nations.
Environmental groups monitoring the talks gave the draft mixed reviews.
Jennifer Morgan of the World Resources Institute said it would "serve as a helpful launching pad for reaching common ground" in negotiations leading up to the Paris conference.
Others said it didn't capture the momentum of climate action outside the negotiations, with countries, cities and corporations taking steps to reduce emissions and help people in the developing world deal with the consequences of global warming.
Greenpeace said the options for a long-term goal were not ambitious enough and excluded the group's demand for a transition to 100 percent renewable energy by mid-century.
---
Karl Ritter in Stockholm and Seth Borenstein in Washington, D.C., contributed to this story.
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United Nations Releases First Draft Of Global Climate Pact

United Nations Releases First Draft Of Global Climate Pact. The...

New Species Of Coral Can Protect Itself Against Climate Change. Scientists from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (Coral CoE) have found a species of coral living in a dynamic reef system, which is able to protect itself from the impact of ocean acidification.

Ocean acidification, caused by rising CO2, is one of the greatest long-term challenges facing reefs. It reduces coral's ability to form their skeletons and build reef structures.

Now Coral CoE researchers from the University of Western Australia and the University of Queensland have found that coral colonies of P. cylindrica within Heron Island lagoon on the Great Barrier Reef have a unique internal solution to the problem.

"Our research shows that some corals living in dynamic reef systems (P. cylindrica) have the ability to maintain a nearly constant pH within their calcifying fluid, regardless of the pH of the surrounding environment," says lead author, Lucy Georgiou.

"This enables them to continue to form their calcium carbonate skeleton even under relatively low pH conditions."

Co-author, Professor Malcolm McCulloch, says the findings indicate physiological controls on the pH of the coral's calcifying fluid despite large declines in this highly dynamic <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=environmental&amp;cvid=f8c198ab53dd42469f865101953724a5&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">environment</a>.

"In contrast previous mesocosm experiments conducted under constant conditions of pH and temperature had indicated a partial dependence of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-great-barrier-reef-has-lost-half-its-corals-in-two-decades/">corals</a> calcifying pH on the external seawater,"

The regulatory mechanism allows the coral to grow at a relatively constant rate, suggesting they may be more resilient in this environment to the effects of ocean acidification than previously thought.New Species Of Coral Can Protect Itself Against Climate Change

The researchers were able to study the colony in its natural environment using the innovative Free Ocean Carbon Enrichment (FOCE) technique to simulate the impact of ocean acidification.

"It was really important to do this, as many reef systems are highly complex environments," says Ms Georgiou.

While the findings are positive, it's not yet known if the adaption is species specific and limited to colonies in dynamic reef systems.

"This is most likely only typical to corals from reefs such as Heron Island lagoon where temperature and pH fluctuations vary greatly on daily to seasonal basis" says Ms Georgiou.

"The next step in this research is to explore if P. cylindrica colonies from more stable environments also have the ability to adapt and if they too can 'hold up' to increased acidity," she says.

"We also need to explore what impact rising sea temperature has on the corals ability to maintain its internal pH.."

&nbsp;

---

<a href="http://www.coralcoe.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Arc Center of Excellence</a>

New Species Of Coral Can Protect Itself Against Climate Change

New Species Of Coral Can Protect Itself Against Climate Change....

Asia Haze

Neighboring Countries Angry Over Indonesia Forest Fires. For weeks now, the quality of life in parts of Southeast Asia has been left to sheer chance - the direction of the wind. Every day, it alone determines which city will be shrouded by peaty white smoke blowing from burning Indonesia forest fires.
Like neighbors who must tolerate the bad habits of the family next door, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand have endured the annual problem of smoke that stings the eyes, irritates the throats and shuts down schools and airports. Now their patience is wearing thin, and harsh words are flying across the borders in a departure from region's non-confrontational etiquette.Neighboring Countries Angry Over Indonesia Forest Fires
"We all see it, breathe it; and there is no hiding," former Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong wrote on Facebook.
Some days, the smoke is so bad that the gleaming skylines of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur disappear in an all-encompassing grayness. More than 7,000 schools in peninsular Malaysia were shut on Monday and Tuesday, forcing some 4 million students to stay home. Fifteen final races of the Swimming World Cup meet in Singapore were canceled last week. Tourists are staying away. Respiratory problems are on the rise.
Some have tried to make light of the situation, including wedding couples in Singapore who have commissioned haze-themed photo shoots against famous backdrops.
"Indonesia needs to keep to its commitments. Regionally, countries are getting fed up that Indonesia is not coordinating this very well," Reuben Wong, a political science professor at the National University of Singapore, told The Associated Press.
Scientists predict the haze this year is on track to surpass 1997 levels when pollution soared to record highs in an environmental disaster that cost an estimated $9 billion in health costs and lost revenue. A bad bout of haze resembles wintry fog, but laced with tiny particles of ash that are particularly harmful to the elderly, children and those with chronic heart and lung conditions.
According to the Indonesian National Institute of Aeronautics and Space, a total of 1,687 fires are burning in Sumatra, a giant island that runs parallel to the western coastline of Malaysia and surrounds Singapore, and in Kalimantan, a province on Borneo island, which is also occupied by Malaysia's Sarawak and Sabah states. Sometimes the wind carries the smoke far north across Malaysia into southern Thailand.
The culprits are well known. Big corporations set fire to forests every year to clear land speedily so the peaty soil can be planted with rows upon rows of trees that will be eventually harvested for paper pulp and palm oil. Oil palm plantations earned revenue of $18.5 billion in Indonesia last year.
"For them, burning the forest is the fastest, cheapest and most profitable method instead of clearing with heavy equipment," said Raffles Brotestes Panjaitan, the director of forest fire control in Indonesia's Ministry of Environment and Forestry. "Our regulation is clear - no burning of forests - but they violate the law for the sake of profits."
He told the AP that the intentional burning, especially on peat land, and the absence of rain because of the El Nino effect have worsened the fires this year. He described the burning ground as a vast smoldering stove with coal burning up to 10 meters (33 feet) deep.
The Indonesian government says more than 191 individuals and 47 corporations are under investigation. The license of one company has been revoked and three others suspended, and 72 people have been arrested. The government has also deployed some 22,146 soldiers, policemen and fire personnel in six provinces to fight the fires, with aircraft conducting water-bombing and cloud-seeding operations. Another 6,000 soldiers are expected to be deployed soon.
In September 2014, Indonesia ratified a regional agreement under which it promised to take steps to ease the problem through its own efforts and with international cooperation, or be held liable for the impact of haze on its neighbors.
But a long-term solution is not around the corner.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has pleaded for the patience, saying the haze is "not a problem that you can solve quickly." He added: "You will see results soon, and in three years, we will have solved this."
The crisis led to a diplomatic spat of sorts when Vice President Jusuf Kalla said neighboring countries "already enjoy 11 months of clean fresh air from Indonesia" and shouldn't complain about one month of haze.
K. Shanmugam, a Singapore Cabinet minister, called the comment "shocking."
"How is it possible for senior people in the government to issue such statements, without any regard for their people, or ours, and without any embarrassment, or sense of responsibility?" he wrote on Facebook.
In Malaysia, a deputy minister suggested the government should seek compensation from Indonesia for financial losses, saying Malaysian street vendors saw their businesses plummet 30 percent in a month.
"It is ridiculous for them not to solve this problem," <a href="http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v8/ge/newsgeneral.php?id=1176645" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chew Mei Fun told national news agency Bernama</a> . "Children can't go to school. At the same time, nobody will come to visit Malaysia."
But while the fires are burning in Indonesia, its neighbors do share some responsibility. Some of the oil palm plantations conducting slash-and-burn work are owned by Malaysian and Singaporean companies, according to research by the nonprofit Centre for International Forestry Research.
"There are no easy solutions," said Heng Yee Kuang, an associate professor of international relations at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore. "There needs to be better data collected on who is actually causing the forest fires."
---
Joshi reported from Bangkok. Ali Kotarumalos and Niniek Karmini in Jakarta and Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Neighboring Countries Angry Over Indonesia Forest Fires

Neighboring Countries Angry Over Indonesia Forest Fires. For weeks now,...

Neighboring Countries Angry Over Indonesia Forest Fires. For weeks now, the quality of life in parts of Southeast Asia has been left to sheer chance - the direction of the wind. Every day, it alone determines which city will be shrouded by peaty white smoke blowing from burning Indonesia forest fires.
Like neighbors who must tolerate the bad habits of the family next door, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand have endured the annual problem of smoke that stings the eyes, irritates the throats and shuts down schools and airports. Now their patience is wearing thin, and harsh words are flying across the borders in a departure from region's non-confrontational etiquette.
"We all see it, breathe it; and there is no hiding," former <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/singapores-largest-wind-turbine/">Singapore</a> Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong wrote on Facebook.
Some days, the smoke is so bad that the gleaming skylines of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur disappear in an all-encompassing grayness. More than 7,000 schools in peninsular Malaysia were shut on Monday and Tuesday, forcing some 4 million students to stay home. Fifteen final races of the Swimming World Cup meet in Singapore were canceled last week. Tourists are staying away. Respiratory problems are on the rise.
Some have tried to make light of the situation, including wedding couples in Singapore who have commissioned haze-themed photo shoots against famous backdrops.
"Indonesia needs to keep to its commitments. Regionally, countries are getting fed up that Indonesia is not coordinating this very well," Reuben Wong, a political science professor at the National University of Singapore, told The Associated Press.
Scientists predict the haze this year is on track to surpass 1997 levels when pollution soared to record highs in an environmental disaster that cost an estimated $9 billion in health costs and lost revenue. A bad bout of haze resembles wintry fog, but laced with tiny particles of ash that are particularly harmful to the elderly, children and those with chronic heart and lung conditions.
According to the Indonesian National Institute of Aeronautics and Space, a total of 1,687 fires are burning in Sumatra, a giant island that runs parallel to the western coastline of Malaysia and surrounds Singapore, and in Kalimantan, a province on Borneo island, which is also occupied by Malaysia's Sarawak and Sabah states. Sometimes the wind carries the smoke far north across Malaysia into southern <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=thailand&amp;cvid=24dc3bc9ce31464ab7f61661f9550ee6&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Thailand</a>. Neighboring Countries Angry Over Indonesia Forest Fires
The culprits are well known. Big corporations set fire to forests every year to clear land speedily so the peaty soil can be planted with rows upon rows of trees that will be eventually harvested for paper pulp and palm oil. Oil palm plantations earned revenue of $18.5 billion in Indonesia last year.
"For them, burning the forest is the fastest, cheapest and most profitable method instead of clearing with heavy equipment," said Raffles Brotestes Panjaitan, the director of forest fire control in Indonesia's Ministry of Environment and Forestry. "Our regulation is clear - no burning of forests - but they violate the law for the sake of profits."
He told the AP that the intentional burning, especially on peat land, and the absence of rain because of the El Nino effect have worsened the fires this year. He described the burning ground as a vast smoldering stove with coal burning up to 10 meters (33 feet) deep.
The Indonesian government says more than 191 individuals and 47 corporations are under investigation. The license of one company has been revoked and three others suspended, and 72 people have been arrested. The government has also deployed some 22,146 soldiers, policemen and fire personnel in six provinces to fight the fires, with aircraft conducting water-bombing and cloud-seeding operations. Another 6,000 soldiers are expected to be deployed soon.
In September 2014, Indonesia ratified a regional agreement under which it promised to take steps to ease the problem through its own efforts and with international cooperation, or be held liable for the impact of haze on its neighbors.
But a long-term solution is not around the corner.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has pleaded for the patience, saying the haze is "not a problem that you can solve quickly." He added: "You will see results soon, and in three years, we will have solved this."
The crisis led to a diplomatic spat of sorts when Vice President Jusuf Kalla said neighboring countries "already enjoy 11 months of clean fresh air from Indonesia" and shouldn't complain about one month of haze.
K. Shanmugam, a Singapore Cabinet minister, called the comment "shocking."
"How is it possible for senior people in the government to issue such statements, without any regard for their people, or ours, and without any embarrassment, or sense of responsibility?" he wrote on Facebook.
In Malaysia, a deputy minister suggested the government should seek compensation from Indonesia for financial losses, saying Malaysian street vendors saw their businesses plummet 30 percent in a month.
"It is ridiculous for them not to solve this problem," <a href="http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v8/ge/newsgeneral.php?id=1176645" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chew Mei Fun told national news agency Bernama</a> . "Children can't go to school. At the same time, nobody will come to visit Malaysia."
But while the fires are burning in Indonesia, its neighbors do share some responsibility. Some of the oil palm plantations conducting slash-and-burn work are owned by Malaysian and Singaporean companies, according to research by the nonprofit Centre for International Forestry Research.
"There are no easy solutions," said Heng Yee Kuang, an associate professor of international relations at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore. "There needs to be better data collected on who is actually causing the forest fires."
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Joshi reported from Bangkok. Ali Kotarumalos and Niniek Karmini in Jakarta and Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.
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Hoesung Lee To Head UN Panel On Climate Change. A South Korean professor of climate change economics will lead the Nobel Prize-winning group of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=climate+change&amp;cvid=0a8c9968cb194f958f0619e8d46a2d7b&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">climate</a> scientists that keeps track of global warming.
The United Nations-affiliated Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change announced Tuesday it had elected Hoesung Lee, one of its vice chairmen, to its top post.
Lee is president of the government affiliated Korea Energy Economics Institute and past dean of the College of Environment at Keimyung University. Hoesung Lee To Head UN Panel On Climate Change
Each country is allowed one vote for climate panel leader. Lee pledged to work more closely with business and industry and pay special attention to job creation, health, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/map-living-conditions-global-poverty/">poverty</a> reduction and technology development.
The previous chairman, Rajendra Pachauri, resigned in February after charges of sexual harassment were leveled against him in his native India.Climate variability includes all the variations in the climate that last longer than individual weather events, whereas the term climate change only refers to those variations that persist for a longer period of time, typically decades or more. In the time since the industrial revolution the climate has increasingly been affected by human activities that are causing global warming and climate change.
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New Species Of Coral Can Protect Itself Against Climate Change. Scientists from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (Coral CoE) have found a species of coral living in a dynamic reef system, which is able to protect itself from the impact of ocean acidification.

Ocean acidification, caused by rising CO2, is one of the greatest long-term challenges facing reefs. It reduces coral's ability to form their skeletons and build reef structures.

Now Coral CoE researchers from the University of Western Australia and the University of Queensland have found that coral colonies of P. cylindrica within Heron Island lagoon on the Great Barrier Reef have a unique internal solution to the problem. New Species Of Coral Can Protect Itself Against Climate Change

"Our research shows that some corals living in dynamic <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-great-barrier-reef-has-lost-half-its-corals-in-two-decades/">reef</a> systems (P. cylindrica) have the ability to maintain a nearly constant pH within their calcifying fluid, regardless of the pH of the surrounding environment," says lead author, Lucy Georgiou.

"This enables them to continue to form their calcium carbonate skeleton even under relatively low pH conditions."

Co-author, Professor Malcolm McCulloch, says the findings indicate physiological controls on the pH of the coral's calcifying fluid despite large declines in this highly dynamic environment.

"In contrast previous mesocosm experiments conducted under constant conditions of pH and temperature had indicated a partial dependence of the corals calcifying pH on the external seawater,"

The regulatory mechanism allows the coral to grow at a relatively constant rate, suggesting they may be more resilient in this environment to the effects of ocean acidification than previously thought.

The researchers were able to study the colony in its natural environment using the innovative Free Ocean Carbon Enrichment (FOCE) technique to simulate the impact of ocean acidification.

"It was really important to do this, as many reef systems are highly complex environments," says Ms Georgiou.

While the findings are positive, it's not yet known if the adaption is species specific and limited to colonies in dynamic reef systems.

"This is most likely only typical to corals from reefs such as Heron Island lagoon where temperature and pH fluctuations vary greatly on daily to seasonal basis" says Ms Georgiou.

"The next step in this research is to explore if P. cylindrica colonies from more stable environments also have the ability to adapt and if they too can 'hold up' to increased acidity," she says.

"We also need to explore what impact rising sea temperature has on the corals ability to maintain its internal pH.."

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<a href="http://www.coralcoe.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Arc Center of Excellence</a>

Study: Wildfires Will Continue To Increase With Warming Climate. Wildfire history over the past 2,000 years in Colorado's mountains indicates that large wildfires will continue to increase in a warming climate, according to results of a new study.

"Even modest regional warming trends, like those we are currently experiencing, can cause exceptionally large areas of the Rockies to be burned by wildfires," says scientist John Calder of the University of Wyoming.

The findings are published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The paper, "Medieval warming initiated exceptionally large wildfire outbreaks in the Rocky Mountains," is co-written by University of Wyoming researchers Dusty Parker, Cody Stopka and Bryan Shuman, along with scientist Gonzalo Jimenez-Moreno of the University of Granada in <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/the-rio-tinto-in-southwestern-spain/">Spain</a>.

[caption id="attachment_2384992" align="alignleft" width="150"]<a href="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/10/06103719/wildfire-aftermath_1big_colorado_NSF.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-2384992" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/10/06103719/wildfire-aftermath_1big_colorado_NSF-150x150.jpg" alt="Lake-bottom sediments were sampled at Lake Eileen in Colorado to study charcoal from past fires." width="150" height="150" /></a> Lake-bottom sediments were sampled at Lake Eileen in Colorado to study charcoal from past fires.[/caption]

"This project demonstrates the significance of historical records in addressing current issues," says Thomas Baerwald, National Science Foundation (NSF) program director for Geography and Spatial Sciences, which funded the research. "Scientists are working to understand the complex interactions among climate, vegetation, land use, fire and other factors. The insights gained from such relationships in the past can provide new insights for understanding these processes today."

Calder, Shuman and colleagues examined charcoal deposits in 12 lakes in and near the Mount Zirkel Wilderness of northern Colorado, finding that wildfires burned large portions of the area during a documented spike in temperatures in North America starting about 1,000 years ago.

That period, known as the Medieval Warm Period (MWP), lasted about 300 years during which temperatures rose just under 1 degree Fahrenheit. A single degree might not seem like much, but it can have a huge effect on the potential for wildfires.

Temperature increases over the past few decades have been comparable to those of the MWP, resulting in some of the largest wildfires in U.S. history.

Since the mid-1980s, starting with large fires in Yellowstone National Park in 1988, the frequency of large wildfires in the American West has increased.

If the warming trend continues as projected, the fires of recent years could be just the start of more extensive and devastating blazes, the researchers say.

The study looked at how often large areas burned in the past 2,000 years. Results show that other than the 20th century, the only time when fires burned substantially more area was during the MWP.

"When we look back in time, we only see evidence of large areas burning one time in the last 2,000 years," Calder says. "This suggests large wildfires of the magnitude we've recently seen used to be very infrequent."

The researchers estimate that 83 percent of their 385-square-mile study area burned at the beginning of the MWP when the climate warmed 0.9 degrees.

By comparison, the average increase in temperature in the <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=rocky+mountain&amp;cvid=ea19f27a9ab840548a775f207915b393&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Rocky Mountain</a> region since 2000 has been about 1.25 degrees higher than during the 20th century.

"Corresponding to those higher temperatures, 12 percent of our study area burned in the large Zirkel Complex fire in 2002," Calder says. Data indicate that in the Medieval Warm Period large fires similar to the Zirkel Complex fire burned in that same wilderness area once every decade or two when the temperatures warmed by 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit.

"Using Yellowstone fire history as a baseline for comparison, our minimum estimate of 50 percent of Mount Zirkel sites burned within a century at the beginning of the MWP exceeds any century-scale estimate of Yellowstone burning for the past 750 years," the scientists write in their paper.

Over the century that led up to and included the massive 1988 fires, only about 30 percent of Yellowstone burned.

"The large increase in the number of sites burned by fires during the MWP highlights the risk that large portions of individual landscapes may burn as the climate continues to warm today," the researchers conclude.

Shuman's research on forest dynamics is also funded by NSF's Division of Environmental Biology.

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<a href="http://www.nsf.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">National Science Foundation</a>

Study: Wildfires Will Continue To Increase With Warming Climate

Study: Wildfires Will Continue To Increase With Warming Climate. Wildfire...

Keystone XL Pipeline Developer Looking For New Route. The Canadian company that wants to build the Keystone XL pipeline is taking steps to circumvent one of the major roadblocks in Nebraska.
But in seeking approval Monday for the same contentious route through the state, TransCanada could create another round of lengthy delays in an already drawn-out process.
It also indicates a new push for the $8 billion Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline in a state where opponents have repeatedly thwarted efforts to build the project. President Barack Obama has indicated that he may reject a <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=federall&amp;cvid=fc7e37e9da074f3b913c88c5f15312d0&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">federal</a> permit for the project, as he did in 2012 when he accused congressional Republicans of setting an arbitrary deadline.Keystone XL Pipeline Developer Looking For New Route
Former Gov. Dave Heineman approved the Nebraska route in 2013 under a state law that allowed TransCanada to use eminent domain against holdout landowners, but opponents sued and the project has been mired in state courts ever since.
The state's Public Service Commission, which regulates pipelines, taxis and other "common carriers" used for transportation, offers another avenue for approval - one opponents have said they would have preferred the company use in the first place because the PSC can impose additional requirements. However, the PSC's eventual decision can be appealed. The Canadian company that wants to build the Keystone XL pipeline is taking steps to circumvent one of the major roadblocks in Nebraska.
TransCanada announced last week that it would withdraw its eminent domain claims to the land on the pipeline's proposed route and instead seek approval through the commission. Legal experts said the company may have decided not to risk a legal battle to try to uphold the 2013 pipeline-siting law, which the Nebraska Supreme Court allowed to stand by default in January. Opponents then filed a nearly identical lawsuit with landowners who were directly affected by TransCanada's use of eminent domain.
The case, which is set to go to trial Oct. 19, is widely expected to return to the state's highest court, and if it sides with the landowners, TransCanada would have to apply to the PSC anyway.
"The writing's kind of on the wall," University of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/historic-flooding-nebraska-iowa/">Nebraska</a> law professor Anthony Schutz said. "The prospect of losing was significant enough that they probably looked at the tea leaves and said, 'Why don't we just go forward with that process now?' "
Landowners who sued to block the project are pleased with TransCanada's PSC application, but landowners attorney Dave Domina said they want the pipeline-siting law to be invalidated to eliminate any chance that company officials try to use it again.
Domina said the decision to withdraw its eminent domain claims will delay the project further, pointing to a state law that imposes a two-year waiting period on new eminent domain proceedings if the original one is abandoned.
Attorneys for TransCanada said that law doesn't apply, because the company withdrew their lawsuits against landowners before the proceedings were officially considered "abandoned" under state law.
"Those who believe continuous delay of this project is some kind of victory couldn't be any further from the truth," TransCanada spokesman Mark Cooper said Tuesday, also noting that the company will "reinitiate" eminent domain proceedings "if necessary." Cooper said 91 percent of landowners along the Nebraska section of the route have agreed to easements, and that eminent domain is a "last resort."
The elected, five-member Public Service Commission - currently four Republicans and one Democrat - serves in a role more akin to judges than politicians. Members are forbidden from prejudging any project, and base their decisions on evidence presented by attorneys, such as a project's environmental impact, jobs created and support or opposition from local governments.
TransCanada announced the project in 2008 and has undergone repeated federal and state reviews, including a 10-month examination by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. The pipeline would be built from Canada through Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska, where it would connect with existing pipelines in Steele City to carry more than 800,000 barrels of crude oil a day to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.
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Keystone XL Pipeline Developer Looking For New Route

Keystone XL Pipeline Developer Looking For New Route. The Canadian...

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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

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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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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

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



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



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



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



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

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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