A new study has found that, contrary to previous claims, the ocean is not a significant source of microplastics to the atmosphere, but rather a major sink.&nbsp;



The research team used a global chemical transport model to evaluate how tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics, move around the world. 



The finding challenges past assumptions about the ocean’s role in releasing plastic fragments into the air.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-journey-of-airborne-microplastics-nbsp">The journey of airborne microplastics&nbsp;</h2>



Plastic debris in dust form is increasingly recognized as a worldwide contaminant. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-in-the-brain-alarming-new-details-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microplastics</a> (particles less than 5 mm in diameter) have been detected in soils, freshwater, the ocean, and even in the air that we breathe.&nbsp;



Scientists warn that microscopic plastic bits pose risks for human health, since they can easily enter the respiratory system and the bloodstream.&nbsp;



Once airborne, these tiny pieces can travel large distances and eventually settle in remote or sensitive regions, harming wildlife and potentially impacting human populations.



But how do these particles enter the atmosphere in the first place? The planet’s primary sources of microplastics are typically found on land, from everyday materials such as vehicle tires shedding particles on roads, or synthetic clothing fibers washed out in domestic wastewater.&nbsp;



However, earlier models had suggested that there might be an additional large source at sea. Microplastics often accumulate in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-pose-a-greater-threat-to-some-ocean-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oceans</a>, carried there by rivers and other waterways. Then, once present in the marine environment, it was believed that they could be lofted into the air by sea spray or wind-driven wave action.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-the-ocean-s-contribution">What is the ocean's contribution?</h2>



Prior reports pointing to a large marine source relied on an inverse modeling technique. That method uses atmospheric measurements of particular substances and attempts to infer their origin by matching observed concentrations with predicted distributions.&nbsp;



Applied to microplastics, inverse modeling suggested the ocean might contribute hundreds of millions - or even billions - of kilograms of these fragments to the air each year.



Such massive figures were then tested experimentally, with scientists using wave tanks and other controlled setups to see how vigorously wave action or bursting bubbles could transfer plastics from the water surface into the atmosphere.&nbsp;



Those studies, however, hinted that only tens or hundreds of thousands of kilograms of plastic might plausibly be introduced into the air - orders of magnitude smaller than the figures derived from inverse modeling.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-global-chemical-transport-model">A global chemical transport model</h2>



In an effort to reconcile these contradictory outcomes, a group led by researchers at the <a href="https://mpimet.mpg.de/en/homepage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Max Planck Institute for Meteorology</a> (MPI-M) ran a global chemical transport model. This computer model simulates the movement of substances, such as microplastic particles, through the atmosphere.&nbsp;



By prescribing a minor oceanic emission of microplastics - consistent with the low estimates from laboratory work - they were able to predict how microplastic concentrations should appear in the air at various locations around the globe.



The results aligned well with real-world measurements. Based on the model, the ocean in fact took up some of these airborne particles instead of emitting them in large quantities.&nbsp;



The scientists learned that rather than being a source, the ocean appeared to be a sink, in which 15 percent of all airborne microplastics are deposited.&nbsp;



In other words, waves, spray, and wind may occasionally lift small amounts of plastic out of the sea, but far more of the material is settling onto the water rather than emanating from it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-airborne-microplastics-travel">How airborne microplastics travel</h2>



The study also uncovered the significant influence of particle size on how microplastics travel. Larger plastic fragments drop out of the atmosphere relatively quickly, often landing in coastal areas or not far from their point of emission.&nbsp;



By contrast, smaller particles can remain suspended for up to a year. That extended flight time allows them to cross entire oceans or continents and reach distant regions such as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/citizen-scientists-uncover-microplastics-in-the-remote-arctic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arctic</a>, where they land on ice or snow.



These discoveries highlight the global character of plastic contamination, showing that microplastic dust can be widespread in places typically considered pristine.&nbsp;



They also clarify that stopping microplastic pollution at its land-based sources may be the most efficient approach, as the ocean itself is neither the greatest emitter nor the root cause.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-roadmap-for-pollution-reduction">A roadmap for pollution reduction</h2>



Given that airborne microplastics reach faraway corners of the planet, the research team’s results have immediate practical value. Any broad plan to cut plastic pollution should focus on terrestrial origins: tire wear on roads, textiles shedding fibers, and insufficiently treated wastewater.&nbsp;



Additionally, lessening single-use plastics and improving waste management at landfills can help limit microplastics before they disperse into the environment.



These findings show that ocean waters, already burdened by plastic accumulations, are predominantly sinks - taking in plastic particles from the air. They also emphasize that microplastics do not stay put in the environment: large ones settle nearby, while smaller ones can travel global distances.&nbsp;



Future models aimed at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-is-changing-the-entire-earth-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic pollution</a> will need to consider these dynamics in more detail, particularly when mapping out strategies to protect vulnerable ecosystems, reduce human exposure, and maintain cleaner oceans.



By settling this debate over whether the ocean is more of a source or a sink, scientists can now direct their attention to mitigating the true origins of airborne microplastics, thus improving targeted policies to help address this pressing environmental concern.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00914-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">npj Climate and Atmospheric Science</a>.



-----



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Airborne microplastics: Where they come from and where they go

A new study has found that, contrary to previous claims, the ocean is not a significant source of microplastics to the atmosphere, but rather a major sink.&nbsp; The research team used a global chemical transport model to evaluate how tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics, move around the world. The finding challenges past assumptions about the ocean’s role in releasing plastic fragments into the air. The journey of airborne microplastics&nbsp; Plastic debris in dust form is increasingly recognized as a worldwide contaminant. Microplastics (particles less than 5...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">Tropical Storm Frank weakened to a tropical storm on July 28, 2016 and satellite imagery shows that winds and thunderstorms have continued to weaken.</div>
On July 27, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA's</a> RapidScat instrument observed Frank's strongest sustained winds were near 30 meters per second (67 mph/108 kph) north of the center. Tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 60 miles (95 km) from the center. Frank weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm by 5 p.m. EDT on July 27.

The RapidScat instrument flies aboard the International Space Station and measures winds over an ocean surface. Images are created at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/shasta-lake-northern-california/">California</a>.

Later on July 27, at 21:35 UTC (5:35 p.m. EDT) the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data of Frank. The AIRS data showed that the coldest cloud top temperatures of at least minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53 degrees Celsius) and strongest thunderstorms were only along the southern quadrant of the storm.

At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Frank was located near 23.6 degrees latitude and 123.7 degrees west longitude. That's about 875 miles (1,410 km west of the southern tip of Baja California. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 40 mph (65 kph) with higher gusts.

Frank was moving toward the west-northwest near 9 mph (15 kph), and the National Hurricane Center expects a gradual turn toward the west and west-southwest over the next 48 hours as the storm weakens.

NOAA GOES-West infrared image of Tropical Storm Frank was taken on July 28, 2016 at 1315 UTC (9:15 a.m. EDT). The GOES-West image showed very weak storms and mostly along the southern quadrant, as the infrared imagery from AIRS had shown 16 hours before. The GOES image was generated at the NASA/NOAA GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland.

Forecaster Pasch at NOAA's National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that "All of the deep convection associated with Frank has dissipated, and since the cyclone is moving over waters cooler than 23 degrees Celsius, regeneration of thunderstorms within the circulation is not anticipated. Therefore, the cyclone is likely to degenerate into a post-tropical remnant low pressure area later today.

NHC said that the storm will continue to weaken as the circulation spins down over the next couple of days. Frank is expected to dissipate by Sunday, July 31.


</div>
<div></div>

Tropical Cyclone Frank is fading fast

Tropical Storm Frank weakened to a tropical storm on July...

Sri Lanka is working to protect mangrove forests. Sri Lanka's government and environmentalists are working to protect tens of thousands of acres of mangrove forests - the seawater-tolerant trees that help protect and build landmasses, absorb carbon from the environment and reduce the impact of natural disasters like tsunamis.
All 37,000 acres (15,000 hectares) of mangrove forests in Sri Lanka are now earmarked for preservation.
Researchers say at least 6,000 acres (2,428 hectares) were previously destroyed, mostly in the last 25 years. Mangroves were cleared to make room for shrimp farming, to produce salt or to make firewood. Government forces destroyed forests during the country's nearly 26-year civil war, which raged until 2009, because rebel fighters used them as hideouts.
Now the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Asia">South Asian</a> island nation is showing an interest in retaining what is left. President Maithripala Sirisena, who took office last year, has retained the environment portfolio and has shown a personal interest in the project.
There are 22 species of mangroves in Sri Lanka, a third of all mangrove species found around the world. They grow in brackish water estuaries which are not favorable for other plants to grow, and create many environmental and health benefits:
- Their above-ground roots, mostly submerged in the water, produce food for small fish, crabs and shrimp and serve as a haven for breeding. Small-scale lagoon fishers have benefited from the ecosystem for generations.
- Their roots can accumulate soil particles and build landmasses while also acting as a buffer against coastal erosion. In the 2004 Asian tsunami that killed more than 35,000 Sri Lankans, areas covered by mangrove forests suffered less damage as the trees absorbed some of the energy of the waves.
- The trees absorb carbon dioxide more efficiently than other plants. Forests typically release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as plant matter decomposes, but because mangrove habitat is much wetter, there is less oxygen activity, leaving more carbon in the soil.
- Medical researchers have isolated from 15 mangrove species anti-cancer compounds that have been shown to fight breast and liver cancer cells. Dr. Sameera Samarakoon, who was part of research by the University of Colombo, says these findings are being studied further.
Seacology, a U.S.-based nongovernmental organization, last year launched a $3.4 million, five-year mangrove conservation and replanting program with the Sri Lankan government. A museum funded by the group opened in Pambala on Tuesday, World Mangrove Day, to exhibit mangroves, fish and crab species bred in the lagoons, with facilities for study and research.
The Small Fishers' Federation, Seacology's Sri Lankan partner, is running a nursery near Pambala Lagoon, some 65 kilometers (40 miles) north of the capital, Colombo, to produce 500,000 seedlings for replanting. One thousand acres (404 hectares) of mangroves are expected to be replanted by the end of this year.
The project plans to rope in 15,000 persons, mostly the unemployed from around the lagoons, to protect mangrove plantations in return for microloans to set up small businesses.
"By offering training and funding to develop alternatives to cutting mangroves, the project's livelihoods program is alleviating poverty as well as protecting mangroves," said Duane Silverstein, Seacology's executive director. "It's a win-win situation."
Anuradha Wickramasinghe, head of the fishers' federation, says he first felt the importance of protecting mangroves in the 1990s, when mangrove forests were being fast destroyed by shrimp farmers. That sent fishermen's fish and crab catch into decline.
Sri Lanka's tourism industry is expanding along the coastline, creating the possibility for conflict, though the government intends to promote ecotourism in mangrove areas.
Srilal Mittalapala, of the Sri Lanka Hoteliers' Association, says the industry hopes the project will have a balance between conservation and development.
"The tourism industry learned a bitter lesson from the tsunami and we understand the importance of the mangroves," Mittalapala said.
© 2016 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.

Sri Lanka is working to protect mangrove forests

Sri Lanka is working to protect mangrove forests. Sri Lanka's...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">Study: Protected areas benefit broad range of species. The world's protected areas do benefit a broad range of species - scientists from a collaborative research project led by the University of Sussex have discovered for the first-time. Study: Protected areas benefit broad range of species</div>
The study, carried out by the University of Sussex working together with the Natural History Museum and the UN Environment Programme's World Conservation Monitoring Centre, is the largest ever analysis of globally protected areas.

By analysing biodiversity samples taken from 1,939 sites inside and 4,592 sites outside 359 protected areas, scientists have discovered the protected area samples contain 15 percent more individuals and 11 percent more species compared to samples from unprotected sites. Study: Protected areas benefit broad range of species

The research was carried out by using a new global biodiversity database (the PREDICTS database) which contains data for approximately over one percent of all known species and spans 48 countries and 101 ecoregions - the most comprehensive biodiversity sample of terrestrial protected areas to ever be examined.

Co-lead author of the study, Dr Claudia Gray, from the University of Sussex said: "Previously, regional or global studies of protected areas have mostly used information from satellite photos, to look at changes in forest cover. Instead, we used a particularly exciting new dataset, which brings together information collected on the ground by hundreds of scientists all over the world.

"We have been able to show for the first-time how protection effects thousands of species, including plants, mammals, birds and insects. This has provided us with important insights into these areas - which previous studies were not able to do."

From the study, scientists also discovered protection is most effective when human use of land for crops, pasture and plantations is minimised. The results suggest that better management across the existing protected area network could more than double its effectiveness.

Dr Jörn Scharlemann, from the University of Sussex, said: "Protected areas are widely considered essential for biodiversity conservation, but our results show for the first-time that they do actually benefit a wide range of species. Study: Protected areas benefit broad range of species

"Our results reinforce recent commitments by governments for increased support and recognition of the importance of protected areas worldwide.

"We cannot deny the global importance of these areas and we must ensure that governments across the world recognise their significance and work to improve their effectiveness.

"Protected areas do not currently benefit all species - but what we have shown in our study is they have the potential to help us conserve some of the most biodiverse areas on Earth - which is why they vitally need increased global support."

Prof Andy Purvis, one of the paper's authors from the Natural History Museum, said: "This study shows how important questions in conservation biology can be tackled by joining forces. Hundreds of scientists from dozens of countries have generously shared their hard-earned data with us. Each one of those data sets is like a piece of a jigsaw: the overall picture only becomes clear when you have all the pieces and can put them together."

Dr Samantha Hill from the UN Environment Programme's World Conservation Monitoring Centre, said: "Humanity faces difficult decisions as to how best to protect <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/green-plastics-are-not-always-biodegradable/">biodiversity</a> while providing for the needs of our ever-growing population. This study provides new understanding into the biodiversity found at the intersection of protected areas and human land-uses.

"This research relied upon the data collated in the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) - the most complete dataset detailing the world's terrestrial and marine protected areas. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">WDPA</a> is a joint product of the United Nations Environment Programme and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and made publicly-available by the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre at <a href="http://www.protectedplanet.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.protectedplanet.net</a>."
###
The Paper entitled, "Local biodiversity is higher inside than outside terrestrial protected areas worldwide" is published in Nature Communications at 10:00am GMT on Thursday 28th July 2016 and once published be found here <a href="http://nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/NCOMMS12306" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/NCOMMS12306</a>

MEDIA RELATIONS

Communications and External Affairs | University of Sussex | Sussex House | Brighton BN1 9RH | United Kingdom

T +44 (0)1273 678888 | <a href="mailto:press@sussex.ac.uk">press@sussex.ac.uk</a>

<a href="http://www.sussex.ac.uk/newsandevents" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.sussex.ac.uk/newsandevents</a>

Notes to Editors:

The University of Sussex's School of Life Sciences is one of the largest academic schools at the University of Sussex. With 96 per cent of its research rated as world leading, internationally excellent or internationally recognised (REF 2014), it is among the leading research hubs for the biological sciences in the UK. The School is home to a number of prestigious research centres including the Genome Damage and Stability Centre (GDSC) and the Sussex Drug Discovery Centre, where academics work with industry to translate scientific advances into real-world benefits for patients. The School is one of the partners of the Sussex Sustainable Research Programme, a new strategic initiative between the University of Sussex and the Institute of Development Studies which aims to support the sustainability of life on Earth through rigorous interdisciplinary research which stimulates action and influences policy. <a href="http://www.sussex.ac.uk/ssrp/index" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.sussex.ac.uk/ssrp/index</a>

The Natural History Museum in London welcomes more than five million visitors a year and is also a world-leading science research centre. Through its unique collection and unrivalled expertise it is tackling the biggest challenges facing the world today. It helps enable food security, eradicate disease and manage resource scarcity. It is studying the diversity of life and the delicate balance of ecosystems to ensure the survival of our planet. For more information go to <a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nhm.ac.uk</a>

The UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre in Cambridge is the specialist biodiversity assessment centre of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the world's foremost intergovernmental environmental organisation. The Centre has been in operation for over 30 years, combining scientific research with practical policy advice, and houses the World Database on Protected Areas. <a href="http://www.unep-wcmc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.unep-wcmc.org</a>

Additional research bodies involved in this research paper include: Imperial College London, Swansea University in the UK, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia.

This work was funded by the School of Life Sciences at the University of Sussex and the UK's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). This is a contribution from the Imperial College Grand Challenges in Ecosystem and the Environment Initiative, and the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme.

</div>

Study: Protected areas benefit broad range of species

Study: Protected areas benefit broad range of species. The world's...

<div>Underneath the waves of Palikir Pass, one of the world's top surf breaks in the Pacific Ocean, lies a new safe zone which aims to ensure the survival of local fisheries and the species that are caught in Pohnpei, Micronesia.</div>
<div>

It's all thanks to a group of scientists from Australia and Micronesia who have found by measuring how far fish travel, habitats can be better protected.

Researchers targeted the island of Pohnpei as a case study to examine how effective their designated marine protected areas (MPAs) are for conservation and fisheries management.

"We asked local fishers to tell us the top ten species they wanted to protect and found the majority of MPAs in Pohnpei were too small to protect the fish they cared about the most," said Dr. Rebecca Weeks from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University.

While some fish spend their whole lives moving no more than a few hundred metres, others will travel hundreds of kilometres every day.

The fishers ranked favorite food fish - Groupers, Rabbitfish, Parrotfish, Surgeonfish, Snapper and Trevally - along with those with cultural and conservation importance (Humphead wrasse and Bumphead parrotfish) as the most important species.

"We then calculated the home range of each species - the area where a fish spends most of its time eating and sleeping.

"We know that if their entire home range is within an MPA the fish will be protected but if the MPA is too small then it is likely the fish will swim out of the safe zone and risk being caught.

"By focusing on particular species that the fisherman care about and using information on the ecology of those species, like how far they move on a day- to-day basis we were able to determine how large no-take zones actually needed to be."

"We then took that information to community workshops and involved local fishers in the conversation which has resulted in the creation of larger MPAs."

Since the study, Pohnpei has established its largest MPA called the Palikir Pass Marine Sanctuary. The location is better known to many as P-Pass, a world class surf break.

Pohnpei is committed to achieving international targets for biodiversity conservation through the Micronesia Challenge, and has already protected 30% of its marine and 25% of its terrestrial habitats. However, not all of the MPAs on the reefs surrounding Pohnpei are performing well, as many are too small.

"MPAs could be designed more effectively all over the world. You get conservation scientists and NGO's who say you need to make closures as large as possible but that doesn't really resonate with people," said Weeks.

"The larger the area set aside for no-take zones, the smaller the area for fishing. There is this trade-off between livelihoods, food security and conservation and people are less likely to follow the rules if they don't see how they will benefit from them.

"Because we focused the conversation on the fish they wanted to protect, it engaged more people.

"We anticipate that focusing on these species will mean better protection and an increase in their abundance which will ultimately benefit both conservation and local fisheries.
###
The study led by Dr. Rebecca Weeks was undertaken in conjunction with The Nature Conservancy and the Conservation Society of Pohnpei. The perspective appears this month in the Journal of Applied Ecology.

Paper

Published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.

<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.12736/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.12736/full</a>

&nbsp;

</div>

Conservation scientists protect fish at the island of Pohnpei

Underneath the waves of Palikir Pass, one of the world's...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">Even if people completely stopped converting tropical forests into farmland, the impacts of tropical deforestation would continue to be felt for many years to come. That's the conclusion of researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plants-biological-clock-crop-spraying/">Biology</a> on July 28 who have used historical rates and patterns of tropical deforestation around the globe to estimate the resulting carbon emissions and species losses over time. Impacts of tropical deforestation will be felt for many years to come</div>
The findings highlight the importance of accounting for the time lag between deforestation and its environmental impacts in meeting conservation goals. Also it Impacts of tropical deforestation will be felt for many years to come.

"We show that even if deforestation had completely halted in 2010, time lags ensured there would still be a carbon emissions debt equivalent to five to ten years of global deforestation and an extinction debt of more than 140 bird, mammal, and amphibian forest-specific species, which, if paid, would increase the number of 20th century extinctions in these groups by 120 percent," says Isabel Rosa (@isamdr86) of the Imperial College of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=london&amp;form=EDGEAR&amp;qs=PF&amp;cvid=7910b0b171c146a784349d095e594c92&amp;cc=US&amp;setlang=en-US&amp;elv=AY3%21uAY7tbNNZGZ2yiGNjfNhS3t*LItEfHefM2goi1CZwr%21kWOqx1M8qR8u8l0TaB3SCMb6wEJx8rLW7DfosFATO13utXk7Gr8Md4f3zu3E9&amp;plvar=0&amp;PC=HCTS">London</a>. "Given the magnitude of these debts, commitments to reduce emissions and biodiversity loss are unlikely to be realized without specific actions that directly address this damaging environmental legacy."

It takes time after trees are cut down before the wood and other plant matter left at the site fully decay, releasing carbon into the atmosphere. The resulting loss of habitat also leads to species losses, but those effects also tend to occur gradually.

In the new study, Rosa and her colleagues used a spatially explicit land cover change model to reconstruct the annual rates and spatial patterns of tropical deforestation from 1950 to 2009 in the Amazon, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia. Using those patterns, they estimated the resulting gross vegetation carbon emissions and species losses.

The findings show that current emissions and species extinctions are mostly tied to past actions. As a result, the researchers explain, changes in annual deforestation rates will initially have a smaller than expected effect on annual carbon emissions. For example, they write, a 30 percent reduction in deforestation rates as seen in the Brazilian Amazon between 2005 and 2010 only cut carbon emissions over the same time period by 10 percent.

The researchers also show that modern deforestation has left us with an estimated extinction debt of 144 vertebrate species found only in tropical forests. That's 20 percent more than the number of extinctions known to have occurred in vertebrate groups in more than a century.

"I expected an increase in both carbon emissions and species extinctions debts, but the magnitude of these debts was surprising," Rosa says.

The findings show that reaching national and global emissions targets will be even more challenging than anticipated.

"We need to do more if we want to avoid paying these debts, thus preventing further loss of species and carbon emissions," Rosa said. "We need to preserve existing habitats, but also restore forests that have been degraded. Allowing the forest to regrow on areas that have been deforested helps by creating 'new' suitable areas for species to survive in while allowing some of this excess carbon to be stored back in the new trees rather than emitted into the atmosphere."

Rosa says she'll continue to pursue the use of their models to support better policy and management decisions.
###
The authors were supported by the European Research Council.

Current Biology, Rosa et al.: "The Environmental Legacy of Modern Tropical Deforestation" <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(16)30625-X</a>

Current Biology (<a href="https://twitter.com/currentbiology?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@CurrentBiology</a>), published by Cell Press, is a bimonthly journal that features papers across all areas of biology. Current Biology strives to foster communication across fields of biology, both by publishing important findings of general interest and through highly accessible front matter for non-specialists. Visit: <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.cell.com/current-biology</a>. To receive Cell Press media alerts, contact <a href="mailto:press@cell.com">press@cell.com</a>.

</div>

Impacts of tropical deforestation will be felt for many years to come

Even if people completely stopped converting tropical forests into farmland,...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">Heat captured by dust boosts intensity of monsoons. Variations in the ability of sand particles kicked into the atmosphere from deserts in the Middle East to absorb heat can change the intensity of the Indian Summer Monsoon, according to new research from The University of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas">Texas</a> at Austin.</div>
The research was published July 28 in Scientific Reports, an open access journal from the publishers of Nature.Heat captured by dust boosts intensity of monsoons

The Indian monsoon is a period of intense rainfall that more than a billion people rely on to bring rains to farmland. The results of the study could help improve monsoon prediction models, which usually use a constant value for sand particles' heat-absorbing ability. Because the absorbing ability varies greatly with region and time, assigning a constant heat-absorbing ability for the particles tends to underestimate the impact that absorbed heat can have on the monsoon system, the authors said.

The study was led by Qinjian Jin, a postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who conducted the research while earning his Ph.D. at The University of Texas at Austin's Jackson School of Geosciences. He collaborated with Zong-Liang Yang, a professor in the Jackson School's Department of Geological Sciences, and Jiangfeng Wei, a research scientist in the department.

The deserts of the Middle East are a large source of "mineral dust," small particles of sand that are brought into the atmosphere by wind and thermals. Once in the atmosphere, the dust can heat parts of the atmosphere by absorbing energy from sunlight.

The researchers found that mineral dust that originates in the Middle East can strengthen the Indian Summer Monsoon by heating the atmosphere above the Iranian Plateau and the Arabian Sea. But the dust's ability to absorb heat affected how much the dust influenced the monsoon. Dust that absorbed heat more efficiently was linked with increases in monsoon rainfall.

"The heating ability of dust aerosols largely determines how the monsoon responds to dust," Jin said.

The researchers examined the impact of mineral dust on monsoon strength by creating seven high-resolution computer simulations that varied the heat absorption of the mineral dust.

The Indian Summer <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sonoran-monsoon-blaming-climate-change/">Monsoon</a> accounts for up to 80 percent of the annual rainfall in the Indian subcontinent. Increasing the strength of the monsoon can lead to flooding that can cause massive losses in life and crops. Jin said that for climate models to accurately capture monsoon behavior, they must account for the variability in mineral dust's heat absorption.

"This heating is represented in very different ways in different climate models, and is one of the factors responsible for inconsistency of climate model results," Jin said. "This study addresses the necessity for developing a new method to represent dust heating in climate models."

While this study focused on mineral dust's heat-absorption abilities, Jin said he is planning future research on how the dust particles can influence climate by changing cloud formation and behavior.

"Dust particles have been shown to be efficient ice nuclei, which may influence the monsoon by changing clouds' properties," Jin said.

Future research also needs to consider other dust processes, such as the surface erodibility of different dust source regions and how dust enters into the atmosphere, both of which have been studied by Yang and his other collaborators.

"Ultimately, this integrated research will improve our understanding of complex dust-monsoon interactions," Yang said.
###
The study was funded by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and the Jackson School of Geosciences.

</div>

Heat captured by dust boosts intensity of monsoons

Heat captured by dust boosts intensity of monsoons. Variations in...

Lake Tahoe is warming 15 times faster than normal rate. A new study says the average surface temperature of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Tahoe">Lake Tahoe</a> has risen faster over the last four years than any time on record - 15 times faster than the long-term warming rate over the past half century. Lake Tahoe is warming 15 times faster than normal rate
The annual report issued by the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/people-migrated-north-america/">UC Davis</a> Tahoe Environmental Research Center says continued warm and dry conditions contributed to several record-breaking measurements at Tahoe in 2015.
Experts say the numbers raising concerns about the ecological impacts of climate change on the nation's second deepest lake.
The report says the temperature warmed nearly one-half of a degree from the previous year to a record 53.3 degrees Fahrenheit. Also the ecological climate impacts the change of the nation causing a concern for global warming. Also the continued climate change will also have a lot of change.
While last year's precipitation was near average, only 6.5 percent of it fell as snow, the lowest amount on record. Only 24 days had below-freezing air temperatures, also a record.
© 2016 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.

Lake Tahoe is warming 15 times faster than normal rate

Lake Tahoe is warming 15 times faster than normal rate....

<div>New research from the University of <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/forest-fires-british-columbia-canada/">British Columbia</a> suggests evolution is a driving mechanism behind plant migration, and that scientists may be underestimating how quickly species can move. Study: Evolution is driving plant migration.</div>
<div>

The study, published today in the journal Science, builds on previous research that has shown some plants and animals are moving farther north or to higher altitudes in an effort to escape rising global average temperatures due to climate change. Study: Evolution is driving plant migration

"We know from previous research that evolution might play a role in how fast a species can move across a region or continent," said Jennifer Williams, the study's lead author and an assistant professor in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">UBC's</a> department of geography. "But what our study suggests is that evolution is not only a factor in movement, but that it can, in fact, accelerate the spread, and can do so predictably."

For the study, researchers used a small flowering plant (Arabidopsis thaliana), a common model organism in plant biology, to test the role of evolution in plant migration. Individual plants with different traits were cultivated together to create two sets of populations, one in which evolution was acting and another in which evolution was stopped.

They found that, after six generations, evolving plant populations dispersed seeds and migrated 11 per cent farther than non-evolving populations in landscapes with favourable conditions. Meanwhile, in landscapes where conditions were more challenging for the plants to disperse seeds, the evolving plant populations spread 200 per cent farther.

The findings suggest that evolution accelerates the speed of migration, said Williams.

However, more research is needed to determine why the researchers saw a larger effect of evolution under the more challenging conditions, which in this case increased the speed of movement.

"We know, for example, that there are some species of butterflies and plants that are expanding their ranges with climate change and moving north or up in elevation," she said. "What our results suggest is that, with evolution, the species can move faster and faster because the traits that make them better at moving are becoming more common at the front of the invasion. In the case of our plants, in the evolving populations, their seeds can disperse a bit further."

Williams said the findings underscore the importance for scientists to account for evolutionary change when predicting how quickly native species will be able to move as the Earth's climate continues to warm.
###
The study was co-authored by Bruce Kendall of the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Jonathan Levine of the ETH Zurich.

</div>

Study: Evolution is driving plant migration

New research from the University of British Columbia suggests evolution...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">Phytoplankton can't live everywhere due to physical barriers in the oceans. Subtle and short-lived differences in ocean salinity or temperature function as physical barriers for phytoplankton, and result in a patchy distribution of the oceans' most important food resource. The new research from the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate at the University of Copenhagen may help explain the large biodiversity in the sea.</div>
Phytoplankton are microscopic algae that live free-floating in the sea, transported around by ocean currents. The composition of phytoplankton communities affect other microscopic organisms, fish and even whales, as they constitute the base of the food web in the sea. Phytoplankton can't live everywhere due to physical barriers in the oceans

"The oceans are full of invisible barriers that occur when temperature or salinity changes. Our new research shows that even short-lived barriers of just a couple of days or weeks, are enough to influence phytoplankton communities. This provides us with new insight into how the high biodiversity of phytoplankton is maintained and how the food web might be affected", says lead author and Postdoc Erik Mousing from the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate at University of Copenhagen.

In recent decades, researchers have increasingly understood how small organisms are separated by relatively permanent fronts in the sea caused, for example, by large ocean currents. However, this is the first time researchers demonstrate that short-lived changes in salinity or temperature also lead to changes in the composition of algae communities.

<img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-2406948" src="http://cff1.greenatom.earth/uploads/2016/08/01093150/phytoplankton-organisms_1big_stock-150x150.jpg" alt="phytoplankton-organisms_1big_stock" width="150" height="150" />While it is known that physical barriers on land, such as rivers and mountains, can lead to the development of new plant and animal species over time, the oceans have primarily been perceived as a homogeneous environment. Therefore, it has been difficult to explain the large biodiversity of small algae.

"Our results show that the distribution of phytoplankton is much patchier than previously assumed as a result of these commonly occurring weak fronts. Coupled with the short generation time of phytoplankton the local barriers caused by these fronts could help explain why phytoplankton diversity is so large. Thus, at least in terms of the overall mechanisms controlling biodiversity, the terrestrial and marine systems are not fundamentally different", says co-author and Professor Katherine Richardson, from the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-favors-some-arctic-insects-over-others/">Climate.</a>

In the study, which was published today in the Journal of Ecology, the researchers analyzed 30 samples of phytoplankton from 16 locations in the <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=north+atlantic&amp;cvid=1f6cacd026c34662aa477590cf2a7f14&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">North Atlantic</a>. They also measured temperature and salinity in different water depths. Based on the samples, the researchers were able to map out a front with different salinities on each side. The species composition of phytoplankton was significantly different on either side of the front.

"Although our results are based on samples in the North Atlantic, weak and short-lived fronts occur in oceans all over the world. Therefore, there is every reason to believe that the influence of these small scale fronts on phytoplankton is a common feature in the world's oceans", concludes Erik Mousing.

The study has been conducted in cooperation with the Danish ClimateLab, NASA and the University of Maine.


</div>
<div></div>

Phytoplankton can't live everywhere due to physical barriers in the oceans

Phytoplankton can't live everywhere due to physical barriers in the...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">Tropical Depression 06W appeared to be consolidating and coming together in infrared imagery from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA's</a> Aqua satellite. The storm formed east of the Philippines in the Philippine Sea on July 29, 2016. NASA infrared imagery shows Tropical Depression 06W coming together</div>
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration known as PAGASA is issuing advisories on Tropical depression 6W (TD6W). PAGASA gave TD6W the local designation of "Carina." For the latest advisory from PAGASA on the movement of Carina, visit: <a href="http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/index.php/tropical-cyclones/weather-bulletins" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/index.php/tropical-cyclones/weather-bulletins</a>.

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite analyzed TD6W in infrared light on July 29 at 04:47 UTC (12:47 a.m. EDT) gathering temperature data of the system's clouds. Although the storm appeared somewhat fragmented, strong thunderstorms had formed around the center of circulation, and in fragmented bands northeast of the center. The storm also appears somewhat elongated. NASA infrared imagery shows Tropical Depression 06W coming together

Cloud top temperatures of the strongest storms exceeded minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53 degrees Celsius). Storms with temperatures that cold are high in the troposphere and NASA research has shown they have the ability to generate heavy rain.

At 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT) on July 29, TD6W was located approximately 394 nautical miles east-southeast of Manila, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/non-human-nature-rights/">Philippines</a>. Maximum sustained winds were near 25 knots (28.7 mph/46.3 kph). TD6W has tracked northwestward at 5 knots (5.7 mph/9.2 kph).

AIRS data also showed the sea surface temperatures around TD6W were as warm as 30 Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), warm enough to allow further development. Tropical cyclones need sea surface temperatures of at least 26.6 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit) to maintain intensity. Warmer waters can help a storm intensify, if atmospheric conditions allow.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) forecast calls for TD6W to continue to track northward then northwestward under the influence of a sub-tropical ridge (elongated area) of high pressure, located to the east. JTWC also expects the depression to strengthen into a tropical storm rapidly.

JTWC noted that the cyclone will begin to interact with the mountainous terrain in Luzon on July 29 and turn north into the South China Sea.


</div>
<div></div>

NASA infrared imagery shows Tropical Depression 06W coming together

Tropical Depression 06W appeared to be consolidating and coming together...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">Infrared data from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA's</a> Aqua satellite showed strong thunderstorms within the ninth tropical depression of the Eastern <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dust-asia-fertilizes-north-pacific/">Pacific Ocean</a>, as the storm was strengthening. Early on Aug. 1 Tropical Depression 9E intensified into a tropical storm and was renamed Howard.</div>
Tropical Storm Howard, the ninth tropical cyclone to develop in 30 days in the Eastern Pacific is also the eighth named storm of the 2016 season. Tropical Depression 1E in June was the only tropical cyclone that developed this season and did not reach tropical storm status.

On July 31, at 5:05 p.m. EDT (9:05 p.m. UTC) the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data on Tropical Depression 9E. The AIRS data showed that the coldest cloud top temperatures of at least minus 63 F (minus 53 C) and strongest thunderstorms circled the low-level center with the exception of the northern quadrant of the storm. Strong storms also fed into the low level center from a band of thunderstorms southwest of the center.

Over the course of 12 hours, the cloud pattern of the cyclone improved. At 5 a.m. EDT (9: a.m. UTC) on Aug. 1, the depression became a tropical storm. At that time, Tropical Storm Howard's maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph (65 kph) with higher gusts. The center of Tropical Storm Howard was located near 16.1 degrees north latitude and 122.9 degrees west longitude, about 965 miles (1,555 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. Since Howard is far enough away from land areas there are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

The National Hurricane Center NHC said that Howard was moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph (17 kph) and this general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days. The estimated minimum central pressure was 1,005 millibars.

The NHC forecast indicated that some additional strengthening is forecast today and Tuesday morning. Then, gradual weakening is expected to begin by Tuesday night and Wednesday when Howard moves over cooler water.
###
For updated forecasts from NHC, visit: <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov</a>.

</div>

Tropical Storm Howard develops in the Eastern Pacific

Infrared data from NASA's Aqua satellite showed strong thunderstorms within...

<div>NASA satellites provided a look at Typhoon Nida's size, clouds, rainfall and cloud heights as it approached southeastern China. NASA satellites provided a look at Typhoon Nida</div>
<div>

The fifth named tropical cyclone, Nida, known as Carina in the Philippines, formed in the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines on July 29, 2016 (UTC). After moving over Luzon in the northern part of the country, Nida emerged in the South China Sea where it re-strengthened as moved toward southeastern China.NASA satellites provided a look at Typhoon Nida

The Global Precipitation Measurement mission, or <a href="http://www.earth.com/product/low-flow-faucet-aerator-1-0-gpm-2-pack/">GPM</a>, core observatory satellite viewed Tropical Storm Nida on Saturday, July 30, 2016, at 11:01 a.m. EDT (3:01 p.m. UTC) when winds were estimated at 63 mph (55 knots). GPM showed an organized tropical cyclone with scattered rain bands circulating around the center of circulation west of central Luzon. GPM found that rain was falling at a rate of over 3.5 inches (89 mm) per hour in some intense feeder (thunderstorm) bands.

At NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, GPM data was used to create a 3-D image of the storm. Tropical Storm Nida's rainfall structure was measured by GPM's radar (DPR Ku Band). DPR showed that storm tops reached heights of over 10.5 miles (17 km) in intense storms within a feeder band north of Nida's center.

GPM is a joint mission between<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA"> NASA</a> and the Japanese space agency JAXA.

[ooyala code="ZkNHcyNTE6lPVqiMkd1QVsHbSd8TWjAO" player_id="ce75157bc770441eaf5e849ae4d1d21f"]

On Aug. 1 at 1:15 a.m. EDT (5:15 a.m. UTC ) the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured a visible light image of Typhoon Nida approaching Hong Kong. The VIIRS image showed that Nida maintained an eye with bands of thunderstorms circling it. At the time of the image, the northwestern quadrant of the typhoon was over coastal southeastern China.

On Monday, Aug. 1, 2016, at 11 a.m. EDT (3 p.m. UTC) the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) reported that maximum sustained winds were near 80.5 mph (70 knots/129.6 kph), making it a category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale. Nida was located near 21.4 degrees north latitude and 116.6 degrees east longitude. That puts the center of Nida about 187 nautical miles east-southeast of Hong Kong. Nida was tracking to the northwest at 20.7 mph (18 knots/33.3 kph).

The Hong Kong Observatory posted the No. 8 storm signal. No. 8 signal means storm force winds at sea level are expected at sustained speeds of 40 to 73 mph (63 to 117 kph), and gusts that may exceed 112 mph (180 kph). As Nida closed in on Hong Kong, two airlines, Cathay Pacific and Dragonair suspend all departures and arrivals.

The bulletin from the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) issued at 9:45 p.m. local Time (9:45 a.m. EDT /145 p.m. UTC) on Aug. 1 noted, "Squalls, heavy rain and rough seas will progressively affect Hong Kong. Storm surge brought by Nida may cause flooding or sea water intrusion in some low-lying areas tomorrow morning." For updated warnings from the HKO, visit: <a href="http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/currwx/tc2.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/currwx/tc2.htm</a>.


</div>
<div></div>

NASA satellites provided a look at Typhoon Nida

NASA satellites provided a look at Typhoon Nida's size, clouds,...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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



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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

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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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



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

[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NTU...

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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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