April is Earth Month and Earth Day is April 22nd. Here is a breakdown of the latest news regarding Earth Day, the environment, climate, agriculture, and nature-related topics.
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Megafaunal Extinctions Driven by Too Much Moisture
Studies of bones from Ice Age megafaunal animals across Eurasia and the Americas have revealed that major increases in environmental moisture occurred just before many species suddenly became extinct around 11-15,000 years ago. The persistent moistur...
– University of Adelaide
Nature Ecology and Evolution,
Embargo expired on 18-Apr-2017 at 11:00 ET
Study on Impact of Climate Change on Snowpack Loss in Western U.S.
An international team of scientists, including one from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, has found that up to 20 percent loss in the annual maximum amount of water contained in the Western United States’ mountain snowpack in the last three d...
– Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Embargo expired on 18-Apr-2017 at 11:00 ET
Models, Observations Not So Far Apart on Planet's Response to Greenhouse Gas Emissions
A closer look at how the planet responds to greenhouse gases debunks recent observations suggesting Earth's temperature is less sensitive than climate models predict to rising carbon dioxide.
– University of Washington
Nature Climate Change
Embargo expired on 17-Apr-2017 at 11:00 ET
For New Carbon Markets, Try Old Growth
A fifteen-year study in Vermont shows that imitating old-growth forests enhances carbon storage in managed forestland far better than conventional forestry techniques.
– University of Vermont
Ecosphere, April 6, 2017
Embargo expired on 06-Apr-2017 at 10:00 ET
Study Reveals Future CO2 and Climate Warming Potentially Unprecedented in 420 Million Years
New research led by the University of Southampton suggests that, over the next 100 to 200 years, carbon dioxide concentrations in the Earth’s atmosphere will head towards values not seen since the Triassic period, 200 million years ago. Furthermore...
– University of Southampton
Nature Communications (10.1038/NCOMMS14845)
Embargo expired on 04-Apr-2017 at 11:00 ET
Study Defines Thunderstorm Asthma Epidemic Conditions
Researchers are exploring new ways of predicting thunderstorm asthma outbreaks that may one day provide early warnings for health professionals, emergency management officials and residents in affected areas.
– University of Georgia
In New Paper, Scientists Explain Climate Change Using Before/After Photographic Evidence
A group of scientists offers photographic proof of climate change using images of glaciers in a new paper appearing in GSA Today. Along with Gregory Baker of the University of Kansas, co-authors include an Emmy Award-winning documentarian and a promi...
– University of Kansas
10.1130/GSATG293A.1
Banning Transshipment at-Sea Necessary to Curb Illegal Fishing, Researchers Conclude
Banning transshipment at-sea—the transfer of fish and supplies from one vessel to another in open waters—is necessary to diminish illegal fishing, a team of researchers has concluded after an analysis of existing maritime regulations.
– New York University
Marine Policy
Well-Kept Vacant Lots Can Help Reduce Crime
Maintaining the yards of vacant properties helps reduce crime rates in urban neighborhoods, indicates a new Michigan State University study that’s the most comprehensive to date.
– Michigan State University
Adjusting Solar Panel Angles a Few Times a Year Makes Them More Efficient
With Earth Day approaching, new research from Binghamton University-State of New York could help U.S. residents save more energy, regardless of location, if they adjust the angles of solar panels four to five times a year.
– Binghamton University, State University of New York
2017 Power and Energy Conference at Illinois
Campuses Leading the Way to Measure Their Nitrogen Footprints
Sustainability leadership efforts at the University of New Hampshire have contributed to a groundbreaking initiative to measure and reduce the nitrogen footprint left behind by campus activities like food waste and energy consumption. The new researc...
– University of New Hampshire
Migration From Sea-Level Rise Could Reshape Cities Inland
In a paper published today in Nature Climate Change, researchers estimate that approximately 13.1 million people could be displaced by rising ocean waters, with Atlanta, Houston and Phoenix as top destinations for those forced to relocate.
– University of Georgia
Nature Climate Change
Researchers Find Mushrooms May Hold Clues to Effect of Carbon Dioxide on Lawns
Since the Industrial Revolution, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has rapidly increased. Researchers at the University of New Hampshire set out to determine how rising carbon dioxide concentrations and different climates may alter veget...
– University of New Hampshire
From Moo – to Goo
Scientists have developed a new system to convert methane into a deep green, energy-rich, gelatin-like substance that can be used as the basis for biofuels and other bioproducts, specialty chemicals – and even feed for cows that create the gas in t...
– Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Bioresource Technology
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Researchers Develop Predictive Model Measuring Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Streams and Rivers
The new model will be a valuable tool for scientists and water managers alike, as the framework allows for accurate prediction of N2O emissions under a variety of scenarios including water temperature, changes in land use and the influence of climate...
– University of Notre Dame
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Plant Scientists Untangle the Molecular Mechanisms Connecting Plant Stress and Growth
ISU researchers are piecing together the genetic mechanisms that link plant growth and stress response. In a new paper, the research group links autophagy, an important energy recycling function, with slower growth during stress conditions. Autophagy...
– Iowa State University
Tropical Lowland Frogs at Greater Risk From Climate Warming Than High-Elevation Species, Study Shows
A new study of Peruvian frogs living at a wide variety of elevations—from the Amazon floodplain to high Andes peaks—lends support to the idea that lowland amphibians are at higher risk from future climate warming.
– University of Michigan
Ecology and Evolution
Large, High-Intensity Forest Fires Will Increase
Wildfire experts predict that by 2041, there will be four large, high-intensity forest fires for every three that occur now, with the number of days when conditions are conducive to fires increasing.
– South Dakota State University
Nature Ecology & Evolution, Feb. 2017
New Study on Resilience Helps Governments Prevent Disaster-Related Loss
Hurricanes, wildfires, tsunamis and other disasters cannot be stopped, but countries can plan for them — something some areas of the world seem to do better than others, according to a new study published in the journal Risk Analysis.
– Society for Risk Analysis (SRA)
71473146; 2015BAK12B01
Coming Together, Falling Apart, and Starting Over, Battery Style
Scientists built a new device that shows what happens when electrode, electrolyte, and active materials meet in energy storage technologies.
– Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
PNAS 113(47): 13324-13329. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1608730113
Research Links Decline in Hemlock Forests to Changes in Water Resources
An insect infestation that is killing hemlock trees in New England forests is having a significant impact on the water resources of forested ecosystems that provide essential water supplies to one of the nation's most populous regions.
– Indiana University
Geophysical Research Letters, 15-March-2017
Seagrasses in World Heritage Site Not Recovered Years After Heat Wave
Massive seagrass beds in Western Australia’s Shark Bay — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — haven’t recovered much from the devastating heat wave of 2011, according to a new study demonstrating how certain vital ecosystems may change drastically ...
– Mote Marine Laboratory
Marine Ecology Progress Series,
Methane Emissions From Trees
A new University of Delaware study is one of the first to show that tree trunks in forests in high or hilly lands emit methane rather than store it, representing a previously unaccounted source of the powerful greenhouse gas. Because of methane’s g...
– University of Delaware
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Predicting the Limits of Friction: Sandia Looks at Properties of Material
Sandia National Laboratories materials scientists have developed a model to predict the limits of friction behavior of metals based on materials properties — how hard you can push on materials or how much current you can put through them before the...
– Sandia National Laboratories
Journal of Materials Science
Copper-Bottomed Deposits
The world’s most valuable copper deposits, known as porphyry deposits, originate from cooling magma. But how can we predict the size of these deposits? What factors govern the amount of copper present?
– Université de Genève (University of Geneva)
Scientific Reports
Rock Exposed in World War I Trenches Offers New Fossil Find
An unusual fossil find is giving scientists new ideas about how some of the earliest animals on Earth came to dominate the world’s oceans.
– Ohio State University
Geologica Acta
Global Warming and Outdoor Allergies
Global warming and climate change are in the headlines today. For allergy sufferers, the impact of warmer temperatures on their daily lives may soon become very apparent. If you think that your spring allergies have worsened, you may be right, and gl...
– Valley Health System
Eruptions Examiner
University of Iowa volcanologist Ingrid Ukstins spent two weeks collecting samples from Yasur, a continuously erupting volcano on Tanna, an island in the remote South Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu, to study its chemical composition and determine how...
– University of Iowa
Why Swarthmore Supports Putting a Price on Carbon Pollution
Swarthmore College is leading the effort among colleges and universities to support carbon pricing as a matter of policy.
– Swarthmore College
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Multiple Mayo Clinic Campuses Recognized by Practice Greenhealth for Environmental Stewardship
Mayo Clinic campuses in Jacksonville, Florida; Rochester; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; and La Crosse, Wisconsin, have been awarded for their sustainability efforts by Practice Greenhealth, a national organization dedicated to reducing the impact health car...
– Mayo Clinic
Mountain Class: Geography Students Explore How Communities Work — in the Rockies
“Bear spray will be provided.” Those five words at the end of the syllabus for Geography 269 are just one of several indications that the summer course is not your average study abroad offering.
– State University of New York at Geneseo
Landmark Environmental Book Influences Scientists 55 Years After Its Release
Fifty-five years after the publishing of "Silent Spring," Kansas State University researchers are continuing their work in keeping the environment safe and the food supply secure.
– Kansas State University
Native American Scientists Endorse March for Science
More than 1,100 Native American and Indigenous scientists, scholars and allies worldwide have endorsed the March for Science that will be held in more than 500 locations around the world this Saturday.
– SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Is White Beach Sand Really Sand?
When spring break means a trip to the beach, it’s good to know what you’re walking on. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) April 15 Soils Matter blog post explains what “sand” really is—and why sands can be so different!
– American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)
Orchids and Fungus: A Conservation Connection
Orchids make up 10 percent of the world's plant species; more than 50 percent of native orchids in North America are listed as threatened or endangered in some part of their home range. Botanist Dennis Whigham and his colleagues at the Smithsonian En...
– Smithsonian Institution
Big Pixel Initiative Invites Public to Help Map our World
Big Pixel Initiative researchers at the University of California San Diego are partnering with Columbia University and Arizona State University to create a continuous, global map of the urbanization process, and they’re looking to the public to he...
– University of California San Diego
Pollinators Find a Safe Haven on ESF Campus
The College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, N.Y., has become a designated pollinator-friendly campus by agreeing to avoid the use of bee-toxic pesticides.
– SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Smithsonian Snapshot: The Adorable Face of Conservation Success
The ongoing recovery of the black-footed ferret is one of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's most successful conservation efforts.
– Smithsonian Institution
Microgrid Business Models Analyzed in UC San Diego Study
UC San Diego researchers published a systematic analysis of microgrids in Southern California to better understand business cases for private investment in microgrids. From the abstract: “Decentralization [of the electric power grid] could radicall...
– University of California San Diego
Energy Policy Journal April 2017
Donation to BGSU University Libraries Creates Research Destination for Great Lakes History
The University Libraries at Bowling Green State University has greatly expanded its collection of Great Lakes research materials thanks to a significant donation from the National Museum of the Great Lakes, which is owned and operated by the Great La...
– Bowling Green State University
Time to Mow More: It’s Good for the Environment and for Curb Appeal
Environmentally, proper lawn care can help prevent nutrients from flowing into nearby waterways, said Jason Kruse, a UF/IFAS associate professor of environmental horticulture. Mowing helps increase canopy density, increases soil stability and prevent...
– University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
New Lab Helps Scientists Study the Earth’s Oldest Fossils, Minerals, Rocks
A new facility at the University of Arkansas combines laser ablation and mass spectrometry for quick, efficient analysis of trace elements and radiogenic isotopes.
– University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
UF/IFAS Expert: For Earth Day, Save Energy with Small Steps
Wendell Porter, a senior lecturer in the UF/IFAS department of agricultural and biological engineering, offers hints to save energy: Change the temperature on your thermostat by 1 degree. Change the temperature on your hot water tank from 130 to 120....
Expert Available
– University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
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Entomologist Gives Tips on Staying Safe During Tick Season
Now that the snow has finally melted and Manitobans are getting out an about, some are venturing into wooded or grassy areas. And that’s a problem. U of M entomologist Kateryn Rochon cautions that tick season is upon us, and we should be vigilant. ...
Expert Available
– University of Manitoba
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GCOOS Welcomes New Industry Members at Annual Meeting
The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System Regional Association (GCOOS-RA) welcomed four new voting members representing marine-related industries during the organization's Annual Meeting in New Orleans.
– Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System-Regional Association (GCOOS-RA)
GCOOS Announces New Board
The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) welcomed new and returning members to its Board of Directors following Board elections in March.
– Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System-Regional Association (GCOOS-RA)
Media Advisory: Smithsonian Convenes Earth Optimism Summit
The Smithsonian’s Earth Optimism Summit will bring together more than 150 scientists, thought leaders, philanthropists, conservationists and civic leaders to talk about what is working in conservation and how to scale up and replicate it.
– Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Brings Garden Stories to Life with “Community of Gardens” Mobile App
Smithsonian Gardens celebrates National Garden Month with the launch of its first mobile app “Community of Gardens,” which brings stories of gardening in the United States to life.
– Smithsonian Institution
Long Range AUV Will Help Coast Guard "See" and Respond to Ocean Spills and Disasters Faster
We are creating robotic systems that are small, mobile, connected, and enduring, making them a perfect match for the remote Arctic to give the USCG the ability to understand an incident while there is still time to react.
– Homeland Security's Science & Technology Directorate
Smithsonian To Convene Earth Optimism Summit April 21–23
On Earth Day weekend, the Smithsonian will convene the first Earth Optimism Summit, a three-day event featuring more than 150 scientists, thought leaders, philanthropists, conservationists and civic leaders, which will highlight what is working in co...
– Smithsonian Institution
UCI to Dramatically Increase Its Use of Recycled Water
Aiming to greatly expand its use of recycled water, the University of California, Irvine is partnering with the Irvine Ranch Water District to convert the school’s central cooling plant to an environmentally friendly system that will conserve more ...
– University of California, Irvine
Beck’s Partners with Indiana State for Unmanned Systems Training
Beck's, the largest family-owned retail seed company in the United States, announced today a collaboration with Indiana State University to train pilots to operate unmanned aerial vehicles within the new legal structure established by the Federal Avi...
– Indiana State University
WIU Students, Faculty Spend Spring Break Cleaning America's Rivers
Four students and one faculty member from Western Illinois University's Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration (RPTA) spent their Spring Break week with a national organization whose mission is cleaning up America's rivers.
– Western Illinois University
Two in the Pack: No Changes for Isle Royale Wolves
Researchers from Michigan Technological University have released the annual Winter Study detailing updates on the ecology of Isle Royale National Park.
– Michigan Technological University
Embargo expired on 18-Apr-2017 at 08:00 ET
Science Fiction Horror Wriggles Into Reality with Discovery of Giant Sulfur-Powered Shipworm
Our world seems to grow smaller by the day as biodiversity rapidly dwindles, but Mother Earth still has a surprise or two up her sleeve. An international team of researchers were the first to investigate a never before studied species a giant, black...
– University of Utah Health
PNAS; U19TW008163; 1442759; DE-AC02-05CH11231
Embargo expired on 17-Apr-2017 at 15:00 ET![]()
As Fins Evolve to Help Fish Swim, So Does the Nervous System
The sensory system in fish fins evolves in parallel to fin shape and mechanics, and is specifically tuned to work with the fish’s swimming behavior, according to new research from the University of Chicago. The researchers found these parallels acr...
– University of Chicago Medical Center
PNAS, April 2017
Embargo expired on 10-Apr-2017 at 15:00 ET
Forget Sponges: The Earliest Animals Were Marine Jellies
One of the longest-running controversies in evolutionary biology has been, “What was the oldest branch of the animal family tree?” Was it the sponges, as had long been thought, or was it the delicate marine predators called comb jellies? A powerf...
– Vanderbilt University
Nature Ecology & Evolution (10Apr2017)
Embargo expired on 10-Apr-2017 at 11:00 ET
Arizona Ecologist Leads Effort to Quantify Economic Value of Biodiversity
A collaboration of scientists, led by Northern Arizona University professor Bruce Hungate, has created a model to measure the dollars saved by having healthy and diverse ecosystems.
– Northern Arizona University
Science Advances
Embargo expired on 05-Apr-2017 at 14:00 ET
Experts Plan Conservation Roadmap for Shark and Ray Hotspot
Marine experts and conservationists have produced a status report and roadmap for protecting sharks and rays in the southwest Indian Ocean, one of the last remaining strongholds for these ancient creatures in the world’s oceans.
– Wildlife Conservation Society
Plant Scientists Identify Aphid-Destroying Wasps in Cup Plants
A photo of a cup plant teaming with insects led a better understanding of the biology of Acanthocaudus wasps which inject their eggs into aphids that eat the plant. The adult wasps burst out of the aphids like an alien movie.
– South Dakota State University
Zootaxa, January 2017
How to Color a Lizard: From Biology to Mathematics
A multidisciplinary team of biologists, physicists and computer scientists lead by Michel Milinkovitch, professor at the Department of Genetics and Evolution of the UNIGE Faculty of Science, Switzerland and Group Leader at the SIB Swiss Institute of ...
– Université de Genève (University of Geneva)
Nature
New Many-Toothed Clingfish Discovered with Help of Digital Scans
A set of curious researchers, state-of-the-art visual technology and a bit of good luck helped find a new fish whose tooth collection could put a shark to shame.
– University of Washington
Copeia
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