Ecosystems
Giant ground sloths’ fossilized teeth reveal their unique roles in the prehistoric ecosystem
Giant ground sloths’ fossilized teeth reveal their unique roles in the prehistoric ecosystem Giant ground sloths, which lived in what’s now Southern California as far back as 35 million years ago, played vital roles in shaping ecosystems across the Americas before their extinction at the end of the Pleistocene. Researchers analyzed fossilized teeth from two […]
🔬 Science
What are climate tipping points? They sound scary, especially for ice sheets and oceans, but there’s still room for optimism
What are climate tipping points? They sound scary, especially for ice sheets and oceans, but there’s still room for optimism Climate tipping points refer to thresholds where Earth systems, such as ice sheets and rain forests, change irreversibly over human lifetimes due to rising temperatures. The world has already temporarily breached the 1.5°C warming threshold […]
📰 News
How sea star wasting disease transformed the West Coast’s ecology and economy
How sea star wasting disease transformed the West Coast’s ecology and economy The sea star wasting disease outbreak on the West Coast of North America has had a devastating impact on the ecosystem, leading to the near-total loss of sunflower sea stars and the explosion of purple sea urchin populations. The loss of sunflower sea […]
🔬 Science
National parks are key conservation areas for wildlife and natural resources
National parks are key conservation areas for wildlife and natural resources The United States’ national parks have an inherent contradiction between protecting fragile wild places and ensuring public enjoyment. The parks are crucial for research and conservation efforts, containing diverse environments such as volcanoes, glaciers, and ecosystems that face various challenges like climate change and […]
📰 News
Coral reefs face an uncertain recovery from the 4th global mass bleaching event – can climate refuges help?
Coral reefs face an uncertain recovery from the 4th global mass bleaching event – can climate refuges help? Coral reefs face an uncertain recovery from the 4th global mass bleaching event due to climate change, with potentially devastating consequences for ecosystem services and biodiversity. A new study suggests that while corals can migrate to higher […]
🔬 Science
Solar panels’ shade helps boost Colorado grassland productivity in dry years
Solar panels’ shade helps boost Colorado grassland productivity in dry years Solar panels on grasslands can boost productivity during dry years by providing shade, reducing water stress, and creating microclimates that redirect rain. A four-year study in northern Colorado found that grasses growing under solar arrays were more productive than those in full sun during […]
🔬 Science
Managing forests and other ecosystems under rising threats requires thinking across wide-ranging scenarios
Managing forests and other ecosystems under rising threats requires thinking across wide-ranging scenarios Climate change is causing unprecedented threats to forests and ecosystems, including giant sequoia forests in California, which are facing multiple stressors like wildfire, drought, and pests. Traditional management approaches focus on maintaining or restoring historical ecosystem conditions, but this may not work […]
🔬 Science
Florida panthers and black bears need a literal path for survival – here’s how the Florida Wildlife Corridor provides it in one of the fastest-growing US states
Florida panthers and black bears need a literal path for survival – here’s how the Florida Wildlife Corridor provides it in one of the fastest-growing US states The Florida Wildlife Corridor is a statewide system of interconnected wildlife habitat that covers nearly 18 million acres of Florida, providing a critical link for animals to travel […]
📰 News
Controlled burns reduce wildfire risk, but they require trained staff and funding − this could be a rough year
Controlled burns reduce wildfire risk, but they require trained staff and funding − this could be a rough year Wildfires are becoming more frequent, larger, and catastrophic in the western United States due to climate change, human activity, and vegetation buildup. The U.S. Forest Service has issued a 10-year strategy to scale up controlled burns […]
📰 News
Wide variety of old-growth ecosystems across the US makes their conservation a complex challenge
Wide variety of old-growth ecosystems across the US makes their conservation a complex challenge Old-growth ecosystems across the US face complex conservation challenges due to their diverse range of landscapes, unique needs, and varying levels of threat from human activity and climate change. The nation’s old-growth forests are characterized by different types, such as longleaf […]
🔬 Science