Some Bees Just Want to See The Prairie Burn
Prescribed burns of tall-grass prairies affect ecosystem-wide bee distribution and diversity.
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Search Results for: core
When Fire and Water Collide: Looking to Lakes to Understand Fire’s Deep Past
As I woke up this morning, I learned that a wildfire raging in our local forest had grown to nearly 70,000 acres. A mixture of emotions subsequently flooded in, combining thoughts of concern with questions about how climate change is altering wildfire patterns. In order for scientists and land managers to better predict wildfire outbreaks and to understand the role that climate plays in their behavior, they must first examine the fire history of an area over a long period of time—longer than recorded history. Charcoal and pollen deposits in lake sediments may be able to provide answers to the mysteries of fire’s deep past. Read on to hear about this interesting approach and how one study of lake sediments mapped out 1.5 million years of fire history in China.
Read moreIf a Forest Burns in a Fire, Does it Return to Normal?
“When a forest burns in a wildfire, should we expect it to return as it was before?” Research scientist, Jonathan
Read moreThe Soil, Sand, and Sea: The Journey of Microplastics
As we approach the start of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development in 2021, it is time we face our unseen but ubiquitous problem: microplastics. What do we know about them, where can we find them, and what does the science say on its impacts on our hydrosphere and biosphere?
Read moreThe invasive Kentucky bluegrass
The grass species known as Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) – contrary to its name – is not native to Kentucky nor is it blue (spoiler: it’s green). It is originally from Europe and northern Asia and is the most popular lawn grass in the Unites States. Unfortunately, it has also become a huge invasive problem in natural grassland environments.
Read moreLichens, we like them: Considering intimate relationships in biodiversity conservation
Learning about lichens, and their contribution to biodiversity and ecosystem function.
Read moreWill there be more hurricanes because of climate change?
NO ONE KNOWS, but read on to hear about some of the ways scientists are thinking about this question!
Read moreEarth’s largest water reservoir could be 1,800 miles beneath the surface
When Jules Verne first published his story “Journey to the Center of the Earth”, it was fantasy that one could sail across a vast ocean deep below the surface of the earth, but many became fascinated by what could exist thousands of miles beneath our feet. These fantasies remain even today as we are unable to study the innermost layers of our planet directly, but new research techniques reveal the Earth’s core may be more like Verne’s version after all.
Read moreApril Showers Bring… Allergies
Depending on where you live, springtime pollen allergies can be as reliable as April showers. Researchers at the University of Iowa have found that even though rain might decrease the pollen count, it can still exacerbate pollen allergies, due to an increase in grain rupture.
Read moreCollision course: bird strikes caused by building lights at night
Each year, billions of birds die from colliding with building windows. What characteristics of buildings make some more prone to collisions than others? A team of researchers set out to shed some light on the answer
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