Friday, April 23, 2021

envirobites

environmental science research for everyone

envirobites

Author: Jenna Zukswert

Aerial view of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Cities Environmental Science 

Tackling Tradeoffs: Tree Functional Groups and Ecosystem Services in Tree Planting

Jenna Zukswert 0 Comments , , , ,

Deciding which trees to replant in cities stressed by climate change and pests can be daunting, but considering the traits of trees and the “functional groups” they belong to can help. In Québec City, computer simulations showed that a “stratified” approach to replanting that aims to evenly represent species of different functional groups did not increase ecosystem services as much as a “conifer-focused” strategy, suggesting a tradeoff between representation of functional groups and ecosystem services provided. Even so, the stratified strategy increased ecosystem services more than “business as usual” and produced the canopy least vulnerable to pests and disease.

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Mosquito feeding on human skin
Environmental Science 

What All the Buzz is About: Comparing Citizen Scientist and Professional Data Quality in Mosquito Monitoring

Jenna Zukswert 0 Comments

Executive summary: Citizen science efforts are on the rise for monitoring mosquitoes, but are these methods as good as professional data collection by scientists? Nadja Pernat and her colleagues evaluate data collected by scientists and citizens in Germany and find that both types of data collection have their strengths and weaknesses, but they complement each other well. Together, data collected by scientists and citizens create a strong mosquito monitoring program.

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Cities Ecosystems Environmental Science Remediation 

From Food Waste to Roadways: Using Compost to Improve Soil Conditions and Tree Success Along Highways

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Planting trees along highway roadsides is a good way to increase tree coverage in cities, but getting trees to grow here and maintaining these plantings over time can be difficult. Reducing soil compaction and adding organic material, such as compost, can improve roadside soils and support tree growth in these areas. A 5-year study in Ontario recently found that loosening up the soil and mixing in 10-25% food waste compost relative to soil can help improve tree growth along roadsides, possibly reducing the need to follow up and maintain these trees over time.

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Paved path in a city surrounded by green lawn, trees, and a row of park benches
Cities Environmental Science 

Unequal Access to Urban Tree Benefits in the Bronx

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Urban trees provide many ecosystem services to residents, but tree cover can be unequally distributed, resulting in fewer benefits for disadvantaged neighborhoods. This is true in the Bronx, where a recent study demonstrates that the distribution of services provided by trees is related to median income as well as population density. Analyzing the inequity of ecosystem services in our cities is the first step towards developing solutions to improve access to ecosystem services and make the distribution of these resources more just.

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Two plots in a burned pine forest; the plot on the left did not receive mulch and has few pine seedlings, and the plot on the right that did receive mulch has more, taller pine seedlings
Environmental Science 

A Matter of Mulch: Restoring Post-Fire Pine Forests in the Western United States

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Following severe fires, forest soils can erode, depositing sediment into nearby waterways after it rains and threatening local water quality as a result. Mulch is often used to reduce soil erosion in forests following wildfire. Following the High Park Fire in Colorado, scientists tested several types of mulch to determine which was most effective. Thanks to this study, we now know that wood mulch is better than wheat-straw mulch at promoting the return of pine trees and excluding non-native species from taking over, while also stabilizing the soil, probably because wood mulch persists longer and holds more moisture.

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