Environmental Science – Page 2

Thursday, May 26, 2022

Freshwater ecosystems need our help, and citizen science could be part of the solution

April 8, 2022April 8, 2022 Etienne Herrick 0 Comments aquatic, citizen science, freshwater

Freshwater resources around the globe are becoming increasingly degraded. Although humans are a major cause of this problem, they can also be part of the solution, especially when we all work together to tackle environmental issues. One way we can do this is through citizen science, where scientists and members of the public work together to perform research and advance scientific knowledge. Read on to learn more about freshwater citizen science, its benefits and challenges, and how you can get involved!

Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science

How will Antarctic fungi respond to climate change?

April 5, 2022April 5, 2022 Sarah Brown 0 Comments Antarctica, Climate Change, fungi

A new study sheds light on how environmental conditions affect largely unexplored deep-sea fungi – and provides hints of their response to future changes.

Ecosystems Environmental Science

Is it a Bird? Is it Batman? Filtering and Extracting DNA from the Air Can Provide a Clue

April 3, 2022April 11, 2022 Maria Marlin 0 Comments biodiversity, ecosystems, Environmental DNA (eDNA)

Environmental DNA or eDNA is DNA that has been released by organisms into their surroundings. This article presents a fascinating discovery: sampling air for eDNA can ultimately show what terrestrial vertebrates are nearby. Long-range monitoring of vertebrate biodiversity is explored as well.

An image of a small glass dish held between a person's thumb and index finger, containing various small plastic debris collected from house dust.

Ecosystems Environmental Science Human Exposure and Public Health Toxicology

Here, There, and Everywhere: the Plastic Particles Around Us All

April 2, 2022April 2, 2022 Cypress Novick 0 Comments environmental health, health impacts, microfibers, Microplastic, Pollution, public health, wildlife health

Source: Yujia Xiang, Li Jiang, Yaoyu Zhou, Zirui Luo, Dan Zhi, Jian Yang, Su Shiung Lam, Microplastics and environmental pollutants:

Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science Paleontology

Did Climate Change Help Fossilize the Ocean?

March 15, 2022March 15, 2022 Brianne Palmer 0 Comments Climate Change, dinosaurs, fossils, marine, Taphonomy

When you think about a fossil, you might think about a towering T-Rex filling the atrium of a museum. Or

Animal behavior Environmental Science

Hunting for Nothing

March 13, 2022April 11, 2022 Sam Schurkamp 0 Comments Anthropocene, biodiversity, keystone species, predator-prey interactions, trophic cascade

In an increasingly human-dominated world, many predators are making due without the resource they needed most: their prey. Featured image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/51647007@N08/5277240941

Ecosystems Environmental Science

Versatile Invaders: Exploring the movement and interactions of nonnative pine trees, fungi, and hoofed mammals in Argentina

March 9, 2022March 8, 2022 Lauren Otolski 0 Comments fungi, invasive species, pines

Invasive species are a concern across the globe, and efforts are being made to stop their spread. In some cases, multiple invasive species may help each other spread and become established, adding a new layer of complexity to predicting what areas might be at risk for future invasion. How do invasive deer, fungi, and pines interact in Argentina, and how important are these relationships in helping non-native pine trees spread?

Ecosystems Environmental Science

Perennial polycultures for sustainable agriculture: Trees, shrubs, and herbs, oh my!

March 8, 2022March 8, 2022 Etienne Herrick 0 Comments perennial, polyculture, sustainable agriculture

Many farms across the Midwestern U.S. have been designed to meet one goal: producing high crop yields. However, this is often at the expense of other important sustainability goals, like supporting pollinator populations and maintaining healthy soils. Can changing the number and types of plant species growing on farms help meet all these goals at once? Read on to find out the answer!

Animal behavior Ecosystems Environmental Science

Smoke on the Water: How Wildfires Affect Life Underwater

March 7, 2022March 3, 2022 Julia Bebout 0 Comments aquatic, ecosystems, fire, fish, lakes, smoke, Wildfire

It’s easy to imagine how a forest might look immediately after a wildfire. It’s harder to imagine how a wildfire could affect life underwater.

View of a river surrounded by vegetation on both sides

Case Studies Ecosystems Environmental Science

More Accessible Monitoring: Using Freely-Available Aerial Photos and Software to Map Changes in River Migration and Vegetation

March 4, 2022March 7, 2022 Jenna Zukswert 0 Comments environmental science, remote sensing, river, rivers

Riverside vegetation, or “riparian buffers”, provides wildlife habitat, maintains water quality, and reduces flood damage. Human activity can negatively affect these services, and monitoring this vegetation over time can be costly and resource-intensive. Researchers at SUNY ESF have developed a new way of mapping river channels and vegetation that uses open-source remote-sensing software, using the Genesee River in New York to develop this method. Their method greatly improves our ability to monitor this important resource over time with over 90% accuracy.