Flare-ups in Texas and Environmental Protection for All
Equal treatment under the law is an American ideal, though a multitude of historic and recent examples indicate that it’s
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Environmental Science
We love our city street trees – how do local governments make decisions about what trees to plant?
Have you ever wondered how decisions about urban trees are made? We all enjoy having trees in our cities – read on to learn more about how trees are planted to be the most successful they can be!
Read MoreModelling nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture once fertilizer leaves the field
Countries need to keep track of their national greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to meet targets to combat climate change. Even though carbon dioxide gets most of the attention, nitrous oxide is the most potent of the top three greenhouse gases that contribute to current global warming, having 300 times the warming strength of carbon dioxide. In many countries agriculture is the largest source of nitrous oxide emissions. Keeping track of these emissions after they leave the farm fields via water pathways is difficult.
Read MoreA sucker for ecosystem engineers
Sonoran suckers, like other ecosystem engineers like beavers or salmon, substantially influence the spatial and temporal distribution of their environment’s resources. These fish create divots in soft sediments during their nightly feeding rounds in shallow waters far from where they seek refuge during the day. This feeding and these divots contribute heavily to shaping patterns of aquatic insects and suspended sediment in the Gila River, establishing the suckers as important ecosystem engineers in the river.
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
Read MoreArtificial intelligence suggests crop growth will be different in a warming planet
New technology like AI can help farmers predict what will happen to their land in the future. With more accurate predictions spanning larger geographic locations, more people can plan for climate change-induced effects on the growth of their crops.
Read MoreIn need of a spa day? Why whales migrate to tropical waters
Whales have long been known to undertake mega-migrations. The seasonal occurrence of these marine giants provides great excitement, opportunities for tourism and a myriad of local ecological benefits. Yet, whilst scientists have documented and mapped these journeys for many whale populations across the world, the underlying reason for such odysseys has remained elusive. New research now suggests that whales may make these epic undertakings for the benefit of their skin.
Read MoreNew Discoveries of Luminescent Life
Have you ever wanted to glow in the dark? If you are an amphibian, this power may be more common than we thought! A study from St. Cloud State University recently characterized the patterns resulting from red, blue, and green light from the bodies of salamanders from around the world!
Read More“Mite”-y Mothers Protect Their Eggs from Drought
Mother’s Day is near, and what better way to celebrate than by learning about some “mite”-y moms! When predatory mite mothers are exposed to drought conditions, they prepare their eggs to survive stressful environments. In doing so, mite mothers exert more energy and resources which reduces the number of eggs that are produced and the time the mothers survive.
Read MoreBugmeal: The Future of Aquaculture?
With global declines in wild fish stocks, there is an increasing demand for fish grown through aquaculture. Yet current diets for aquaculture fish are mostly made of fish sourced from wild fisheries and from the aquaculture industry itself (Péron et al., 2010), contributing to unsustainable practices in the industry. In an effort to find a more sustainable replacement, researchers at the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences conducted a study looking at the effects of substituting fish protein used in fish diets with protein made from the younger stages of the black soldier fly. The results look promising.
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