Sustainabililty – envirobites

Friday, July 26, 2024

Mowing through challenges: cutting-edge ways to improve grassland restoration efforts

June 6, 2024June 6, 2024 Lauren Glevanik 0 Comments grasslands, habitat restoration, invasive species, native plants, plant communities, plant ecology, Restoration

A new study explores how grassland restoration can be limited by seed dispersal, plant competition, and environmental factors. Drawing from ecological theory to test the best restoration strategies, researchers recommend mowing to manage weeds and promote native plant success. In years with plenty of rain, adding seeds of small native plants to areas where grass has been removed is an effective strategy to increase native herbaceous plant cover.

Climate Ecosystems Sustainabililty

The Trouble with Trawling: the Massive Carbon Footprint of Bottom Trawling

March 6, 2024July 14, 2024 PJ Donworth 0 Comments Climate Change, fishing, Ocean, ocean acidification

In addition to being terrible for biodiversity, bottom trawling releases a huge amount carbon from the sea floor. Researchers have quantified this previously obscure source of emissions, with the total roughly equal to those released annually by Argentina.

Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science Sustainabililty

Why is There Slime in This Corn? The Salty Experiment

February 24, 2024February 24, 2024 Christina Andrea Alvear 0 Comments agriculture, Bacillus, Biofilm, Biology, Corn, Soil Salinity

Roughly half of cropland is salt stressed worldwide. Finding ways to enhance crop yield is of great importance. Using bacteria that produce biofilms to protect plants under harsh conditions may be a sustainable solution.

Case Studies Ecosystems Environmental Science Sustainabililty

Some Bees Just Want to See The Prairie Burn

December 13, 2023December 13, 2023 Cypress Novick 0 Comments bees, biodiversity, environmental policy, indigenous resource use, land management, prairie, prescribed fire

Prescribed burns of tall-grass prairies affect ecosystem-wide bee distribution and diversity.

Animal behavior Cities Ecosystems Sustainabililty Toxicology

Plastic Pollution Drives Crabs Crabby

September 13, 2023September 13, 2023 Cypress Novick 0 Comments ecological assessment, marine plastic pollution, microplastics, plastic pollution, Pollution, water pollution, wetlands

Differing types of plastic may affect certain wetland species more than others.

Case Studies Environmental Science Remediation Sustainabililty

Soil Quality Under Pressure

July 13, 2023July 13, 2023 Cypress Novick 0 Comments agriculture, crop production, soil health, soil management, soil microbes

Industrial agriculture could be putting the soil in a pinch.

Case Studies Climate Sustainabililty

Do Mangoes Like It Hot? Climate Change And Your Favorite Fruit

March 7, 2023March 6, 2023 Julia Bebout 0 Comments agriculture, plant biology, tropical

Can your favorite fruits and vegetables survive the effects of climate change? Scientists are finding creative solutions to this problem.

Environmental Science Sustainabililty

Not All Forestry Is Equal: How High Retention Logging Might Protect the Understory

February 7, 2023January 30, 2023 Julia Bebout 0 Comments forest ecology, forestry, logging, plant ecology

Retention logging is the practice of harvesting trees while leaving some fraction of the forest in place. Studies have shown that this type of logging speeds forest recovery and maintains forest habitat for animals. But studies mostly watched forests recover for only a few years, while forests can take decades to recover from deforestation. Does retention logging really help forest ecosystems in the long run?

Ecosystems Environmental Science Remediation Sustainabililty

Treating Old Forests with New Tricks

February 2, 2023February 2, 2023 Cypress Novick 0 Comments ecosystem health, forest managment, logging, Old-Growth Forests, soil management

Research directs how we can protect the recovery of the few remaining old-growth forests from the ground up.