If 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
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Hang on to that tree! Lizards that survived hurricane Maria showed increases in grip strength
The 2019 hurricane season started off with a bang. It’s clear that climate change has affected the frequency and severity of hurricanes. To understand whether species will be able to cope with more frequent severe storms we need more research to see how hurricanes can affect populations of plants and animals. Read on to find out how hurricane Maria in 2017 affected lizards in Dominica.
Read moreSeaweed as far as the eye can see
In the center of the Atlantic Ocean lies the Sargasso Sea. The brown seaweed, Sargassum, gives the Sea its name. However, in the past decade this belt of Sargassum has been exploding. During certain seasons, the Sargassum belt has expanded from West Africa to the Americas. Beached seaweed has led to numerous problems and concerns for much of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Research led by Dr. Mengqiu Wang from the University of South Florida used previous data to determine what makes these seaweeds take over the ocean in order to better predict when these blooms may occur.
Read morePrime real estate is drying up for desert lake fish
As drought causes lake levels to drop, fish lose rare lakeshore habitat that shelters their eggs and offspring.
Read moreIslands and Alleles: How genetics can help protect endangered species
When talking about diversity in the natural world, we often think of the bright colors and bold patterns of fish gliding among a reef, or the variety of flying, creeping, and crawling critters found in the layers of a rainforest canopy. However, diversity even within a single species is an important indicator of a population’s health and stability. This type of diversity can be invisible to us when contained in the form of genes that control which traits organisms possess. In this study, scientists helped us to see the invisible diversity of an endangered skink and learn how to more effectively conserve this diversity.
Read moreMother of dragons in the city
City habitats are often much warmer due to lower forest cover and an increased density of manmade surfaces which retain heat. Increased temperatures can greatly affect animals that develop as male or female depending on the incubation temperature of the eggs. Read on to find out how mothers of eastern water dragons deal with living in the warm cities of Australia.
Read moreWe need to talk about the elephant in the carbon budget
In order to create a carbon budget, we need to identify everything that is taking carbon in and out of the atmosphere. While we have a pretty good idea of the important processes, could we be missing another “big” piece of the puzzle? In this study, scientists try to figure out if elephants are having an impact on the carbon cycle where they live.
Read moreParents, Listen to Your Kids: how intergenerational learning could save our planet
Only 54% of adults world-wide believe in that climate change is caused by humans. Can kids convince their parents that climate change is real, let alone that it is worth it to take action?
Read moreTrees, Tempests, and Time: What trees can tell us about weather in the past
For storms along the Gulf Coast, first-person recordings are only reliable for the past 150 years. But knowing more about when storms happened in the past helps us understand how the climate is changing and how to reduce storm risks for coastal communities. To do that, we have to use even more unusual records: tree rings.
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