Wildlife and Habitat
Predicting the forest of the future
We hear a lot about how climate change will affect forests. Some projections show wholesale loss of species in the western U.S., due to fire and pests. Sugar maple is thought likely to disappear from the eastern U.S., as conditions favorable to its survival move northward into Canada. [Read more…] about Predicting the forest of the future
Another reason to be ticked off
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It’s time to add another tongue-tying illness to the list of maladies carried by ticks. Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the U. S., with more than 30,000 people infected annually. Ticks that carry Lyme can also spread anaplasmosis and babesiosis. And now they have been tied to Borrelia miyamotoi, a pathogen characterized by relapsing fevers. [Read more…] about Another reason to be ticked off
Fuel from reeds
Almost any kind of plant material can be used as a feedstock to make ethanol. To date, most ethanol comes from sugar- and starch-based feedstocks because processing is relatively cheap and easy. Unfortunately, it also means producing fuel from crops that are ordinarily used for food, such as corn. [Read more…] about Fuel from reeds
The European Commission takes a stand for bees
Wild and managed pollinators are on the decline. Locally, this means less successful gardens. The big picture is even more sobering. Dwindling numbers of honeybees, bumblebees, and other pollinating insects threaten our food security. About 1/3 of important food crops require pollinator services. [Read more…] about The European Commission takes a stand for bees
Mind the gap
The structure of a tree is a remarkable engineering feat. Why don’t trees fall over more often? When tree crowns catch the full force of the wind, their trunks acts as a lever, transferring that force to root systems that anchor the tree in the soil. If the tree has a tap root, it’s unlikely to blow over in a wind-storm. [Read more…] about Mind the gap
Fukushima impacts two years later
When the tsunami triggered the explosions at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, we all worried about the release of radioactivity to the environment. Indeed, just a few days later, increased levels of radioactive cesium were measured in rainfall along the west coast of the United States. Public Health officials assured us that, while measurable, this radioactive fallout did not pose a human health hazard. [Read more…] about Fukushima impacts two years later
The ever-expanding footprint of Homo sapiens
When oil was easy to find, it required a lot less effort to extract. Punch a hole in the ground, and the oil flowed. As oil has become more difficult to locate, the environmental impact of producing it has increased markedly. We now look for oil deep beneath the sea and we scrape away the boreal forest of Canada to expose buried tar sands. [Read more…] about The ever-expanding footprint of Homo sapiens
In praise of big old trees
Nothing is more beautiful than a tall, stately tree. But sometimes they get in the way of progress. Well-meaning people think that planting a couple of smaller trees will make up for the loss of the elder statesman. Not so. [Read more…] about In praise of big old trees
What we can learn from tree rings
All winter long, the tissues that normally carry water up a tree to its leaves alternately freeze and thaw. This causes air bubbles to form that would prevent the tree from transporting water to new leaves in the spring. So in early spring, the trees will begin to produce a new ring of woody tissue, using energy reserves from the previous summer. [Read more…] about What we can learn from tree rings
When good ideas produce bad outcomes
When rainwater passes over hard surfaces, like roads and parking lots, it accumulates pollutants, which are then washed into nearby waterways. In Baltimore, polluted runoff waters are carried to the Chesapeake Bay, where they have negative impacts on the Bay’s ecosystem. [Read more…] about When good ideas produce bad outcomes
Our nation’s streams and rivers are in trouble
The Environmental Protection Agency recently released a somber assessment of the state of our nation’s streams and rivers. A comprehensive survey looking at the health of nearly 2,000 stream and river miles across the country found more than half were in poor condition. A mere twenty percent were deemed healthy. [Read more…] about Our nation’s streams and rivers are in trouble
Trees are good for human health
Many of us have experienced a restorative walk in the woods. But does associating with trees really make us any healthier? After investigating the loss of some 100 million ash trees in the Eastern and Midwestern United States, Forest Service researcher Geoffrey Donovan and his colleagues suspect that the answer is yes. [Read more…] about Trees are good for human health
Pharmaceuticals disrupt sensitive stream habitat
Pharmaceutical pollution is found in waters throughout the world. Causes include sewage overflows, aging infrastructure, and agricultural runoff. Even when waste water makes it to sewage treatment facilities, they aren’t equipped to remove most pharmaceuticals. [Read more…] about Pharmaceuticals disrupt sensitive stream habitat
Climate change and invasive species
There has been much attention paid in recent times to the problem of invasive species and the potential harm that they cause. As a result, we have employed a variety of strategies to control the spread of non-native plants and animals that, in many instances, can disrupt local ecosystems and cause both ecological and economic damage. [Read more…] about Climate change and invasive species
Land snails and forest disturbance
There’s no universally accepted definition of an ‘old growth forest’ – but most scientists agree they’re characterized by large old trees, multi-layered canopies, and dead wood that provides habitat for a variety of animals, from cavity nesting birds to invertebrates. [Read more…] about Land snails and forest disturbance
Dust in the wind
Increasingly, atmospheric chemists are understanding the importance of dust particles—known as aerosols—in our atmosphere. Many aerosols are rather large particles that fall out of the atmosphere fairly quickly. But, some small particles are held aloft and undergo long-distance transport in the atmosphere. Each year winds bring more than 6,000 tons of dust from Asia to the west coast of the United States. [Read more…] about Dust in the wind
The future of woodland pools
Woodland pools are temporary wetlands that provide important habitat to forest wildlife. They also help mitigate floods. While land development is a major threat to woodland pools, there are also subtle changes that undermine their health. [Read more…] about The future of woodland pools
Why woodland pools are worth protecting
Woodland pools are temporary wetlands that provide an array of benefits, from buffering against floods to ensuring future populations of frogs and salamanders. Given their importance, it would be easy to assume they’re protected. Sadly, this is far from true. [Read more…] about Why woodland pools are worth protecting
Woodland pools: Powerhouses of productivity
