Wildlife and Habitat
A world without insects?
The revered biologist E.O. Wilson said, “If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.” [Read more…] about A world without insects?
How fast will the waters rise?
Everyone agrees that if the ice-caps on Greenland and Antarctica melt, the seas will rise. What is difficult is to estimate how fast this may happen, with the ongoing rise in global temperature. Recent measurements of sea-level rise hover about 3.5 mm/year—or about a foot and a half by the end of the century. The highest estimates puts the rate of rise at about twice that fast. [Read more…] about How fast will the waters rise?
Urban green spaces are losing ground
A new study has revealed a concerning trend in many U.S. cities: urban tree cover is in decline, and hardened surfaces are on the rise. [Read more…] about Urban green spaces are losing ground
Tough times for the Arctic
Arctic permafrost is warming, the Greenland Ice Sheet is melting, and the Arctic fox is facing extinction. So reports the 2012 Arctic Report Card—recently unveiled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [Read more…] about Tough times for the Arctic
How dams can cause fish declines
The Glen Canyon Dam was the last big dam built in the United States. Spanning the Colorado River above the Grand Canyon, it provides hydropower for the region and regulates the flow of water. Until the dam was built, the river would experience spring floods during snowmelt followed by low flow in the summer, especially during drought years. Now water below the dam flows at about the same rate year-round. [Read more…] about How dams can cause fish declines
Nesting in an ashtray?
Picture an urban environment. Now think about animals that capitalize off of resources discarded by humans. Most of us will conjure up an image of a rat foraging in a dumpster or a pigeon making off with some lunch scraps. But what about songbirds? [Read more…] about Nesting in an ashtray?
Underestimating climate risks
Climate scientists are often portrayed as alarmists by deniers, with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or the IPCC, derided by naysayers. But a new review in the journal Global Environmental Change highlights a reality that most scientists already know: over the past 20 years the IPCC has underestimated climate change impacts. [Read more…] about Underestimating climate risks
Why should we care about one endangered fish?
The humpback chub is a rather homely fish that lives only in the Colorado River. It is federally listed as protected under the Endangered Species Act. [Read more…] about Why should we care about one endangered fish?
The effects of hurricanes on lakes
The East Coast has experienced an impressive number of hurricanes in the past few years, with Hurricane Sandy inflicting more than $50 billion in damages in the New York/New Jersey area. Many residents are still recovering from disruptions to their homes, and from the flooding of tunnels and subways. [Read more…] about The effects of hurricanes on lakes
Thawing permafrost. What does that mean?
Permafrost is defined as soil, sediment, or rock – including ice and organic material – that’s remained frozen for at least two straight years. Permafrost covers a large area of land in the Northern Hemisphere. The problem? It’s thawing. [Read more…] about Thawing permafrost. What does that mean?
Biodiversity: What is it and why should you care?
Recently, I was chatting with a newspaper reporter about the impacts of encroaching development in California’s Mojave Desert. I mentioned we could expect to lose some of the wondrous diversity of plants and animals that are adapted to such extreme desert conditions. Her response? “I know you’re right, but no one cares about diversity.” [Read more…] about Biodiversity: What is it and why should you care?
Bad news for maple syrup and moose
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/EW-12-14-12-Maple-Moose.mp3|titles=EW 12-14-12 Maple & Moose]
Following an exhaustive review of more than fifty years of long term data on environmental conditions at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the results are clear: spring is advancing and fall is retreating. [Read more…] about Bad news for maple syrup and moose
Protecting the monarch butterfly migration
We’ve all heard about the great monarch migration. Millions of butterflies fly to Mexico or Southern California every fall, some traveling as far as 3000 miles to escape the winter cold, and millions fly back every spring. But what is not as well known is that no butterfly makes the complete round trip. [Read more…] about Protecting the monarch butterfly migration
Should we get a real or an artificial Christmas tree this year?
Last year, Americans bought nearly 38 million Christmas trees, spending $1.8 billion dollars. Nearly a quarter of these were artificial trees, which now include a number of pre-lit and decorated options. [Read more…] about Should we get a real or an artificial Christmas tree this year?
A holiday tradition "for the birds"
The term “crowd-sourcing” may be new. But it’s exactly what the National Audubon Society has been doing for more than 100 years, with the Christmas Bird Count. In December, tens of thousands of people participate in this, the longest running citizen science initiative ever. Local groups set forth on a designated day and count every single bird they see or hear in a 15-mile-diameter circle. [Read more…] about A holiday tradition "for the birds"
A jet-setting bird under attack from several fronts
The Bicknell’s Thrush is a reclusive cousin to the American Robin. Smaller, with a brown spotted breast and a distinctive raspy song, it breeds in high mountains in New York, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont. [Read more…] about A jet-setting bird under attack from several fronts
How should we choose which species to protect?
Bald eagles, humpback whales, and giant pandas have a few things in common. They are larger than their peers, their looks are striking, and they are or have been endangered. These species, along with various types of tiger, dolphin, and wolf, have become known as Charismatic Megafauna. [Read more…] about How should we choose which species to protect?
The wails of the cryosphere
The cryosphere refers to any place on Earth where water is solid—as either ice or snow—and it’s hurting. This summer, scientists at the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Centre revealed that an area of sea ice larger than Alberta disappeared from the Arctic, and that Arctic sea ice as a whole has retreated to an all-time low. [Read more…] about The wails of the cryosphere
When is a nutrient a bad thing?
