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Deeper corals bleaching

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When ocean waters get too warm, corals – which are actually tiny animals – eject the colorful algae that inhabit their tissues.  The symbiotic relationship between coral polyps and algae is essential to coral survival   When the algae is ejected, previously colorful coral turns white, and the coral can ultimately die.  If waters cool off, the algae can reestablish themselves and the coral can regain its color and health.

The world’s oceans have been warming at an unprecedented rate, making coral bleaching and die-off a global phenomenon.  It is estimated that half of the planet’s reefs have already disappeared.  Some places are worse off than others.  For example, almost 95% of coral reefs in Southeast Asia are threatened.  Florida’s reefs are especially threatened, particularly since there have been unprecedented marine heatwaves off its coast.

It has long been assumed that deeper reefs, where water is cooler, would remain safe from the effects of warming, but a few years ago researchers recorded coral bleaching some 300 feet underwater along the Egmont Atoll in the western Indian Ocean.  At one point, bleaching affected 80% of corals in some areas.  This discovery came as a huge surprise to oceanographers.  It was probably associated with an El Niño-like phenomenon in the waters and those reefs have mostly recovered in the intervening years.

Fairly recently, researchers have found pristine coral reefs deep down in the waters off the Galapagos Islands, where shallow reefs have largely disappeared.  There are likely to be similar reefs in the ocean depths around the world, but scientists are expressing concern that even coral reefs lying deep beneath the ocean surface may not ultimately be protected from the warming seas.

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As Oceans Warm, Coral Bleaching Seen at Greater Depths

Photo, posted June 5, 2023, courtesy of Ryan Hagerty / USFWS via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Tracking down PFAS toxins

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PFAS – per- and polyfluoralkyl substances – are a group of organic compounds that have been extensively used to provide water-, oil-, and dirt-resistance to a wide range of products ranging from non-stick pans, clothing, and packaging to paint, car polish, and fire-suppressant foam.  Exposure to specific PFAS compounds is associated with multiple adverse health effects, including altered immune and thyroid function, liver disease, kidney disease, poor reproductive and developmental outcomes, and cancer.  PFAS compounds do not break down in the environment and therefore, over time, become concentrated in plants, animals, and people.

Government agencies such as the EPA in this country and the EU have set strict limits for allowable levels of PFAS in drinking water.  Testing water for the trace amounts of PFAS that constitute the limits is time-consuming and expensive and requires complex equipment and experienced personnel.

Researchers at MIT have now introduced a technique for making a portable, inexpensive test that can easily and selectively detect PFAS in water samples.  The test makes use of a special polymer containing fluorinated dye molecules that cause the polymer to fluoresce red.  If PFAS are present in the sample, they enter the polymer and displace the dye molecules and switches off the red fluorescence. 

The new technique is suitable for on-site detection in highly contaminated regions.  Detecting smaller concentrations can be achieved with sufficient precision after pre-concentrating the samples using the process of solid-phase extraction.

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Tracking down Environmental Toxins

Photo, posted October 16, 2021, courtesy of Nenad Stojkovic via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

The end of a supergiant iceberg

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In 2017, a supergiant iceberg known as A-68 calved from the Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica. In 2020, it drifted close to South Georgia, a British island in the South Atlantic Ocean, and then began to break up.  This iceberg was enormous – nearly the size of Delaware.  When it started to break up, it released huge quantities of fresh, cold meltwater in a relatively small region.

Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey and the University of Sheffield have studied how the melting iceberg has affected the temperature and the salinity of the ocean surface in the area.  They found that the water near the surface was 8 degrees Fahrenheit colder than normal and the water only had about two-thirds of its normal saltiness.

The effects from the melted iceberg eventually extended well beyond South Georgia as the colder, less-salty water was carried by ocean currents to form a long plume that stretched more than 600 miles across the South Atlantic.  It also took several months to disappear.

The calving of this massive iceberg provided a unique opportunity for scientists to study the impact of iceberg melting on surface ocean conditions.  A-68 was one of the largest and most studied of all icebergs.  The study has shown that each individual melting giant iceberg can have widespread and long-lasting impacts on ocean conditions, which has consequences for the plant and animal life that lives there.

Climate change is likely to lead to more giant iceberg calving in the future.  It is important to monitor these events to assess their future impacts on ocean circulation, biology, and even seafloor geology.

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Supergiant iceberg makes surrounding ocean surface colder and less salty

Photo, posted October 24, 2018, courtesy of Jefferson Beck / NASA via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Megafires and ecosystems

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Wildfires are a natural phenomenon.  They have occurred long before there were people around.  Ecosystems adapt to fires and some species can benefit from them or even depend upon them.  But in recent times, fires have been intensifying and increasing in frequency and they are beginning to outstrip nature’s ability to bounce back from them.

So-called megafires – ones that dwarf typical wildfires in size – have an immediate ecological toll.  They kill individual plants and animals that might have survived smaller fires. 

Over millennia, many species of plants and animals have evolved to adapt to periodic fires.  They are especially sensitive to smoke and take protective action in a timely fashion. Others take advantage of food sources that arise when trees burn.

But even species that capitalize on burned-out areas of forests require oases of healthy woodland for at least part of their activities.  When fires are too widespread, such oases are too few and far between.

Animals that survive fires must find food, water, and shelter in the aftermath.  And all air-breathing animals are going to be impacted by smoke exposure because the chemicals in smoke are toxic to them as well as to people.

In places like Canada’s Northwest Territories, repeated fires have transformed some forests, eliminating dominant tree species and replacing them with others whose light seeds were carried on the wind.

Scientists have estimated that increased global fire activity could push more than 1,000 threatened plant and animal species closer to extinction.  Changing fire patterns are transforming landscapes and utterly remaking ecosystems.

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How Megafires Are Remaking the World

Photo, posted December 19, 2022, courtesy of Brian Pippin/USFWS via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

The Spooky Reality | Earth Wise

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According to the National Retail Federation, American consumers will spend a whopping $12.2 billion on Halloween this year, exceeding last year’s record of $10.6 billion.  A record number of people – 73% of Americans – will also participate in Halloween-related activities this year, up from 69% in 2022.  But it’s not just our wallets that take a beating. 

Halloween generates a frightening amount of waste.  Picture all those flimsy and often single-use costumes, polyester cobwebs, plastic-wrapped candy, mass-produced decorations, and so forth. Scary stuff!  Here are some simple tricks to make the holiday more sustainable this year. 

Invest in quality costumes.  Those mass-produced costumes leave the largest carbon footprint from Halloween.  They are often made from non-recyclable plastic and most end up in landfills by mid-November.   By renting, thrifting, swapping, or making your own costumes, many of the negative impacts of dressing up for the holiday can be avoided.

Find environmentally-friendly decorations and supplies.  For example, carve local pumpkins and either save the seeds and flesh to eat later, compost it, or feed it to animals.  Make your own spooky decorations.  If you do buy decorations, ensure that they are durable and reusable.  And use wicker baskets, old bags, or pillowcases when trick-or-treating.

Finally, purchase organic and fair trade candy if you’re able to do so.  Some of the largest candy manufacturers are major drivers of deforestation and species extinction around the globe due to their demand for sugar, palm oil, and cocoa beans.

Together, we can “green” Halloween.  

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Halloween Data Center

Photo, posted November 13, 2019, courtesy of Christian Collins via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Finding Homes For Rhinos | Earth Wise

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Northern White Rhinos are virtually extinct; only two female individuals survive in Kenya.  Southern White Rhinos also nearly vanished early in the 20th century, mostly because of excessive hunting.   A surviving group of fewer than 100 animals was identified in South Africa, and ongoing conservation efforts led to the existing population of southern white rhinos, which now numbers more than 16,000.

Among the most successful conservation efforts took place at a 30-square-mile farm, Platinum Rhino, that was set up in 2009 about 100 miles southwest of Johannesburg.  The owner of the farm did a great job of maintaining genetic diversity of the herd and protecting it from poachers.  Eventually, it was costing $175,000 a month just for security against illegal hunters seeking rhino horns.

Faced with unsustainable expenses, the farm put the herd of 2,000 rhinos up for auction in April with a starting price of $10 million.  No bidders came forward. 

Fortunately, in September, the conservation group African Parks announced that it had reached a deal to take over the herd.  African Parks partners with 12 countries in Africa to manage 77,000 square miles of protected areas.

The plan is to start moving the rhinos into a series of new sites in the wild starting next year.  Moving the 5,000-pound animals to new locations will be complicated and expensive, costing anywhere from $1,500 to move a single rhino by land within South Africa to $50,000 for far afield air transport.  African Parks is now raising funds to relocate the animals.

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Now Available: 2,000 Rhinos, Free to Good Homes With Plenty of Space

Photo, posted September 4, 2023, courtesy of Eric Huybrechts via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

The Cost Of Invasive Species | Earth Wise

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According to a new report published by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the United Nations, invasive species introduced to new ecosystems around the world are causing more than $423 billion in estimated losses to the global economy every year.  These economic costs are incurred by harming nature, damaging food systems, and threatening human health.

According to the report, these costs have at least quadrupled every decade since 1970 and the estimates are actually conservative because it’s difficult to account for all of the effects of invasive species.

The report estimates that humans have intentionally or unintentionally introduced more than 37,000 species to places outside their natural ranges.  More than 3,500 of them are considered invasive because they are harmful to their new ecosystems.  Invasive nonnative species were a major factor in 60% of known extinctions of plants and animals.

Some species are relocated deliberately by the wildlife trade and international shipping.  Other plants and animals end up hitching a ride with ordinary travelers as they move about by car, boat, plane, or train. 

Invasions can damage human health.  Mosquitos that transmit diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and the Zika virus have become invasive around the world. The wildfires in Hawaii this summer were fueled by invasive nonnative grasses in a warming climate. 

Nearly every country in the world has agreed to participate in a sweeping agreement to preserve biodiversity and reduce invasive species.  It is an essential global goal.

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Invasive Species Are Costing the Global Economy Billions, Study Finds

Photo, posted June 2, 2022, courtesy of Sam Stukel (USFWS) via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

The Captive Lion Problem | Earth Wise

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In the 1990s, there was rapid growth in South Africa of the private wildlife industry.  Large numbers of cattle, sheep, and goat ranchers replaced their domestic livestock with wild animals that wealthy hunters would pay lots of money to shoot.  Lions were among the most prized targets for these people.  Over time, hundreds of ranchers became involved in the business of breeding large numbers of the big cats in cages or small enclosures.  Wealthy clients paid $25,000 to $40,000 to shoot a captive-bred lion – cheaper than the cost of a true wild lion hunt and much easier too.  The animals were not afraid of humans and were easy to find.

By 2015, about 200 ranches held at least 8,000 captive-bred lions.  Over 600 were trophy-hunted that year, generating about $16 million in trophy fees, mostly from Americans.

Journalists and conservationists exposed poor conditions on many lion farms and many other abuses.  Over time, the South African government cracked down on the export of lion bones and other body parts for taxidermy, traditional Chinese medicine, and other uses.  The days of captive lion breeding seemed numbered but shutting down the lucrative industry is not easy.

Wild lions in South Africa are not endangered.  In fact, existing sanctuaries and preserves have as many lions as they can sustain.  What to do with thousands of captive lions is a real problem.  Some have suggested mass euthanasia, but that appalling idea has garnered very little support.  The future of these animals still hangs in the balance and so far, there are really no truly desirable solutions in the offing.

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If South Africa Ends Lion Breeding, What to Do With Captive Cats?

Photo, posted August 21, 2011, courtesy of Leszek Leszczynski via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Cryo Conservation | Earth Wise

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Recent studies have shown that there has been a 69% decline in global animal populations since 1970.  There is a biodiversity crisis in the world.  In the face of this situation, there is a growing interest in using cold storage to preserve genetic samples taken from animals threatened with extinction.

Just as egg-freezing is used to preserve human fertility for a later date, the cryogenic freezing of genetic material from animals could be important in reducing species extinctions.  Living cell banks – also known as cryobanks – could preserve genetic materials from animals that include skin cells, embryos, semen, and live tissues.  These materials could be cultured and used for various applications including DNA extraction, assisted reproduction, ensuring genetic diversity in animal populations, and potentially reintroducing species back into their natural habitats.

There is a facility called the Frozen Zoo at the San Diego Wildlife Alliance which has genetic material from 965 different species, including 5% of the vertebrates currently listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List.  Further sampling from zoos and aquariums could increase that representation to almost 17%.

Genetic samples of 50% of the species currently listed as extinct in the wild are already represented in the Frozen Zoo.  Further sampling from the zoological community could increase this number to 91%.  This could provide a critical lifeline for these species that are on the brink of extinction.  As wildlife populations continue to decline around the world, it is more critical than ever to collect and preserve genetic samples from threatened species.

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Cryo conservation – a cool solution to saving species from extinction

Photo, posted September 30, 2018, courtesy of Andy Morffew via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Orcas Versus Boats | Earth Wise

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Over the past three years, orcas (also known as killer whales) have been attacking boats off the coasts of Portugal and Spain.  The subpopulation of orcas in this region has been harassing boats, most often by biting at their rudders.

There have been over 500 reported instances of orcas reacting to boats.  Sometimes they simply approach the vessels, but some of the time they actually attack.  Almost 20% of the attacks have caused enough damage to disable the vessels.  In three cases, including one in May in the Strait of Gibraltar, the animals damaged a boat so badly that it sank.  To date, no one has been injured during these attacks.

Orca researchers have observed several different killer whales during these attacks.  They seem to come from two separate groups: a trio of juveniles occasionally joined by a fourth, as well as a mixed-age group consisting of an adult female, two of her offspring, and two of her sisters.  The attacks typically last less than 30 minutes but can go on for up to 2 hours.

Researchers don’t really know why orcas are going after watercraft.  This behavior has not been observed anywhere else in the world.  One theory is that the orcas have invented a new fad.  That’s actually something that they are known to do.  Much as with people, orca fads are often spearheaded by juveniles.  An alternative theory is that the attacks may be a response to a bad past experience involving a boat.  The fact that nobody has been injured in any of these attacks, even when the boats sank, suggests that only the boats themselves are the target of the attacks and not the people on them.

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Why Has a Group of Orcas Suddenly Started Attacking Boats?

Photo, posted May 24, 2023, courtesy of Pedro Szekely via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Climate Change And Species Tipping Points | Earth Wise

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In climate science, tipping points are critical thresholds that, once crossed, lead to large and often irreversible changes in the climate system. For example, surpassing a 1.5 degree C rise in global warming has long been considered a tipping point for the planet. 

According to a new study led by researchers from University College London, climate change will abruptly push species over tipping points as their geographic ranges reach unforeseen temperatures. 

In the study, which was recently published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, the research team analyzed data from more than 35,000 species of animals and seagrasses from every continent and ocean basin, alongside climate projections up to 2100.  The researchers found a consistent trend:  for many animals, the thermal exposure threshold will be crossed for much of their geographic range within the same decade. 

The thermal exposure threshold is defined as the first five consecutive years where temperatures consistently exceed the most extreme monthly temperature experienced by a species across its geographic range over recent history. 

The researchers also found that the extent of global warming will make a big difference for animals.  If the planet warms by just 1.5°C, 15% of species studied will be at risk of experiencing unfamiliarly hot temperatures across at least 30% of their current  geographic range in a single decade.  But this figure will double to 30% of species at 2.5°C of warming.

Since their data provides an early warning system, the researchers hope that their findings will help species conservation efforts. 

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Climate change to push species over abrupt tipping points

Photo, posted May 27, 2017, courtesy of Sarah Lemarié via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Can All Plant Species Survive? | Earth Wise 

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Many animal populations around the world are struggling and people are mostly to blame.  Species are declining because of all sorts of things including changes in land and sea use, pollution, invasive species, and climate change.

Like many animal species, plants are also struggling to adapt to a human-dominated world.  Plants provide the planet with food, oxygen, and energy, and are used to produce fibers, building materials, and medicines.  Even though plants are easier and cheaper to protect, they are often overlooked in conservation efforts. 

According to a paper recently published in the journal Trends in Plant Science, preventing all future land plant extinctions across the globe is possible with the right approaches.  The author of the paper, Richard Corlett of the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden in China, writes that “if zero extinction is potentially achievable for plants, a less ambitious target would be inexcusable.” 

According to the paper, one big barrier in plant conservation is the lack of trained specialists, especially in tropical areas where there is a backlog of unidentified species.  It’s likely that many “dark extinctions,” which is when species slip away without us knowing they existed, have already occurred.

Another roadblock in preventing plant extinctions is information access, which can be solved by building an online “metaherbarium.”  This collaborative database would link digitized records from herbarium specimens with photographs, status assessments, and recovery plans.

Finally, the creation of “microreserves” – which are tiny pieces of protected land designed to get around space constraints – would further contribute to effective conservation of targeted plant species. 

Zero plant extinctions should be the goal.   

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‘Zero plant extinction’ is possible, says plant ecologist

Photo, posted May 16, 2008, courtesy of Andrew Otto via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Plastic Eating Fungus | Earth Wise

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More than five billion tons of plastic have accumulated on land and sea including the most remote regions of the planet as well as in the bodies of animals and humans.  There is a compelling need to recycle as much plastic as possible but doing so is a major challenge. Plastic comes in many varieties and breaking it down for reuse requires different methods for each.

Polypropylene is one of the biggest challenges for recycling.  It is a very common plastic used for all sorts of products including food containers, coat hangers, plastic wrap, toys, and much more. It accounts for roughly 28% of the world’s plastic waste, but only 1% of it is recycled.

Polypropylene is seldom recycled because it generally has a short life as a packaging material, and it often becomes contaminated by other materials and plastics.  Thus, it generally ends up in landfills.

Researchers at the University of Sydney in Australia have discovered that two common strains of fungi were able to successfully biodegrade polypropylene.  The fungi species – with unavoidable Latin names of Aspergillus terreus and Engyodontium album – are typically found in soil and plants.

The researchers found that the fungi were able to break down polypropylene after it had been pre-treated with either UV light or heat, by 21% over 30 days, and by 25-27% over 90 days.  This seems rather slow but compared with the nearly endless life of polypropylene in landfills, it is a major improvement.

The hope is that methods like this could ultimately reduce the amount of plastic polluting the environment by encouraging plastic to biodegrade naturally under the appropriate conditions.

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Fungi makes meal of hard to recycle plastic

Photo, posted March 5, 2010, courtesy of Kevin Krejci via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Plants Make Sounds | Earth Wise

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Some people talk to their plants.  It is highly unlikely that the plants are listening, but recent research has found that plants are doing quite a bit of talking of their own.

It turns out that plant emit a variety of click-like sounds, especially when they are stressed in some way, such as being dehydrated or injured.  The sounds are actually fairly loud – comparable to the volume of human speech – but occur at frequencies well above the range of human hearing.

The study at Tel Aviv University in Israel monitored plants in a greenhouse that were subjected to various stresses over time.  Unstressed plants emitted less than one sound per hour, on average, while stressed plants emitted dozens of sounds every hour.

Recordings of the plant sounds were analyzed by specially developed artificial intelligence algorithms.  The algorithms learned how to distinguish between different plants and different types of sounds.  Eventually, they could identify the plant and determine the type and level of stress from the recordings.  They could even do this in a greenhouse with a great deal of background noise.

The study resolved a very old scientific controversy about whether plants emit sounds.  Not only do they, but the sounds contain useful information.  We don’t yet know what the mechanism is for plant sounds.  It is likely that in nature, the sounds are detected by various animals and perhaps even plants that can detect the high frequencies.  And perhaps they react to them as part of seeking food, shelter, or other services that plants provide.  Given the right tools, we humans may also be able to make use of the sounds being made by plants.

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Plants Emit Sounds – Especially When Stressed

Photo, posted February 20, 2009, courtesy of ProBuild Garden Center via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Antibiotics In Animal Agriculture | Earth Wise

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In animal agriculture, farmers use antibiotics to treat, prevent, and control animal diseases, and to increase the productivity of their operations.  According to the FDA, approximately 80% of all antibiotics sold in the U.S. are purchased for use in food-producing animals. 

The routine administration of antibiotics to farm animals for non-therapeutic purposes promotes the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, with repercussions for human and animal health.  As antibiotic-resistant bacteria spreads, medicines used to treat human diseases can become less effective. 

According to a new study led by researchers from the University of Washington, a California policy restricting the use of antibiotics in farm animals is associated with a reduction in one type of antibiotic-resistant infection in people in the state.  The findings, recently published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, suggest that regulations limiting the use of antibiotics in livestock can significantly impact human health. 

In 2018, California Senate Bill 27 banned routine preventive use of antibiotics in food-animal production and any antibiotic use without a veterinarian’s prescription.  Last year, the European Union passed a law restricting antibiotic use to only sick animals on farms.  And coming this June, most antibiotics – those that are medically important to humans and animals – will be by prescription only in the United States.  

Despite these changes, antibiotic resistance is projected to remain one of the biggest threats to human health over the next 50 years because resistance continues to grow and few new antibiotics are coming online. 

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Restricting antibiotics for livestock could limit spread of antibiotic-resistant infections in people

Ranchers should prepare now for 2023 animal antibiotic guidelines

Photo, posted May 8, 2018, courtesy of Preston Keres / USDA via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Plastic From Sunlight | Earth Wise

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Photosynthesis is the process that plants use to turn water, carbon dioxide, and energy from sunlight into plant biomass.  It provides humans and much of animal life with food.  Photosynthesis is also nature’s way of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  The CO2 is not directly stored in plants but rather is combined into organic compounds.

Researchers across the globe are trying to find effective ways to mimic photosynthesis.  One version of artificial photosynthesis seeks to take carbon dioxide and combine it into organic compounds that can be used as raw materials for various kinds of manufacturing. 

A research team in Japan has found a way to synthesize fumaric acid from carbon dioxide using sunlight to power the process.  Fumaric acid is a chemical typically synthesized from petroleum and is used as a raw material for making biodegradable plastics such as polybutylene succinate. 

Much of artificial photosynthesis research is aimed at using solar energy to convert carbon dioxide directly into a fuel rather than a raw material.  Such solar fuels can be produced by a variety of means including thermochemical (using the sun’s heat to drive chemical reactions), photochemical (using the sun’s light to drive chemical reactions), and electrochemical (using solar-generated electricity to drive chemical reactions.)   These approaches generally involve the use of specialized catalysts to drive the desired chemical reactions. 

One way or another, what techniques for artificial photosynthesis have in common is trying to imitate what plant life on Earth has been doing for millions of years. 

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Artificial photosynthesis uses sunlight to make biodegradable plastic

Photo, posted June 14, 2017, courtesy of Alex Holyake via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

How To Save Big Cats | Earth Wise

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Big cats are among the most widely recognized and admired animals in the world. But these charismatic predators face many and varied threats, including the loss of habitat and prey, conflicts with humans, poaching, and the illegal wildlife trade.

Researchers from the University of Reading in the U.K. have studied the fortunes of 50 species of large carnivores worldwide over the past 50 years.  They found that social and economic factors, such as quality of life, were more closely associated with declines of large carnivore species than purely environmental factors, like habitat loss.   

The study, which was recently published in the journal Nature Communications, suggests that the best way to save large carnivores, including lynx, bears, and lions, is to encourage a sustainable model of social and economic development instead of focusing exclusively on issues like climate change.  

While rapid economic development pushes species to the brink of extinction, it’s also delivered enormous improvements in the quality of human life. But the analysis suggests that once people achieve a high quality of life and economic development slows, a turning point is reached and persecuted species have a chance to recover.

According to the research team, the recovery is a result of both improved habitat protections in advanced economies and a more harmonious relationship between people and predators.  What would have once been considered a dangerous pest is now recognized as being an important part of both the ecosystem and culture.  

In Western Europe, slower economic development and an improved quality of life have allowed populations of grey wolves to increase 1,800% since the 1960s.

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Economics trump environment to save big cats, say ecologists

Photo, posted February 8, 2015, courtesy of Mathias Appel via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Tracking Global Forest Changes | Earth Wise

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India is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world.  An estimated 47,000 plant species and 89,000 animal species can be found in India, with more than 10% of each thought to be on the list of threatened species.

India is also one of the 10 most forest-rich countries in the world.  Trees cover approximately 25% of the nation.  But this is still a significant decline from years past.  In fact, between the 1890s and 1990s, a combination of rapid development and resource overexploitation caused India to lose nearly 80% of its native forest area.  Today, as India’s forests continue to disappear, researchers are trying to help preserve what forest remains. 

Using satellite-monitoring data, researchers from The Ohio State University have developed a deep learning algorithm that could provide real-time land use and land cover maps for parts of India. 

The land use monitoring system was trained using satellite data from Norway’s International Climate and Forests Initiative.  By combining this data with a global land cover map produced by Tsinghua University in China, the researcher team’s deep learning model was able to acquire a more detailed type of base map of the area.  Using their model, the researchers were able to process 10 monthly maps.  Their research was recently  presented at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union.   

Using these maps, the researchers were able to detect seasonal shifts across india.  These include changes to barren land, how crop land was affected by monsoons, and the distribution of forests in mountainous regions. 

Understanding the impact of these seasonal changes will help scientists better predict the effects of climate change on forests.

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Using deep learning to monitor India’s disappearing forest cover

Photo, posted January 20, 2013, courtesy of Frontier Official via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

An Agreement To Protect Biodiversity | Earth Wise

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The UN Biodiversity Conference in Montreal in December concluded with a historic deal aimed at stemming the rising tide of extinctions.  Nearly 200 countries signed on to the agreement to protect 30% of the Earth’s land and sea by the end of this decade.

Part of the agreement also pledges that countries will reduce fertilizer runoff from farms by 50%, reduce the use of harmful pesticides by 50%, and stem the flow of invasive species. 

Of course, all of these promises are only words unless they are backed up by actions and actions cost money.  The agreement promises to direct $200 billion a year towards biodiversity by the end of this decade.  Wealthy countries were urged to provide $100 billion a year to fund the actions of poorer countries, but they resisted the pressure.  Eventually, they did agree to send $30 billion a year to developing countries by 2030.

It is a significant step forward to establish clear targets for stopping biodiversity loss.  However, the ultimate success of the pact will depend on the willingness of countries to cooperate and compromise.

According to UN estimates, about a million species across the globe face extinction as a result of rising temperatures, air and water pollution, invasive species, and habitat loss due to development.   At present, only 16% of land and 8% of the oceans are within protected areas. 

The UN Environment Program stated that “for far too long humanity has paved over, fragmented, over-extracted, and destroyed the natural world on which we all depend.  Now is our chance to shore up and strengthen the web of life, so it can carry the full weight of generations to come.”

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In Historic Deal, Countries Agree to Protect 30 Percent of Earth to Halt Biodiversity Loss

Photo, posted August 13, 2015, courtesy of Andrew H via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Polar Bears and Tires | Earth Wise

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There is lots of interest in traction.  People want to find better ways to move across wet and frozen surfaces safely.   This applies to both the shoes on our feet and the tires on our cars. 

Researchers at the University of Akron along with colleagues at Syracuse University and at Bridgestone, the tire company, have been studying how many arctic animals can walk and run across the ice without slipping and falling.  Their research focused on the paws of polar bears.

Previous studies discovered that polar bears have papillae – little bumps on the pads of their feet – that provide improved traction on snow.  The new research also looked at the paws of other species of bear – brown bears and black bears – and found that these others also have papillae on their paw pads, but that those of polar bears are as much as 50% taller.  These taller bumps give the pads a 30-50% increase in frictional shear stress.

The research may lead to various applications. For example, snow tires typically have deeper treads, but the polar bear study may lead to some new designs that would improve traction.  People who do high-altitude climbing are interested in the research as are companies that deliver goods in bad weather.  Anyone who has to be out and about in bad weather would like to get a better grip.

There are various other animals with traction-improving adaptations that are probably worth studying.  These include dogs, wolves, foxes, and mountain goats.  The same researchers at Akron have also studied other animals with unique abilities to deal with challenging surfaces including geckos, spiders, and mussels.  The natural world is filled with examples of creatures who can easily function in environments that we humans find very challenging.

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UA researchers’ focus on tire traction leads to investigation of polar bear paws

Photo, posted March 2, 2008, courtesy of Sam Weng via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

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