In 2010, an explosion on the BP-owned Deepwater Horizon drilling rig released more than 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Some of the oil was recovered, burned, or dispersed at sea, while some washed up onto the shorelines of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.
Complex ecosystems often create complex interrelationships between animals. One of the more surprising ones is that between waterbirds and alligators in the Florida Everglades.
New York’s Hudson Valley is experiencing a “mast year.” Mast refers to the seeds of woody plants that are eaten by wildlife. “Soft mast” has seeds surrounded by fleshy pulp, and includes berries and fruits. “Hard mast” has seeds protected by an outer coat, such as acorns and hickory nuts.
Traffic noise is something nobody likes. We shy away from homes too close to highways and major roads. We soundproof our houses. We build noise abatement walls.
We have talked about the plastic blight – the growing presence of discarded plastic polluting our streets and our waterways. We have discussed the so-called garbage patches in the ocean, composed primarily of plastic. A new study discusses the effects of ocean plastic pollution on seabirds and the results are horrifying.
Once-upon-a-time, kids were expected to amuse themselves outdoors. Today, fears of shady neighbors and bodily harm have led to a nation of parents who appear content to keep their kids inside, playing computer games, surfing the web, texting, and watching TV.