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Thawing permafrost in the Arctic

February 18, 2025 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Permafrost covers about a quarter of the landmass in the Northern Hemisphere. It stores vast quantities of organic carbon in the form of dead plant matter. As long as it stays frozen, it is no threat to the climate. But as permafrost thaws, microorganisms start breaking down that plant matter and large amounts of carbon are released into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide and methane.

Scientists estimate that there could be two and a half times as much carbon trapped in Arctic permafrost as there is in the atmosphere today.

Thawing permafrost poses various risks to the Arctic environment and the livelihoods of its people. According to a new study led by researchers from the University of Vienna in Austria, Umeå University in Sweden, and the Technical University of Denmark, thawing permafrost threatens the way of life of up to three million people.

To identify these risks, the research team studied four Arctic regions in Norway, Greenland, Canada, and Russia between 2017 and 2023. The research, which was recently published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment, identified five key hazards posed by the thawing permafrost: infrastructure failure, disruption of mobility and supply, decreased water quality, challenges for food security, and exposure to diseases and contaminants.

These are present developments – not future dangers. Global scientific cooperation, policy interventions, and investment in research are critical to mitigate the impact of thawing permafrost and address the broader consequences it brings.

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A transdisciplinary, comparative analysis reveals key risks from Arctic permafrost thaw

Thawing permafrost threatens up to three million people in Arctic regions

Photo, posted February 9, 2017, courtesy of Benjamin Jones / USGS via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Planting trees in Europe

January 7, 2025 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Planting lots of trees is one of many strategies being pursued to combat climate change. Trees are storehouses of carbon from the atmosphere and planting more of them helps remove carbon dioxide. But trees do more than that. Trees are natural air conditioners in cities.

Trees significantly cool urban environments by providing shade and via a process called evapotranspiration by which they release water vapor into the air, which provides cooling. This helps mitigate the urban heat island effect. Areas under trees in cities can be as much as 25 degrees cooler than in unshaded areas covered in asphalt.

The city of Paris has laid out a plan to help the city prepare for increasing amounts of extreme heat. The goal is to replace 60,000 parking spaces across the city with trees by the end of this decade. The plan to rip up parking spaces is part of a greater aim to create more than 700 acres of green space by 2030. The Paris plan also includes creating more car-free zones and installing reflective roofs on 1,000 public buildings. Nearly 80% of the buildings in Paris have zinc roofs – an affordable, corrosion-resistant and pretty much inflammable innovation of the 19th century. However, these roofs can heat up to 194 degrees on a summer day, transferring heat into largely uninsulated top-floor garrets below.

Elsewhere in Europe, Danish lawmakers have agreed on a plan to rewild 10% of the country’s farmland and plant one billion trees. According to the Danish government, this plan would bring about the biggest change to the Danish landscape in over 100 years.

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To Cope with Extreme Heat, Paris Will Swap Parking Spaces for Trees

Photo, posted April 11, 2014, courtesy of Val H. via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Wildfires and carbon storage

August 14, 2024 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Forests are known to be a key natural solution to the increasing amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. For this reason, there are widespread efforts to plant more trees around the world and to prevent increasing deforestation for development and agriculture. But a new study has highlighted the fact that wildfires in the western US are degrading the potential for forests to help curb climate change.

The study has established a baseline for how much carbon is currently stored in Western forests, how that amount is changing, and how fires and droughts are affecting the ability of the forests to mitigate climate change.

The study made use of survey data collected by the US Forest Service to estimate how much carbon is stored in 19 ecoregions across the West. These ecoregions range from hot and dry areas in the Southwest to the wet and cool regions of the Pacific Northwest.

The study reveals that the carbon stored in living trees declined across much of the Western US between 2005 and 2019. Carbon stored in dead trees and woody debris increased. These things do not provide long-term carbon storage. Instead, they release it back into the atmosphere through decomposition or combustion in forest fires.

The increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires, especially since 2020, indicate that the decline in live carbon stored in the forests will become increasingly pronounced. The result, according to the study’s authors, is that we cannot rely on increasing carbon storage in Western US forests. It may be possible to increase the stability of carbon storage in the forests with mechanical thinning and prescribed burning, but the carbon carrying capacity of those forests is not likely to be what is needed.

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Forest carbon storage has declined across much of the Western US, likely due to drought and fire

Photo, posted July 25, 2021, courtesy of Felton Davis via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Species and climate change

July 4, 2024 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Temperature extremes on Earth currently range from a low of -129°F to a high of 134°F. But these climatic limits have changed throughout history. In fact, during the last interglacial period 130,000 years ago, temperatures were warmer, resembling what we are projected to experience at the end of this century.

Species that evolved during such periods may possess pre-adaptations that could help them tolerate upcoming changes to the climate. This factor is often overlooked by traditional statistical models predicting species’ responses to climate change.

But a new model, developed by researchers from Ifremer in France and Lausanne University in Switzerland, has taken this oversight into account, and reassessed the proportion of terrestrial and marine species threatened with extinction by climate change.

In the study, which was recently published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, the research team applied its model to nearly 25,000 terrestrial and marine species from around the world. The researchers discovered that 49% of these species live in climate niches near the current climatic limits, and 86% could potentially extend beyond these limits.

The most surprising result concerns tropical regions. While forecasts from traditional models estimate that the diversity of terrestrial species in tropical areas could decrease by 54% between now and 2041-2060, the new model predicts a more moderate decline of 39%.

The findings confirm the importance of taking urgent measures to mitigate climate change and its impact on biodiversity.

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Some species may better tolerate climate change than expected

Photo, posted October 23, 2015, courtesy of Anita Ritenour via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Fireflies are in decline

June 10, 2024 By EarthWise 2 Comments

If you are seeing fewer fireflies each year, you’re not alone. Like many insects, firefly populations are in decline. A new study by researchers from the University of Kentucky, Bucknell University, Penn State University, and the USDA has shed some light on the precarious situation facing firefly populations across North America.

The research team used a mix of field surveys from citizen scientists and advanced machine learning techniques to analyze more than 24,000 surveys from the Firefly Watch citizen science initiative. The study, which was recently published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, identified the factors likely responsible for the declines in firefly populations.

The research team found that fireflies are sensitive to various environmental factors, from short-term weather conditions to longer climatic trends. Fireflies thrive in temperate and tropical climates. As global temperatures rise, these conditions become less predictable and less hospitable.

Light pollution is another threat to fireflies. Artificial light at night – from things like street lights and billboards – is particularly disruptive to fireflies as it interferes with their bioluminescent communication essential for mating.

Urban growth, including buildings, roads, and sidewalks, poses another significant threat to fireflies by overtaking their natural habitats and decreasing available breeding areas.

Additionally, certain agricultural practices seem to contribute to the decline of fireflies.

According to the research team, reducing light pollution, preserving natural habitats, and implementing wildlife-friendly agricultural practices are conservation measures that could help mitigate the decline of fireflies.

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Fading lights: Comprehensive study unveils multiple threats to North America’s firefly populations

Photo, posted July 12, 2021, courtesy of Bruce Hallman/USFWS via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Harnessing The Smell Of Fear | Earth Wise

September 28, 2021 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Plant-eating insects present a major problem for farmers and home gardeners. Aphids, for example, are a highly destructive pest to many crops. Their large numbers and ability to transmit plant pathogens make them a persistent problem for growers.

Pesticides are chemical substances that are commonly used to prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate pests. They include insecticides for insects, rodenticides for rodents, herbicides for weeds, and fungicides for microorganisms. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, approximately one billion pounds of these chemicals are used in the United States every year.

But pesticides can also contaminate soil, water, and other vegetation, as well as kill many non-target species. Exposure to these chemicals is dangerous for human health.

According to a new study, researchers from Pennsylvania State University have developed a way to bottle the “smell of fear” produced by predators in order to repel and disrupt pests naturally without the need for these harsh substances. The researchers recently presented their findings at the American Chemical Society meeting.

Aphids happen to be a favorite food of ladybugs. Aphids and other herbivorous insects will steer clear of fields and gardens if they smell predators nearby. The researchers identified and extracted the volatile odor profile from ladybugs. The researchers used the compounds to create a special odor blend that can be used in an essential oil diffuser to spread the scent across a garden or field.

The research team plans to conduct field tests to see if the effects outside are similar to what was observed in the lab. A natural and effective pest repellent would be a big win for people and the planet.

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Protecting gardens and crops from insects using the ‘smell of fear’

Protecting gardens and crops from insects using the ‘smell of fear’ (YouTube)

Photo, posted May 10, 2011, courtesy of DM via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Positive Tipping Points And Climate | Earth Wise

February 15, 2021 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

A tipping point is a moment when a small change triggers a large and possibly irreversible response.

There has been much discussion of various tipping points that could accelerate climate change in catastrophic ways. A recent paper from researchers at the University of Exeter in the UK discusses a couple of tipping points that could accelerate positive progress on mitigating climate change.

Electric vehicles account for only 2-3% of new car sales globally. In Norway, this figure is more than 50%, mostly thanks to policies that make electric cars the same price to buy as conventional cars. According to the Exeter study, when EVs cost the same to manufacture as conventional cars, it will be a global tipping point. China, the EU, and California together are responsible for half of the world’s car sales and each of these has targets to rapidly decarbonize their economies and policies in place to speed the transition to electric vehicles.

Decarbonizing electric power is the other potential positive tipping point. In Europe, carbon taxes on top of increasing renewable energy generation have tipped coal into unprofitability as they have led to the irreversible destruction of coal plants. Globally, renewables are already generating electricity cheaper than fossil fuels in many countries. Decarbonizing global power generation would in turn help accelerate decarbonization of large parts of transportation, heating and cooling, and industry.

These potential positive tipping points are by no means inevitable. Appropriate policies are needed to overcome various barriers to the clean energy transition. But major changes in transportation and electric power would have a tremendous impact on the global effort to combat climate change.

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Positive ‘tipping points’ offer hope for climate

Photo, posted July 14, 2020, courtesy of Jim Champion via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Fitness Trackers For Lobsters | Earth Wise

October 20, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

The lobster industry is somewhat unique, at least in this country, in that it involves an animal food that is kept alive until it has reached the destination where it will be consumed or used. As a result, the industry has to deal with a problem they call “shrink”, which is the mortality lobsters experience as they change hands from capture to kitchen.

Maine’s lobster industry has reached out to the University of Maine Lobster Institute along with collaborators at other institutions to help quantify and mitigate stress points in the lobster supply chain that reduce survival and profitability.

A 2-year project was funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to create miniature sensory devices – crustacean heart and activity trackers (called C-HATs). These are essentially Fitbits for lobsters. The noninvasive devices strapped on a lobster monitor its heart rate and movement as it passes from trap to on-board live tank to live storage crate to truck to wholesaler to retailer or processor.

A separate sensor-equipped device called the MockLobster travels along with the lobsters to log environmental conditions experienced, including temperature, light and dissolved oxygen levels.

The hope is to be able to get a good handle on the conditions lobsters experience from trap to market and learn where problems are likely to arise. The researchers are also working to develop economical, standardized protocols to monitor water quality and the heath of lobsters during their movement through the supply chain.

The goal is to produce big improvements in the bottom lines of everyone along the supply chain along with big improvements in the health of the lobsters destined for market.

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Fitness trackers, environmental sensors prototyped to improve survival in the lobster supply chain

Photo, posted August 29, 2015, courtesy of Adam Grimes via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Reducing Air Pollution With Plants | Earth Wise

January 15, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

New research by Ohio State University suggests that adding plants and trees to the landscapes near factories and other pollution sources could reduce air pollution by an average of 27%. In addition, the study indicates that, in many cases, plants may be a cheaper option for cleaning the air than more technological approaches.

The study looked at public data on air pollution and vegetation on a county-by-county basis across the lower 48 states. It then calculated what adding additional trees and plants might cost. The calculations included the capacity of current vegetation to mitigate air pollution as well as the effects that restorative planting might have on pollution levels.

In 75% of the counties analyzed, it was cheaper to use plants to mitigate air pollution rather than add technological interventions such as smokestack scrubbers to the sources of pollution. The results varied according to the pollution source. For example, technology is cheaper at cleaning the air near industrial boilers than ecosystem approaches. For the broad manufacturing industry, one approach or the other was favorable, depending on the type of factory.

Adding trees or other plants generally can lower air pollution levels in both urban and rural areas, although success rates depend on a variety of factors including how much land is available to grow new plants and current air quality.

Reducing air pollution is critical to public health. An estimated 4 in 10 people in the U.S. live in areas with poor air quality, leading to health issues including asthma, lung cancer, and heart disease. The study shows that nature should be part of the planning process for industry to deal with air pollution.

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Nature might be better than tech at reducing air pollution

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Protecting Vulnerable Shorelines

May 21, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Global climate change is having noticeable effects on the environment. For example, glaciers are shrinking. Plant and animal ranges are shifting and populations decreasing. And droughts, floods, and wildfires are becoming more frequent and more intense. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the evidence indicates that the net damage costs of climate change are likely to be significant and to increase over time.

Our coastal shorelines, which are already stressed by human activity, pollution, storms, and invasive species, are one of many areas expected to be further threatened by climate change. Sea level rise and more intense and frequent storms are expected to erode and inundate coastal ecosystems and eliminate wetlands. Ocean acidification is also projected to disrupt marine environments.

But according to scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, seagrasses could play a key role in protecting these vulnerable shorelines from this onslaught. The MIT research team demonstrated how the ubiquitous marine plants dissipate wave energy and help protect against erosion, which could help mitigate damage from rising seas.

Using mathematical modelling and experiments, the MIT researchers were able to quantify for the first time how large and dense a continuous meadow of seagrass must be in order to provide adequate damping of waves in a given setting. They also found that seagrasses offer significant environmental benefits, including preventing beach erosion, protecting seawalls and coastal structures, improving water quality, and sequestering carbon.

Submerged aquatic vegetation, including seagrasses, provides an ecosystem service exceeding $4 trillion annually. Hopefully these findings can help provide useful guidance for seagrass restoration efforts.

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Seagrass’ strong potential for curbing erosion

The Effects of Climate Change

Photo, posted October 13, 2010, courtesy of the NOAA Photo Library via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Geoengineering And Developing Countries

June 21, 2018 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

There are some mind-boggling schemes being discussed to mitigate the global warming caused by greenhouse gases. These include placing giant mirrors in orbit to reflect sunlight before it reaches Earth and launching millions of tons of sulfur into the stratosphere to simulate the effects of a major volcanic eruption.