Feature Channels: Environmental Science

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Released: 18-Apr-2017 8:05 AM EDT
Banning Transshipment at-Sea Necessary to Curb Illegal Fishing, Researchers Conclude
New York University

Banning transshipment at-sea—the transfer of fish and supplies from one vessel to another in open waters—is necessary to diminish illegal fishing, a team of researchers has concluded after an analysis of existing maritime regulations.

17-Apr-2017 1:00 PM EDT
Two in the Pack: No Changes for Isle Royale Wolves
Michigan Technological University

Researchers from Michigan Technological University have released the annual Winter Study detailing updates on the ecology of Isle Royale National Park.

Released: 18-Apr-2017 7:05 AM EDT
GCOOS Welcomes New Industry Members at Annual Meeting
Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System-Regional Association (GCOOS-RA)

The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System Regional Association (GCOOS-RA) welcomed four new voting members representing marine-related industries during the organization's Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

Released: 17-Apr-2017 4:05 PM EDT
Eugene Odum: The Father of Modern Ecology
University of Georgia

A feature story on Eugene Odum, widely considered the father of modern ecology, who pioneered the study of ecosystems.

Released: 17-Apr-2017 3:35 PM EDT
New Many-Toothed Clingfish Discovered with Help of Digital Scans
University of Washington

A set of curious researchers, state-of-the-art visual technology and a bit of good luck helped find a new fish whose tooth collection could put a shark to shame.

12-Apr-2017 3:00 PM EDT
Science Fiction Horror Wriggles Into Reality with Discovery of Giant Sulfur-Powered Shipworm
University of Utah Health

Our world seems to grow smaller by the day as biodiversity rapidly dwindles, but Mother Earth still has a surprise or two up her sleeve. An international team of researchers were the first to investigate a never before studied species a giant, black, mud dwelling, worm-like animal. The findings will be published online in the Apr. 17 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Released: 17-Apr-2017 11:05 AM EDT
Migration From Sea-Level Rise Could Reshape Cities Inland
University of Georgia

In a paper published today in Nature Climate Change, researchers estimate that approximately 13.1 million people could be displaced by rising ocean waters, with Atlanta, Houston and Phoenix as top destinations for those forced to relocate.

13-Apr-2017 5:30 PM EDT
Models, Observations Not So Far Apart on Planet's Response to Greenhouse Gas Emissions
University of Washington

A closer look at how the planet responds to greenhouse gases debunks recent observations suggesting Earth's temperature is less sensitive than climate models predict to rising carbon dioxide.

Released: 17-Apr-2017 9:00 AM EDT
Is White Beach Sand Really Sand?
American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

When spring break means a trip to the beach, it’s good to know what you’re walking on. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) April 15 Soils Matter blog post explains what “sand” really is—and why sands can be so different!

Released: 14-Apr-2017 3:15 PM EDT
Media Advisory: Smithsonian Convenes Earth Optimism Summit
Smithsonian Institution

The Smithsonian’s Earth Optimism Summit will bring together more than 150 scientists, thought leaders, philanthropists, conservationists and civic leaders to talk about what is working in conservation and how to scale up and replicate it.

Released: 14-Apr-2017 1:00 PM EDT
Orchids and Fungus: A Conservation Connection
Smithsonian Institution

Orchids make up 10 percent of the world's plant species; more than 50 percent of native orchids in North America are listed as threatened or endangered in some part of their home range. Botanist Dennis Whigham and his colleagues at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater, Md., are doing their part to conserve these beautiful flowers by studying the interactions between orchids and fungi.

Released: 13-Apr-2017 4:05 PM EDT
Student Develops Device to Improve Cattle Grazing, Partners with Aggie Innovation Space
New Mexico State University (NMSU)

New Mexico State University Department of Animal and Range sciences junior Josiah Brooks is creating a feed intake device for cattle, and he is working with the Aggie Innovation Space to design and develop parts for a prototype.

Released: 13-Apr-2017 1:05 PM EDT
Scientists Need Your Help in First-Ever Census of Weddell Seals
University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering

Scientists are asking for the public’s help to look through thousands of satellite images of Antarctica in the first-ever, comprehensive count of Weddell seals. Documenting the seals’ population trends over time will help scientists better understand the effects of climate change and commercial fishing in the Antarctic.

Released: 13-Apr-2017 7:05 AM EDT
Delectable Delights Highlight Flavors of Florida
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

UF/IFAS scientists toil for years creating and enhancing many of the foods we consume and plants we enjoy. When it comes to plant breeding, UF/IFAS is a global leader. In fact, UF/IFAS is ranked as a top-10 horticulture program in the 2017 Center for World University Rankings. Many of UF/IFAS’ tastiest creations will be available for consumption or on display at this year’s Flavors of Florida event.

Released: 12-Apr-2017 10:05 AM EDT
Danforth Center Scientist Receives Awards From American Society of Plant Biologists
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

ASPB named Blake Meyers, Ph.D. as the recipient of the Charles Albert Shull Award for outstanding contributions in the field of plant biology.

Released: 12-Apr-2017 9:05 AM EDT
Researchers Find Mushrooms May Hold Clues to Effect of Carbon Dioxide on Lawns
University of New Hampshire

Since the Industrial Revolution, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has rapidly increased. Researchers at the University of New Hampshire set out to determine how rising carbon dioxide concentrations and different climates may alter vegetation like forests, croplands, and 40 million acres of American lawns. They found that the clues may lie in an unexpected source, mushrooms.

Released: 12-Apr-2017 8:05 AM EDT
The Problem Expands for Avocado Growers: More Beetle Species Carry Deadly Fungus
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Many people love their avocados – not to mention guacamole dip. So it was bad enough when scientists said a beetle was ravaging avocado trees in South Florida. Then scientists found out that the redbay ambrosia beetle -- originally determined to transmit laurel wilt -- is rare in avocado groves but that six other beetle species could carry the laurel wilt pathogen.

Released: 11-Apr-2017 5:05 PM EDT
Researchers Develop Predictive Model Measuring Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Streams and Rivers
University of Notre Dame

The new model will be a valuable tool for scientists and water managers alike, as the framework allows for accurate prediction of N2O emissions under a variety of scenarios including water temperature, changes in land use and the influence of climate change on emission outcomes.

Released: 11-Apr-2017 3:55 PM EDT
Big Pixel Initiative Invites Public to Help Map our World
University of California San Diego

Big Pixel Initiative researchers at the University of California San Diego are partnering with Columbia University and Arizona State University to create a continuous, global map of the urbanization process, and they’re looking to the public to help make it happen.

Released: 11-Apr-2017 11:05 AM EDT
Egg Hunt -- Scientists Discover Eggs of One of World's Most Endangered Turtles
Wildlife Conservation Society

A team of scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) working in Myanmar have reported the successful recovery of 44 fertile eggs of the critically endangered Burmese roofed turtle (Batagur trivittata) – one of the world’s most endangered turtles.

Released: 11-Apr-2017 4:05 AM EDT
From Moo – to Goo
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Scientists have developed a new system to convert methane into a deep green, energy-rich, gelatin-like substance that can be used as the basis for biofuels and other bioproducts, specialty chemicals – and even feed for cows that create the gas in the first place.

Released: 10-Apr-2017 3:20 PM EDT
Smithsonian Brings Garden Stories to Life with “Community of Gardens” Mobile App
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Gardens celebrates National Garden Month with the launch of its first mobile app “Community of Gardens,” which brings stories of gardening in the United States to life.

5-Apr-2017 2:05 PM EDT
As Fins Evolve to Help Fish Swim, So Does the Nervous System
University of Chicago Medical Center

The sensory system in fish fins evolves in parallel to fin shape and mechanics, and is specifically tuned to work with the fish’s swimming behavior, according to new research from the University of Chicago. The researchers found these parallels across a wide range of fish species, suggesting that it may occur in other animals as well.

Released: 10-Apr-2017 12:05 PM EDT
Plant Scientists Untangle the Molecular Mechanisms Connecting Plant Stress and Growth
Iowa State University

ISU researchers are piecing together the genetic mechanisms that link plant growth and stress response. In a new paper, the research group links autophagy, an important energy recycling function, with slower growth during stress conditions. Autophagy plays a key role in animals as well as plants.

7-Apr-2017 11:00 AM EDT
Forget Sponges: The Earliest Animals Were Marine Jellies
Vanderbilt University

One of the longest-running controversies in evolutionary biology has been, “What was the oldest branch of the animal family tree?” Was it the sponges, as had long been thought, or was it the delicate marine predators called comb jellies? A powerful new method has been devised to settle contentious phylogenetic tree-of-life issues like this and it comes down squarely on the side of comb jellies.

Released: 10-Apr-2017 10:00 AM EDT
Agronomy Feeds the World Videos Created
American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

Agronomy is the study of crop and soil science – important in delivering food from farm to table. But most people don’t know the word. And most agronomists – the scientists working in the field of agronomy – find their complicated jobs hard to explain. That means there is a communication gap, and Nels Hansen wants to help solve it.

Released: 10-Apr-2017 9:00 AM EDT
UWM Awarded $2.3 Million to Study Autism/Air Pollution Connection
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Recent studies have implicated air pollution from vehicles as playing a role in whether exposed infants develop autism. Now a UWM scientist will try to uncover how the developing brain is affected by these chemicals and whether they also lead to childhood ADHD.

Released: 7-Apr-2017 5:05 PM EDT
Large, High-Intensity Forest Fires Will Increase
South Dakota State University

Wildfire experts predict that by 2041, there will be four large, high-intensity forest fires for every three that occur now, with the number of days when conditions are conducive to fires increasing.

Released: 7-Apr-2017 10:05 AM EDT
Long Range AUV Will Help Coast Guard "See" and Respond to Ocean Spills and Disasters Faster
Homeland Security's Science And Technology Directorate

We are creating robotic systems that are small, mobile, connected, and enduring, making them a perfect match for the remote Arctic to give the USCG the ability to understand an incident while there is still time to react.

     
Released: 7-Apr-2017 8:05 AM EDT
Tropical Lowland Frogs at Greater Risk From Climate Warming Than High-Elevation Species, Study Shows
University of Michigan

A new study of Peruvian frogs living at a wide variety of elevations—from the Amazon floodplain to high Andes peaks—lends support to the idea that lowland amphibians are at higher risk from future climate warming.

Released: 6-Apr-2017 2:05 PM EDT
Donation to BGSU University Libraries Creates Research Destination for Great Lakes History
Bowling Green State University

The University Libraries at Bowling Green State University has greatly expanded its collection of Great Lakes research materials thanks to a significant donation from the National Museum of the Great Lakes, which is owned and operated by the Great Lakes Historical Society.

Released: 6-Apr-2017 2:05 PM EDT
Microgrid Business Models Analyzed in UC San Diego Study
University of California San Diego

UC San Diego researchers published a systematic analysis of microgrids in Southern California to better understand business cases for private investment in microgrids. From the abstract: “Decentralization [of the electric power grid] could radically reduce customer energy costs, but without the right policy framework it could create large numbers of small decentralized sources of gas-based carbon emissions that will be difficult to control if policy makers want to achieve deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.”

Released: 6-Apr-2017 1:45 PM EDT
Smithsonian Snapshot: The Adorable Face of Conservation Success
Smithsonian Institution

The ongoing recovery of the black-footed ferret is one of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's most successful conservation efforts.

Released: 6-Apr-2017 11:25 AM EDT
Smithsonian To Convene Earth Optimism Summit April 21–23
Smithsonian Institution

On Earth Day weekend, the Smithsonian will convene the first Earth Optimism Summit, a three-day event featuring more than 150 scientists, thought leaders, philanthropists, conservationists and civic leaders, which will highlight what is working in conservation and how to scale up and replicate it.

Released: 6-Apr-2017 10:05 AM EDT
New Study on Resilience Helps Governments Prevent Disaster-Related Loss
Society for Risk Analysis (SRA)

Hurricanes, wildfires, tsunamis and other disasters cannot be stopped, but countries can plan for them — something some areas of the world seem to do better than others, according to a new study published in the journal Risk Analysis.

4-Apr-2017 10:05 AM EDT
For New Carbon Markets, Try Old Growth
University of Vermont

A fifteen-year study in Vermont shows that imitating old-growth forests enhances carbon storage in managed forestland far better than conventional forestry techniques.

Released: 6-Apr-2017 9:00 AM EDT
Pollinators Find a Safe Haven on ESF Campus
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

The College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, N.Y., has become a designated pollinator-friendly campus by agreeing to avoid the use of bee-toxic pesticides.

Released: 6-Apr-2017 8:05 AM EDT
WIU Graduate Student Combines Research with Multi-Agency Duck Banding Project
Western Illinois University

The opportunities offered by Western Illinois University's Kibbe Life Science Station in Warsaw, IL, are drawing students and natural resource professionals to the region for a chance to learn more about the migration and health of ducks.

Released: 6-Apr-2017 7:05 AM EDT
Bumblebees Boost Blueberry Yield
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

This good news comes as Florida growers head into the heart of blueberry season.

Released: 6-Apr-2017 7:05 AM EDT
Control Pest Fungi in an Environmentally Friendly Way
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology

The St. Gallen-based Empa biotech spin-off, MycoSolutions AG, has developed a new fungal product that improves the soil and controls pest fungi in an environmentally friendly way. Wooden poles remain in use much longer, leading to cost savings of millions for operators. A "Proof-of-Concept" is now available for the integrated wood preservation method.

Released: 5-Apr-2017 4:10 PM EDT
Entomologist Gives Tips on Staying Safe During Tick Season
University of Manitoba

Now that the snow has finally melted and Manitobans are getting out an about, some are venturing into wooded or grassy areas. And that’s a problem. U of M entomologist Kateryn Rochon cautions that tick season is upon us, and we should be vigilant.

Released: 5-Apr-2017 3:05 PM EDT
WIU Students, Faculty Spend Spring Break Cleaning America's Rivers
Western Illinois University

Four students and one faculty member from Western Illinois University's Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration (RPTA) spent their Spring Break week with a national organization whose mission is cleaning up America's rivers.

Released: 5-Apr-2017 2:05 PM EDT
Male Jumping Spiders Court Whomever, Whenever; Females Decide Who Lives, Dies
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Male jumping spiders will try to mate with any female, but that lack of discretion could cost them their lives, says a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher.

   
Released: 5-Apr-2017 2:05 PM EDT
Beck’s Partners with Indiana State for Unmanned Systems Training
Indiana State University

Beck's, the largest family-owned retail seed company in the United States, announced today a collaboration with Indiana State University to train pilots to operate unmanned aerial vehicles within the new legal structure established by the Federal Aviation Administration.

5-Apr-2017 11:00 AM EDT
Arizona Ecologist Leads Effort to Quantify Economic Value of Biodiversity
Northern Arizona University

A collaboration of scientists, led by Northern Arizona University professor Bruce Hungate, has created a model to measure the dollars saved by having healthy and diverse ecosystems.

Released: 5-Apr-2017 1:05 PM EDT
Coming Together, Falling Apart, and Starting Over, Battery Style
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Scientists built a new device that shows what happens when electrode, electrolyte, and active materials meet in energy storage technologies.

4-Apr-2017 5:05 PM EDT
Cover, Crimp, Cultivate?
American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

Can organic growers fight weeds and increase soil health? To grow crops organically, farmers fight weeds with chemical-free weapons. But it takes heavy tractors to efficiently turn soil and rip out weeds, compressing the soil. And after a field is turned, heavy rains and wind can erode the exposed soil. Researchers are working to get the best of both worlds.



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