Forest trees also take up nanoplastics
Plastic is a petroleum product that is extremely slow to decompose. According to the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union, a plastic bag takes 10 to 20 years, a plastic straw 200 years and a plastic bottle 450 years to decompose. During.....»»
Historical signs in the landscape: Investigating the practice of pollarding in Western Norway
In the lush landscapes of Western Norway, pollarded trees bridge the past with modern environmental concerns. In a recent study, researchers investigated what motivates farmers to continue this ancient tree pruning practice......»»
NASA"s compact infrared cameras enable new science
A new, higher-resolution infrared camera outfitted with a variety of lightweight filters could probe sunlight reflected off Earth's upper atmosphere and surface, improve forest fire warnings, and reveal the molecular composition of other planets......»»
Study finds Black and Hispanic Americans are disproportionately exposed to wider temperature swings
Extreme heat can harm human health, but so can extreme temperature swings. Large daily temperature variation (DTV) has been associated with elevated mortality in studies around the world. Trees and other vegetation can lower DTV, as trees reduce temp.....»»
New research into the secrets of the forest: Finnish tree population is made up of families and neighborhoods
The trees in the forest are not just a random group. Fascinating facts reveal pine tree family relationships. The pollen that floats in the air can spread for hundreds of kilometers, but the offspring are usually found in the neighborhood......»»
Volunteers race to save Mexico"s howler monkeys in heat wave
Volunteers are rushing to hoist food and water up into trees in sweltering southern Mexico, but help came too late for the howler monkeys whose lifeless bodies lay still on the ground......»»
Study explains regional differences in bird diversity in agroforestry systems
The diversity and ecological functionality of bird communities in tropical agroforestry systems are shaped by the surrounding landscape, in particular the extent and composition of the forest. An international research team led by the University of G.....»»
Probing small molecule-RNA interactions by looking through the FOREST
A team of researchers has recently demonstrated the utility of employing a previously established screening system to probe the interactions between small molecules and RNA. Their study is published in Communications Chemistry......»»
Increasing drought puts the resilience of the Amazon rainforest to the test
Since 2015, the Amazon has been slower to recover from increasing drought events, but, overall, the rainforest still shows a remarkable resilience. New international research led by KU Leuven Earth and environmental scientists shows that forest degra.....»»
Has logging really stopped in Victoria? What the death of an endangered glider tells us
Victoria's native forest logging industry ended on January 1 this year. The news was met with jubilation from conservationists......»»
Floods in south Brazil have displaced 600,000—here"s why this region is likely to see ever more extreme rain in future
A mighty river is flowing out of the Amazon rainforest, and it's not the one you're thinking of. In the first kilometer above the forest canopy, a "flying river" is transporting moisture evaporated from Amazonian trees southwards along the Andes moun.....»»
How biodiversity-productivity relationships change along elevation in forests
A study published in the journal Forest Ecosystems has revealed that the relationship between biodiversity and forest productivity is not as straightforward as previously thought......»»
Meet the new insect killing Utah"s fir trees: Research models impact of the balsam woolly adelgid
A nonnative tree-killing insect is invading northern Utah, attacking subalpine fir and potentially triggering yet another die-off of the region's long-stressed conifer forests......»»
Identity crisis: Climate destroying wonders that gave US parks their names
Glacier National Park's ice fortress is crumbling. The giant trees of Sequoia National Park are ablaze. And even the tenacious cacti of Saguaro National Park are struggling to endure a decades-long drought......»»
The Earth Is About to Feast on Dead Cicadas
Two cicada broods, XIX and XIII, are emerging in sync for the first time in 221 years. They’re bringing the banquet of a lifetime for birds, trees, and humans alike......»»
Saturated soils could impact survival of young trees planted to address climate change
The saturated soil conditions predicted to result from increased rainfall in the UK's upland regions could have a knock-on effect on the ambition to create more woodland in the fight against climate change, a new study has found......»»
City Trees Save Lives
Green spaces significantly cool our ever-hotter cities. New research suggests more trees could cut heat-related ER visits in LA by up to two-thirds......»»
How conservationists brought Melbourne"s Merri Creek back from pollution, neglect and weeds
I met with a friend for a walk beside Merri Creek, in inner Melbourne. She had lived in the area for a few years, and as we walked beside the creek, past trees, native grasses, a small wetland echoing with frog calls, I talked about how it had looked.....»»
What are nanoplastics? An engineer explains concerns about particles too small to see
It's become common to read that microplastics—little bits of plastic, smaller than a pencil eraser—are turning up everywhere and in everything, including the ocean, farmland, food and human bodies. Now a new term is gaining attention: nanoplastic.....»»
Market-based schemes not reducing deforestation, poverty: Report
Market-based approaches to forest conservation like carbon offsets and deforestation-free certification schemes have largely failed to protect trees or alleviate poverty, according to a major scientific review published on Monday......»»
Contemporary wildfires not more severe than historically in western US dry forests: Study
Wildfires have increased over the last few decades in dry forests, which cover 25.5 million ha (63 million acres) of the western U.S. But are high-severity fires that kill 70% or more of trees already burning at rates that exceed historical (preindus.....»»