Researchers found that tropical forests can handle heat up to a certain threshold of 32 degrees Celsius, but limiting global temperatures is crucial to avoid accelerating climate change. The study analyzed over half a million trees across 813 forests in the tropics.
Researchers found that tree pollen fragments remain airborne for up to 11 hours after spring rains, posing a risk to allergy sufferers. The study advises people to stay indoors during and after rain events, especially thunderstorms, to minimize respiratory impacts.
A study finds temperate and tropical dry forests harbor unique tree evolutionary diversity, exceeding that of rainforests. Researchers highlight the need for conservation efforts in these often-overlooked ecosystems.
New research suggests that logging of native forests significantly increases fire risk and severity, exacerbating Australia's recent catastrophic bushfires. The study highlights the importance of preventing logging in moist forests and reducing forest fragmentation to mitigate future wildfires.
A study estimates the cloud water path of mature tropical cyclones by analyzing the correlation between cloud microphysical properties and precipitation intensity. The results show that a notable sigmoid function can be used to fit the cloud water path and near-surface rain rate, providing a new way to estimate cloud water path in models.
Researchers at KU Leuven developed an online tool that maps threats to tropical dry forests in Peru and Ecuador, advising local governments on forest restoration and conservation. The tool uses tree species traits to predict resilience and identify most-at-risk areas.
New research reveals that mature forests do not retain extra carbon absorbed from elevated CO2 levels, but instead release it back to the atmosphere. The study's findings have significant implications for climate models and future carbon sequestration strategies.
Research found that nitrogen-rich soil is linked to the decline of less common plant species in European forests, leading to a loss of biodiversity. In contrast, nitrogen-loving species like nettle and blackberry are on the rise.
A new method enables predictions for the development of species-rich forests, which can help mitigate climate change and promote biodiversity. The method uses a digital experiment to simulate tree growth, death, and reproduction, and has been shown to be reliable with only five strategy types.
Research suggests mature forests cannot absorb additional carbon as atmospheric CO2 concentrations increase. Carbon is quickly cycled through the soil and returned to the atmosphere, with only half being stored by trees and half by fungi and bacteria.
Researchers suggest a more detailed approach to assessing forest health, focusing on protected areas with finer scale data. This method can help identify non-intact forests and track changes in forest cover over time.
Tropical forests are losing carbon storage potential over time due to changes in structure and function at forest edges. Along these boundaries, the study found aboveground carbon storage declines of 22% up to 100 meters from the edge.
Forests are shifting towards communities that can cope with greater water stress, driven by the death of less hardy trees and the growth of more resilient ones. This adaptation may buffer forests against climate change effects in the short term.
Researchers surveyed remote South American kelp forests for the first time in 45 years, finding relatively unchanged ecosystems despite global threats from climate change and human activities. No signs of destructive sea urchin grazing were observed, but fish populations varied by location within the study area.
A new study finds that hurricanes Irma and Maria combined to knock down a quarter of Puerto Rico's tree biomass, with rain dominating the damage caused by wind. The research suggests that future hurricanes stoked by warming climates may be even more destructive to forests than previously thought.
A study tracking 300,000 trees over 30 years reveals that tropical forests' carbon sink is weakening, with a feared switch from absorption to emission imminent. The loss of this critical carbon sink capacity is equivalent to a decade of fossil fuel emissions from major countries.
Ethan Yang, a Lehigh University professor, receives a NSF CAREER award to study the effectiveness of rain gardens and rain barrels in reducing urban flooding. He plans to use smart sensors and AI-powered modeling to monitor and analyze the impact of green infrastructure on flood mitigation.
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Uesi continues to generate moderate rainfall in its southern quadrant, with the heaviest rates found south of the center. The system is expected to bring periods of heavy rain to the west and south of the South Island on Sunday and early Monday.
A new study published in Nature Communications reveals that nitrogen-fixing trees can double the amount of carbon stored in a forest's first 30 years of regrowth. Forests with these trees also take up 10% more carbon at maturity. Planting fixers as part of reforestation efforts could boost forest development and carbon accumulation.
A new study by the USDA Forest Service-led Pacific Northwest Research Station found that Alaska's Tongass and Chugach National Forests produce an average of 48 million salmon annually, worth approximately $88 million. The forest rivers and lakes support the salmon population through various life stages.
Researchers found that secondary forest cutting has increased, but deforestation of primary forests remained stable. Secondary forests now account for 72% of overall forest loss in the Brazilian Amazon.
Soil researchers found significant movement of sulfate into subsoils and improved water quality after implementing the Clean Air Act Amendment in 1990. However, soils still exhibit chemical imbalances, indicating a long-term recovery process.
A new study reveals that intensifying tropical land use is causing forests to contribute less to carbon dioxide uptake, affecting the global carbon cycle. Researchers used satellite data and dynamic vegetation models to estimate carbon dioxide absorption by different ecosystems worldwide.
New Stanford research finds that winter floods driven by rainfall can be 2.5 times larger than those driven by snowmelt. As global warming increases precipitation falling as rain, flood sizes increase exponentially, posing a significant threat to infrastructure in Western US.
Research from Stanford University found that climate change could cause the loss of over a quarter of ectomycorrhizal fungal species in North American pine forests. The study projected how climate change might affect fungal diversity, with some regions experiencing significant decreases and others gains.
Researchers have discovered that the nanotexture of rattlesnake scales allows water to be absorbed through beads that coalesce and stick to the surface. This adaptation enables the snakes to harvest rainwater, which is essential for their survival in desert environments with infrequent rainfall.
A new study found that diverse natural forests with multiple tree species are more reliable and stable at absorbing and storing carbon than plantations dominated by just a few tree species. Natural forests showed higher stability of carbon capture across years, particularly in dry conditions.
A new study reveals Amazonian forests regrow much slower than previously believed, taking up to a century to fully recover and potentially overestimating their role in combating human-caused climate change.
Logging in tropical forests depletes vital nutrients, hindering recovery and limiting growth, as found in a new study published in Global Change Biology. The researchers discovered that multiple cycles of logging and regrowth irreversibly remove phosphorus from the forest system.
Researchers identified hotspots for wild honeybee nesting sites, including unmanaged forests and coniferous forests in Sweden and Finland. The study suggests that conserving trees with cavities should be included in forest management to support pollinator populations.
A study by Oregon State University researchers found that preserving temperate forests in the western United States can mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration, while also enhancing biodiversity. The identified forests have medium to high potential for carbon sequestration and low future climate vulnerability.
A study found that bats in the Sierra Nevada appear to be well-adapted to wildfire, with overall species richness increasing in burned forests. This suggests that prescribed burns and managed wildfire may benefit these species by creating diverse habitat conditions, including openings for roosting and insect-foraging.
Research suggests that tropical forests are hardest hit by forest fragmentation, with sensitivity increasing six-fold at low versus high latitudes. This finding could allow for more effective conservation schemes, such as preserving larger areas of pristine forest.
A University of Arizona-led team used air-based maps of plant chemistry to better understand tropical forest responses to climate change. By combining traditional on-the-ground measurements with aerial data, researchers improved carbon cycling models and gained insights into the role of forests in the global carbon cycle.
Researchers found that small forest remnants on farmland can store more carbon in the topsoil layer and host fewer ticks than larger forests. These tiny woodlands also provide benefits for roe deer populations and offer a lower risk of contracting tick-borne diseases.
NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission found light rain falling at a rate of 0.4 inches per hour in Tropical Depression 21E. The depression, which never matured into a tropical storm, is expected to dissipate by Nov 21.
A study reveals a decline in forest carbon storage time, hindering forests' ability to absorb and re-emit carbon. Forests are crucial for regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, and increased tree mortality is contributing to this decline.
Scientists at Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ developed an approach using recent satellite data to estimate Amazon forest biomass with greater precision. This enables more accurate assessments of the consequences of droughts and forest fires on the Amazon.
NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission found a small area of heavy rain in Tropical Cyclone Kyarr, with rainfall rates reaching 1.6 inches per hour around the storm's center. The weakening storm is expected to dissipate before reaching Socotra Island.
A new special issue of World Development examines the ways forests serve to alleviate poverty around the world. Research highlights the importance of forests in promoting broader prosperity, including through community-based forest enterprises, ecotourism, and ecosystem services.
Biologists have documented the widespread presence of the notorious chytrid fungus in 80 species of frogs from lowland rainforest sites in the Peruvian Amazon. The study found that even lowland frogs with high levels of fungal infection showed no external signs of disease, suggesting they could serve as a large disease reservoir.
A study reveals that fungal types and accumulation rates mediate tree-neighborhood interactions, driving species coexistence in subtropical forests. The findings suggest a key role for pathogenic fungi and mutualists in shaping diversity patterns.
Researchers at UNH found a significant decline in frost days and ice days in northern forests across the US and Canada. This change could have serious implications for ecosystems, water supplies, economies, tourism, and human health. Cold temperatures help prevent disease spread and manage insects detrimental to trees.
A Dartmouth-led study reveals that actively managed mixed wood forests in New Hampshire have significant carbon stores, both above and below ground. The research found that the forests' soil carbon is higher in subplots with more trees, especially fir and spruce species.
Tropical Storm Mitag was dropping heavy rainfall along South Korea's coastal areas, with light rain falling over the rest of the country. The Global Precipitation Measurement mission found heaviest rain in scattered areas over eastern and southern coasts.
A study by University of California, Davis, found that high-severity fires are turning forest patches into shrub fields, indefinitely in some cases. The researchers suggest a multifaceted management approach to help forests adapt and preserve plant diversity.
Tropical Storm Karen has brought heavy rain to Puerto Rico, with the GPM core satellite detecting rainfall rates exceeding 1.6 inches per hour in the Atlantic Ocean and central Puerto Rico. Forecasters predict additional rainfall accumulations of 1-2 inches across the territory.
A new study reveals that the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) significantly impacts daily rainfall patterns in Sumatra. The MJO brings cloudy, rain periods and sunny, drier periods, with greater potential for significant rain events when active near the Maritime Continent.
NASA's Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) estimated heavy rainfall totals of 16-24 inches between Freeport and Beaumont, Texas, and 6 inches in southwestern Louisiana. The IMERG product provides near-real-time rain estimates every 30 minutes, combining satellite observations with other data sources.
Tropical Depression Imelda brought heavy rainfall to northeastern Texas, with NASA estimating over 10 inches of rain fell between Houston and Beaumont. The storm's rainfall totals are expected to produce significant flash floods, prompting flash flood watches for parts of eastern Texas and western Louisiana.
The Pan-Borneo Highway will severely degrade Borneo's last expanses of intact forest, increasing pressures on loggers, poachers, and farmers. The network of highways would isolate Sabah's forests from the rest of Borneo, cutting off endangered species' habitats.
Researchers at the University of Seville studied the pine forests in the Iberian Peninsula to understand factors that make conservation successful. They found that climate, radiation, and temperature influenced the success of translocation, and recommended planting in winter or spring with proper watering.
Researchers measured VOC concentrations using unmanned aerial vehicles over central Amazonia's plateau and slope forests. Isoprene levels were found to be significantly higher in near-canopy atmosphere over plateau forests compared to slope forests.
Heavy rainfall from Hurricane Dorian has left over three feet of rain in the Bahamas and is now affecting South Carolina, with accumulation totals exceeding 10 inches off-shore. NASA's IMERG product provides near-realtime rain estimates using satellite observations, helping to track the storm's movement and intensity.
Researchers found that temperature influences functional traits between plants and microbes, leading to changes in nutrient cycling and carbon processing. As temperatures varied from tropical to boreal forests, the team observed shifts in bacterial genes tied to these processes.
NASA estimated hurricane rainfall totals for the Bahamas, with excessive rain accumulation reported on Grand Bahama Island and Abaco Island. The storm's center was north of the Bahamas, moving further north parallel to Florida's east coast.
A new study by Penn State researcher Marc Abrams suggests that white-tailed deer browsing has not impacted forest canopies, but rather slowed the densification process. Forests are becoming increasingly dense due to a lack of fire and increased deer populations.
A new PSU study estimates that snowfall frequency will decline across the Pacific Northwest by 2100, with low- and mid-elevation sites like the Cascades experiencing the largest declines. Global efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions can slow this rate of decline.
The NASA IMERG algorithm provides near-realtime precipitation estimates for Hurricane Dorian, showing storm-total rain accumulation exceeding 24 inches over the Grand Bahama and Abaco Islands. The hurricane's trajectory is expected to bring it dangerously close to the Florida east coast late today through Wednesday evening.
A new study published in Frontiers found that Amazon deforestation causes local climates to warm, particularly in areas with severe tree cover loss. Intact forests maintained more climate stability, while disturbed forests experienced larger temperature increases during dry periods.