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Categories: Archaeology: General, Environmental: Ecosystems
Published Study provides long-term look at ways to control wildfire in sagebrush steppe ecosystem
(via sciencedaily.com) New research provides the first long-term study of methods to control the spread of wildfire in the sagebrush steppe ecosystem that dominates parts of the western United States.
Published New research documents domestic cattle genetics in modern bison herds
(via sciencedaily.com) A new study has revealed the strongest evidence to date that all bison in North America carry multiple small, but clearly identifiable, regions of DNA that originated from domestic cattle.
Published Are new carbon sinks appearing in the Arctic?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Global warming can result in the spread of peatland vegetation in the Arctic. An international research group has discovered signs of 'proto-peat', which may be the beginning of new peatlands.
Published Nonlethal parasites reduce how much their wild hosts eat, leading to ecosystem effects
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Pervasive parasitic infections reduce herbivory rates and can therefore trigger trophic cascades that impact plant communities, according to new research. This work helps fill a recognized knowledge gap regarding the ecological consequences of parasitic infections in natural ecosystems.
Published The forest as a shelter for insects in warmer climates?
(via sciencedaily.com) Insect diversity is declining in Bavaria. Land use is a major driver, but the impact of climate change is still unknown. A study has now investigated in more detail how both factors interact in driving insect diversity and what can be done to conserve it.
Published New method can predict summer rainfall in the Southwest months in advance
(via sciencedaily.com) As reservoir levels dwindle in the Southwest, scientists have developed a method to estimate summer rainfall in the region months in advance. These seasonal predictions can enable state and local officials to make key reservoir and water allocation decisions earlier in the season and support more efficient water management.
Published With dwindling water supplies, the timing of rainfall matters
(via sciencedaily.com) A new study shows it's not how much extra water you give your plants, but when you give it that counts. Researchers observed that in summer, plants grow more when given extra water, in addition to any natural rainfall. However, the same is not true in winter.
Published Deserts 'breathe' water vapor, study shows
(via sciencedaily.com) Deserts may seem lifeless and inert, but they are very much alive. Sand dunes, in particular, grow and move -- and according to a decades long research project, they also 'breathe' humid air.
Published Why groundwater is one of our most precious resources
(via sciencedaily.com) From the Murray-Darling system to Great Artesian Basin, 'invisible' underground groundwater is often the only water supply available across the vast majority Australia where its annual contribution to GDP is estimated at more than $6.8 billion a year. However, overuse of groundwater during droughts and aquifer depletion has already seen water crises, including in Australia's 'food bowl' the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), California and Cape Town in South Africa, with more likely to follow with groundwater management largely reactive and unlikely to avert more crises as climate change accelerates and populations grow.
Published Wax-coated sand keeps soil wet longer, improves crop yields in arid regions
(via sciencedaily.com) Dry, hot regions are difficult places to grow plants because the soil dries out quickly. As a result, farmers in arid and semi-arid regions irrigate their fields with buried networks of irrigation tubing and cover the ground with plastic sheets. But plastic sheets are expensive and create waste. Now, researchers have developed a simple, biodegradable ground cover -- wax-coated sand -- which keeps soil wet and increases crop yields.
Published How to clean solar panels without water
(via sciencedaily.com) Dust that accumulates on solar panels is a major problem, but washing the panels uses huge amounts of water. Engineers have now developed a waterless cleaning method to remove dust on solar installations in water-limited regions, improving overall efficiency.
Published Stalagmites trace climate history and impact from volcanic eruptions
(via sciencedaily.com) The soils and vegetation of Patagonia's fjord regions form a unique and highly sensitive ecosystem that is closely linked to marine ecosystems, sediment deposition and carbon storage in the ocean. A research team has been working on reconstructing the climate history of this region in this extremely wet, rainy and inaccessible fjord and island zone of the Patagonian Andes in southern Chile. Due to its location, the area is a key region for understanding the history of the southern westerly wind belt within the global climate system.
Published Large mammals can help climate change mitigation and adaptation
(via sciencedaily.com) A new study investigates whether protecting and restoring large animal wildlife can help to support climate change goals.
Published Following rain, desert microbes exhale potent greenhouse gas
(via sciencedaily.com) New research shows how, after it rains, microbes in desert soil convert one form of pollution into another -- laughing gas.
Published These solar panels pull in water vapor to grow crops in the desert
(via sciencedaily.com) Using a unique hydrogel, scientists have created a solar-driven system that successfully grows spinach by using water drawn from the air while producing electricity. The proof-of-concept design offers a sustainable, low-cost strategy to improve food and water security for people living in dry-climate regions.
Published Being near pollinator habitat linked to larger soybean size
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have found that soybean crops planted near pollinator habitat produce larger soybeans than soybean crops that are not planted near pollinator habitat.
Published Risk of soil degradation and desertification in Europe’s Mediterranean may be more serious than realized
(via sciencedaily.com) Due to human-caused pressures and global warming, some soils in Europe's Mediterranean region are reaching what the researchers refer to as 'critical limits for their ability to provide ecosystem services,' which include farming and absorbing carbon, among others. Perhaps even more troubling, the problem could be even more extensive than we realize, says an author of a new study.
Published What lies beneath: Roots as drivers of South African landscape pattern
(via sciencedaily.com) Research findings suggest that alternative stable states can be maintained through biotic mechanisms, such as root traits, in addition to the commonly understood abiotic factors like climate. This insight is critical to conserving threatened ecosystems around the world.
Published Ancient Mesopotamian discovery transforms knowledge of early farming
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have unearthed the earliest definitive evidence of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) in ancient Iraq, challenging our understanding of humanity's earliest agricultural practices.
Published Watering holes bring together wildlife, and their parasites
(via sciencedaily.com) The sun rises on the savannas of central Kenya. Grasses sway in the wind as hoof-steps fall on the dusty ground. A menagerie of Africa's iconic wildlife congregates around a watering hole to quench their thirst during the region's dry season.