Ecosystems – Page 2 – PossibleThreat Articles

A tool to understand how ecosystems are responding to a changing climate

October 3, 2019 0 Comments Climate, Earthquakes, Ecology, Ecosystems, Environmental Awareness, Environmental Issues, Global Warming, Weather

As climate change accelerates, recording shifts in plant flowering times is critical to understanding how changes in climate will impact ecosystem interactions. To help measure these shifts, researchers have introduced a new quantitative measure of phenological status, called the 'phenological index,' that improves scoring of developmental stage in herbarium specimens, and predicts a higher degree of phenological advancement in response to climate change.

News Science

Grouping 'smart cities' into types may help aspiring city planners find a path

October 2, 2019 0 Comments Ecosystems, Energy Policy, Sustainability, Telecommunications, Textiles and Clothing, Transportation Issues, Travel and Recreation, Urbanization, Weather

A comparative analysis of 'smart cities' worldwide reveals four distinct types, according to researchers. The categories may help city planners to identify and emulate models that are close to their own socio-economic circumstances and policy aspirations.

News Science

Seagrass meadows harbor wildlife for centuries, highlighting need for conservation

October 2, 2019 0 Comments Biodiversity, Ecology, Ecology Research, Ecosystems, Fish, Marine Biology, Nature, Sustainability

Seagrass meadows put down deep roots, persisting in the same spot for hundreds and possibly thousands of years, a new study shows. Researchers used modern and fossil shells from seagrass-dwelling animals to estimate the age of these meadows, showing that, far from being transient patches of underwater weeds, they are remarkably stable over time.

News Science

Managing stormwater and stream restoration projects together

October 2, 2019 0 Comments Drought Research, Ecology, Ecosystems, Environmental Issues, Floods, Pollution, Sustainability, Water

A unified approach may benefit water quality, environment more than piecemeal.

News Science

Santa Barbara coastline: Preparing for the future

September 30, 2019 0 Comments Climate, Ecology, Ecosystems, Environmental Awareness, Environmental Issues, Environmental Policy, Global Warming, Oceanography

Santa Barbara County residents love their coastline, from the small-town beaches of Carpinteria to Santa Barbara's waterfront to camping hotspots like Jalama Beach and dramatic Guadalupe Dunes. But drastic changes are in store in coming decades as temperatures and sea levels rise, bringing massive impacts to local ecology and human systems.

News Science

New tool provides critical information for addressing the global water crisis

September 30, 2019 0 Comments Drought Research, Ecosystems, Energy Policy, Environmental Issues, Nature of Water, Nuclear Energy, Sports Science, Water

There has been a critical gap in the ability to identify which households experience issues with reliably accessing safe water in sufficient quantities for all household uses, from drinking and cooking to bathing and cleaning — until now.

News Science

Fungicides as an underestimated hazard for freshwater organisms

September 17, 2019 0 Comments Biodiversity, Ecology, Ecology Research, Ecosystems, Fungus, Microbiology, Organic, Water

Large amounts of fungicides, used in agriculture, leak into nearby surface waters. The effects of it on aquatic organisms are poorly understood and not specifically addressed in the EU regulatory frameworks with respect to the protection of surface waters. Scientists have found that pollution by fungicides can have unforeseen but far-reaching consequences for the functioning of aquatic systems — like indirect effects on the development of algal blooms.