Wildfires can destroy large tracts of vegetation. But their smoke plumes may help crops and other plants use sunlight more efficiently.
Climate Change
Posted inNews
The Give and Take of Mercury in Glacial Landscapes
As glacial ice melts, toxic mercury is released into the environment. But a new study shows vegetation may be an effective cleanup crew.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Southern California Climate Change over 100,000 Years
Researchers used a sediment core from a lake in California’s San Bernardino Mountains to track the effect of climate on vegetation, fire, and erosion between about 120,000 and 15,000 years ago.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Understanding Tropical Rainfall Projections Under Climate Change
A new mechanism explains changes in the probability distribution of tropical rainfall, which is not expected to change uniformly in a warming climate.
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Cortes de Energía, PG&E y el Futuro Vacilante de la Ciencia
Mientras los legisladores debaten sobre los apagones como una medida paliativa para resolver el problema de los incendios forestales en Estados Unidos, la ciencia pende de un hilo.
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Starting (and Stopping) a Fire to Study It
Fire experiments on peatlands in Southeast Asia have identified previously unknown emissions patterns and could point to ways to detect these smoldering fires before they become too big to fight.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
How to Read Atmospheric History Written in Flowstones
Oxygen isotope ratios in cave deposits reflect past climates, but interpreting these data is not straightforward. A new study explores what these ratios really tell us.
Posted inNews
30 by 30: A Push to Protect U.S. Land and Water
The effort to conserve at least 30% of U.S. land and ocean by 2030 is part of an international push for conservation aiming to protect biodiversity and mitigate climate change impacts.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Oceanic Mixing Influences Development of ENSO Cycle
Changes in oceanic turbulence act to regulate the sea surface temperature during the evolution of the El Niño Southern Oscillation cycle.
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Helping Alaskan Communities Facing Climate Risks
Scientists examine how best to use science to help communities respond to rapid climate change in the Arctic.