Harder to analyze and quantify, diffuse pollution is often overlooked when it comes to water quality assessments.
deforestation
Rising Seas and Agriculture Created Wetlands Along the U.S. East Coast
Most of the tidal marshes along the eastern coast of the United States formed within the past 6,000 years due to a combination of slowly rising seas and European colonization.
How Forest Degradation Affects Carbon and Water Cycles
Forest degradation may be as widespread as deforestation in the Amazon, but its impact on energy, carbon, and water fluxes is less well understood.
A Dirty Truth: Humans Began Accelerating Soil Erosion 4,000 Years Ago
Recent research combining analysis of carbon dating, sediment accumulation rates, and pollen records from 632 lake beds worldwide finds deforestation tied to increased soil erosion.
Deforestation Could Exacerbate Drought in the Amazon
Researchers use high-resolution satellite images to parse the effects of land use changes on the energy balance between the rain forest and the atmosphere.
Ousted Head of Science Agency Criticizes Brazil’s Denial of Deforestation Data
Ricardo Galvão was fired from the institute that monitors deforestation in the Amazon. Now he and other scientists are speaking out against attacks on science.
Global Tree Cover Loss Continues but Is Down from Peak Highs
New data show that an area of tropical tree forest cover the size of Nicaragua was lost in 2018.
Will the Desert Darken Your Door?
Wildfires are becoming more common as climate changes. So too are the arid landscapes that spread in their wake.
Conserving Riverside Habitat Could Bolster Bottom Lines
Palm oil is in demand, and its agricultural footprint is expanding in the tropics. New research suggests that habitat buffers could improve conservation and prevent erosion that cuts into economic returns.
Measuring Emissions from Smoldering Peat Fires
A new study measures emission factors for tropical peatland fires in Malaysia.