Excess phosphorus may reach U.S. rivers, lakes, and groundwater through water main leaks and outdoor water use.
ecosystems
Native Plants Are Hiding Up High, but Invaders Are Catching Up
Far from pristine outposts of nature, mountains across the world are being rapidly colonized by non-native plants that spread uphill along roads.
Las hojas están brotando más temprano en el Sendero de los Apalaches
Imágenes satelitales de nuevas y brillantes hojas revelan cambios que producirán un efecto de cascada en diversos ecosistemas al este de los Estados Unidos.
Starry Nights Are Disappearing
Stars dim as the sky gets brighter, a result of expanding cities and bright LEDs. Simple low-tech changes can help preserve dark night skies.
Selectively Logged Forests Are Not Broken
Borneo’s logged forests are buzzing with life and have unrealized conservation potential.
Scientists EEAGER-ly Track Beavers Across Western United States
Efficiently tracking nature’s engineers—beavers—at the scale of entire watersheds over time is now possible, thanks to a new artificial intelligence–trained model called EEAGER.
Leaves Are Springing Up Earlier Along the Appalachian Trail
Satellite images of lustrous new leaves reveal changes that will have cascading effects on diverse ecosystems in the eastern United States.
The Importance of Springs and Why Humanity Needs to Protect Them
A new book explores why springs are critical for humanity and ecosystems, the threats they are facing, and how we can act now to protect and restore them.
Understanding Enhanced Arsenic Pollution in Shallow Lakes
A new study explains why the arsenic that has accumulated in lake bottom sediments is more harmful to the lake ecosystems in shallow lakes.
The World’s Roots Are Getting Shallower
Root-filled soils are hot spots of nutrient cycling and carbon storage. New research finds that the world has lost millions of cubic meters of rooted soil volume—and we’re on track to lose much more.