Enhanced tree growth could significantly offset carbon emissions, but some researchers say it’s not enough to compete with forest disturbances.
North America
El derretimiento del hielo marino del océano Ártico potencia las mareas
Si el cambio climático anula el ciclo estacional de hielo y deshielo, se desencadenaría un ciclo de retroalimentación de derretimiento del hielo marino en algunas partes del Ártico canadiense.
A Drier or Wetter Future for Southwestern North America?
Bhattacharya et al. present evidence that expansion of the North American Monsoon explains a wetter southwest in the mid-Pliocene and suggest this mechanism can explain current monsoon variations.
Last Tree Standing
Refugia repopulate forests after fires, but climate change is making these woodlands increasingly unpredictable.
Monitoring Moisture from Afar
Undisturbed tropical rain forests are experiencing more frequent droughts, but the ecosystems are isolated and difficult to assess. Scientists are using remote sensing to expand the depth and scope of monitoring efforts.
Incredible Journeys on the Crown of the Continent
Living in Geologic Time: The making, breaking, and backpacking of North America’s Continental Divide.
What Caused the Open Habitat Transition in the West-Central U.S.?
Between 26-15 My ago, forests covering west-central North America gave way to open, grassy habitats. Now, oxygen isotope records suggest this shift is owed to drier winters and increased aridity.
Western U.S. “Megafloods” Might Not Have Been So Mega
The flooding that carved eastern Washington State 20,000 to 12,000 years ago could have been 80% smaller than the canyons’ volume today.
The Role of Magma in the Birth of the Atlantic Ocean
High-resolution seismic models of the Nova Scotia margin reveal a role for magmatism in continental breakup, even at magma-poor sections of the eastern North American margin.
Crowdsourced Science Helps Map Vancouver’s “Smellscape”
Exposure to stinky odors can affect human health, but quantifying smells can be difficult.