A first-of-its-kind study combining paleoecology and archeology indicates that the New England landscape was not actively managed with fire prior to European arrival.
plants
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Wildfire Smoke Boosts Photosynthetic Efficiency
Wildfires can destroy large tracts of vegetation. But their smoke plumes may help crops and other plants use sunlight more efficiently.
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 inNews
Iconic Palms Add to Fire Danger in Southern California
As fires burn across Southern California, researchers examine what role nonnative vegetation plays.
Posted inNews
Foretelling Forest Death from Above
A satellite-based early-warning signal may spot the start of a forest’s decline and give forest managers more time to save its life.
Posted inNews
600 Years of Grape Harvests Document 20th Century Climate Change
A 664-year record of grape harvest dates from Burgundy, France, reveals significantly warmer temperatures since 1988.
Posted inNews
Turning the Arctic Brown
For a generation, the tundra has seen an increasing growth of vegetation, a process known as Arctic greening. A more accurate term might be “Arctic browning.”
Posted inNews
As Climate Changes, So Does the Apple as Rising Temperatures Push Growers Higher Into Himalayas
Climatic factors have wreaked havoc on India’s apple crops by disrupting natural flowering seasons and pollination systems. The shape, size, and quality of Himalayan apples have changed.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Tropical Forests May Have More Canopy Than Previously Thought
A rare attempt to directly estimate leaf area in a tropical African broadleaved forest suggests that there may be more tree foliage than previously estimated.
Posted inEditors' Vox
Organic Gases Released and Taken Up by Soil Lack Quantification
Soils both emit and take up different biogenic volatile organic compounds, altering the chemical composition of the atmosphere and influencing local, regional, and global climate.