Environmental News

Fuel efficiency for agricultural fertilizers:

Applying auto industry's fuel-efficiency standards to agriculture could net billions -- ScienceDaily

Sciencedaily seems not to have included the link:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-018-0143-8

 

Endangered Species Act has recently been curtailed to some degree. There may be a stringently neutral place to read about it, unknown to me. I regard Center for Biological Diversity as not too far afield, and so link to 3 of their recent news releases:

Analysis: Trump Administration Withholding Lifesaving Protection for 78 Species

Leaked Trump Administration Memo: Keep Public in Dark About How Endangered Species Decisions Are Made

Hundreds of Top Scientists Urge Trump Administration to Withdraw Endangered Species Act Changes

 

On behalf of 'listed' and 'near-listed' bird species, unintentional pun is duly noted.

 

It is very easy to oppose this policy:

China allows use of tiger and rhino products, infuriating wildlife activists - CNN

 

Increasing energy access:

To End Poverty, Increase Access to Energy - Scientific American Blog Network

I doubt it would end poverty, but would help in very many ways.

Obviously there are other ways to do this than by additional coal burning. Arguably better ways.

 

2018 WWF report:

Living Planet Report 2018 | Pages | WWF

 

Much shorter to read, similar topic:

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07183-6

 

Regarding energy access in Africa, take a few moments for this overview:

Africa electrification rate slowest globally — Quartz Africa

 

Growing crops under adverse circumstances:

How one tough shrub could help fight hunger in Africa: New study finds drought-resistant native plant can irrigate food crops -- ScienceDaily

Phenomenon of hydraulic lift means a deep-root species can increase water availability to other species with different architecture. Frequently studied in natural systems having seasonal drought. I was not aware of any role in agriculture.

 

US shellfish harvests diminished, with apparent connection to warmer waters:

Decline in Commercial Shellfish Landings Likely Linked to Environmental Factors, Not Overfishing

 

Overharvesting was also examined.

In contrast, lobster harvests are high (think we hit that already). With impeded US sales to China, Canada is filling that gap.

 

Won't ignite readers like my typical posts but a very common and under appreciated process is highlighted:

Half of the world's annual precipitation falls in just 12 days: Climate change likely to make global precipitation more uneven -- ScienceDaily

A large proportion of total rainfall occurs in a few intense storms. People knew this. First author has been publishing on the topic for years.

Is is also more general. Most sediments and chemicals are transported by rivers in flood. Most trees burn in brief 'firestorms'. Wave damage to offshore drilling structures. I am unaware of any thorough compilation of processes with 'fat right tails'.

OTOH, other processes have strong central distributions. Both photosynthesis and decomposition are that way. It is perhaps tempting to think that processes with many interacting rate-limiting steps are 'central' and those with a single fault mode (for lack of a better term) are the other way.

But here I cannot hope for more than to get folks to appreciate that both types of distributions occur and dominate different processes.

 

Map air-quality data and rank it with public health consequences:

The Index - AQLI

Himalayan slope of India has always seemed odd to me. I think they just burn whatever and have absurd indoor air quality. There at least, methods deserve a closer look.