Environmental News
Environmental News
Chimpanzees in Guinea Learn to Deactivate Traps Set by Humans
Yale Environment 360 - Fri, 09/03/2010 - 10:43
Researchers in the African nation of Guinea have observed male chimps in the wild that have learned to spring snares set by humans without getting caught in the traps. Their findings, reported in the journal Primates, apparently mark the first time that chimps have been observed demonstrating the intelligence needed to identify a snare and then figure out how to deactivate it without being caught or injured. iStockphoto.com On six different occasions, the researchers saw five separate male chimps approach the snares and attempt to render them inoperable by shaking them until they sprung or knocking out a sapling that springs the trap. On two occasions, the scientists reported, the chimps successfully deactivated the traps, and on none of the six occasions did any of the chimps get caught in the snares. Humans lay snares across the African jungle to catch bushmeat, killing or injuring countless animals. However, the researchers reported few injuries among the chimps in the Bossou region of Guinea, possibly because the chimps there have learned to identify the snares and either render them harmless or avoid them.
Categories: Environmental News
Eighty Percent of Farmland Carved Out of Forests in Tropics, Study Says
Yale Environment 360 - Fri, 09/03/2010 - 10:15
More than 80 percent of the agricultural land created in the developing world between 1980 and 2000 came from cutting down tropical forests, a continuing trend that has serious implications for biodiversity loss and global warming, according to a study by Stanford University researchers. Analyzing Landsat satellite data, the researchers determined that roughly half a million square miles of new farmland — an area roughly the size of Alaska — came into being in tropical regions during the 20-year period. Roughly 55 percent of the felled tropical forests were intact forests and 28 percent were forests that had experienced some degradation, such as small-scale farming and logging. Lead researcher Holly Gibbs said the destruction of so much tropical forest has major implications for climate change, since every million acres that is cut releases the same amount of carbon as 40 million cars. Gibbs and her colleagues, reporting in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said that population growth in the next half-century could mean a doubling of land needed for agriculture, likely leading to the loss of millions more acres of tropical forest. But Gibbs highlighted one encouraging sign, which is that the main drivers of forest destruction now are not small farmers but big agribusiness, which is more susceptible to pressure campaigns from environmental groups and consumers.
Categories: Environmental News
Fear of Wolf Predation Is Not Slowing Over-Browsing by Elk
Yale Environment 360 - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 10:28
A new study contradicts the widely held hypothesis that fear of recently reintroduced wolves in Yellowstone National Park would force elk to browse more selectively and therefore lead to a resurgence of growth of aspen trees. In fact, a study conducted by Matthew Kauffman, a scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey, found that since wolves were reintroduced in the park in 1995, elk have continued to browse young aspen at a rapid rate, preventing the trees from re-growing in many sections of Yellowstone. Relying on a map showing areas where elk have been killed by wolves in the park, Kauffman discovered that even in those areas — where grazing should theoretically have been reduced in a so-called “landscape of fear” — elk consumed young aspen at a rate similar to regions where wolf packs were not as active. Writing in the journal Ecology, Kauffman said that while elk have changed their foraging behavior somewhat in response to the wolf reintroduction, the changes do not appear to be sufficient to cause a revival of aspen stands. Since the reintroduction of wolves, elk populations have declined by roughly 60 percent in Yellowstone, but Kauffman concluded that they would have to decline even further to bring about a regeneration of aspen.
Categories: Environmental News
Commercial Organic Farms Produce Superior Soil and Fruit, Study Says
Yale Environment 360 - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 09:50
The most comprehensive study to date comparing commercial organic farms with conventional farms shows that the organic farms produce more flavorful and nutritious fruit and help create soils with superior chemical and biological properties. Researchers from Washington State University, conducting a multi-disciplinary study of 13 organic and 13 conventional strawberry farms in California, found that the organic strawberries had significantly higher antioxidant activity and concentrations of ascorbic acid; had a longer shelf life; contained more dry matter, or “more strawberry in the strawberry”; led to superior soils with improved carbon sequestration, microbial biomass, enzyme activities, and micronutrients; and produced strawberries whose flavor matched or exceeded the taste of berries from conventional farms, which use pesticides and herbicides. “Our findings have global implications and advance what we know about the sustainability benefits of organic farming systems,” said John Reganold, lead author of the study, published in the journal PLoS ONE. “We also show that you can have high quality, healthy produce without resorting to an arsenal of pesticides.”
Categories: Environmental News
Commercial Organic Farms Produce Superior Soil and Fruit, Study Says
Yale Environment 360 - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 09:50
The most comprehensive study to date comparing commercial organic farms with conventional farms shows that the organic farms produce more flavorful and nutritious fruit and help create soils with superior chemical and biological properties. Researchers from Washington State University, conducting a multi-disciplinary study of 13 organic and 13 conventional strawberry farms in California, found that the organic strawberries had significantly higher antioxidant activity and concentrations of ascorbic acid; had a longer shelf life; contained more dry matter, or “more strawberry in the strawberry”; led to superior soils with improved carbon sequestration, microbial biomass, enzyme activities, and micronutrients; and produced strawberries whose flavor matched or exceeded the taste of berries from conventional farms, which use pesticides and herbicides. “Our findings have global implications and advance what we know about the sustainability benefits of organic farming systems,” said John Reganold, lead author of the study, published in the journal PLoS ONE. “We also show that you can have high quality, healthy produce without resorting to an arsenal of pesticides.”
Categories: Environmental News
A Steady, Steep Decline for The Lowly, Uncharismatic Eel
Yale Environment 360 - Thu, 09/02/2010 - 07:27
The freshwater eel, which spawns in the middle of the ocean, was once abundant in much of the world. But the proliferation of dams, coastal development, and overfishing have drastically reduced eel populations, with few defenders coming to the aid of these fascinating — though still not fully understood — creatures. BY JAMES PROSEK
Categories: Environmental News
Deforestation in Brazilian Amazon Dropped 48 Percent in Last Year, Agency Says
Yale Environment 360 - Wed, 09/01/2010 - 09:54
Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research reported that deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon declined 48 percent in the past year, falling from 1,689 square miles to 886 square miles for the 12-month period ending July 31. A Brazilian conservation group, Imazon, issued a more conservative estimate, saying deforestation declined by 16 percent, falling from 682 square miles to 575 square miles for the same period. The large discrepancy is because the space agency uses visual interpretation by analysts of satellite pictures, while Imazon uses an automatic deforestation detection method based on satellite photos. Both track the “deforestation year” ending on July 31, when cloud cover is minimal. The government said stricter enforcement of environmental laws contributed to the drop in deforestation, while environmental groups said it was a temporary decline related to the global recession. The continuing threat of deforestation in the Amazon and surrounding regions was highlighted by the release of a NASA satellite photo showing a 1,500-mile pall of smoke hovering over central South America, particularly in Bolivia. Most of the estimated 150,000 fires were set by people clearing forest for grazing and agriculture.
Categories: Environmental News
New U.S. Ratings System Proposed For Vehicle Emissions and Efficiency
Yale Environment 360 - Tue, 08/31/2010 - 10:52
The Obama administration has proposed adding new labels to showroom vehicles that give letter grades based on their fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions. The new labels, which U.S. officials hope to introduce for 2012 models, would provide consumers with more complete information on efficiency and environmental performance, including associated air pollutants. “From electric to plug-in hybrid vehicles, we think a new label is absolutely necessary to help consumers make the right decision for their wallet and for the environment,” said Gina McCarthy, an EPA assistant administrator. EPA/DOTThe proposed letter-grade label Under the proposal, the average vehicle would receive a grade of B- for fuel efficiency and emissions, federal officials say. Electric vehicles would get an A+, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles would receive an A, and gas-electric hybrids, such as the Ford Fusion and Toyota Prius, would receive an A-. Meanwhile, many luxury vehicles, such as the Mercedes-Benz Maybach 57 would get a D+ or D, the lowest grade. The agencies are asking for public comment on two label designs, which can be viewed online. The second design omits a letter grade but has information on greenhouse gas emissions and a graph showing how the vehicle compares with others.
Categories: Environmental News
Climate Change Skeptic Changes Stance and Calls for Action
Yale Environment 360 - Tue, 08/31/2010 - 10:15
In an upcoming book, high-profile global warming skeptic Bjorn Lomborg acknowledges that rising temperatures are “undoubtedly one of the chief concerns facing the world today” and calls for investing $100 billion annually to deal with climate change. Lomborg, who has attacked environmentalists and the media for exaggerating the threat of global warming, said that while he has never denied the existence of man-made warming, he has come to believe that it is a serious challenge that must be met by a large-scale investment. His new book, Smart Solutions to Climate Change — co-written with other economists — recommends levying a tax on carbon emissions and using the proceeds to finance research and development into renewable sources of energy; developing geoengineering ideas to cool the planet, such as “cloud whitening” to reflect the sun’s energy back into space; planting more trees; and reducing soot and methane emissions, which contribute to global warming.
Categories: Environmental News
'Fundamental' IPCC Reforms Proposed by Independent Scientific Group
Yale Environment 360 - Mon, 08/30/2010 - 11:25
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) needs to fundamentally change its management structure, more carefully review the conclusions stated in its periodic reports, and more fully reflect the views of dissenting scientists, according to an independent report. The report, conducted by the InterAcademy Council (IAC) — an organization representing the World’s Science Academies — called for the creation of a full-time position of executive director, or senior scientist, to oversee the IPCC’s day-to-day operations and also said the part-time position of chairman should be limited to a term of one IPCC assessment report — roughly six to seven years. The current chairman, Getty ImagesRajendra Pachauri Rajendra K. Pachauri, is serving two six-year terms, which the IAC said is too long. The IAC also said formal qualifications should be developed for the next chair and that the IPCC should draft conflict-of-interest policies for top officials and all authors and reviewers of IPCC reports. The IAC launched the review after the IPCC was criticized for errors in its Fourth Assessment Report, including an inaccurate statement, taken from a press report, that Himalayan glaciers could melt by 2035. The IAC review recommended that the IPCC carefully review and identify all material from non-peer reviewed literature, fully describe scientific controversies that arise during its reviews, more clearly reflect dissenting views, and use a probability scale to quantify the likelihood of particular events.
Categories: Environmental News
European Biofuel Targets Spurring ‘Grabs’ of African Farmland
Yale Environment 360 - Mon, 08/30/2010 - 10:28
European renewable energy targets are driving widespread conversion of African lands for agrofuels, threatening to exacerbate hunger in poor regions and increase carbon emissions across the continent, according to a new report. National governments and private companies are increasingly acquiring agricultural land in Africa to grow crops to meet global demands for biofuels, according to the advocacy group Friends of the Earth (FoE). About one-third of the land deals result in cultivation of crops that are used as fuel sources, including jatropha, sugar cane, and palm oil, the FoE report said. That reduces the amount of farmland available to grow food crops, leading to higher food prices. The report, which looks at land deals in 11 African nations, says many of the acquisitions are done without environmental assessments or local consent. “The amount of land being taken in Africa to meet Europe’s increasing demand for biofuels is underestimated and out of control,” said Kirtana Chandrasekaran, food campaigner for FoE. The report recommends that European nations abandon their goal of achieving 10 percent of transportation fuels from biofuel sources by 2020.
Categories: Environmental News
The Effect of Clouds on Climate: A Key Mystery for Researchers
Yale Environment 360 - Mon, 08/30/2010 - 07:31
As climate scientists wrestle with the complexities of how the planet will react to rising greenhouse-gas levels, no variable is more difficult to decipher than the impact of clouds. But thanks to new satellite data and other technologies, clues are emerging that may help solve the puzzle. BY MICHAEL D. LEMONICK
Categories: Environmental News
Damage In Russia Fires Exacerbated by Putin’s Policies, Advocates Say
Yale Environment 360 - Fri, 08/27/2010 - 10:54
Environmentalists say rampant wildfires during this summer’s heat wave cost Russia more than $300 billion in forest loss, and that government cutbacks in recent years exacerbated the disaster. During a news conference, Russian environmental groups said 24 million to 29 million acres (10 to 12 million hectares) of forest were destroyed by fire, citing Global Fire Monitoring Centre data that far exceeds government estimates. They based the total financial loss on the market value of timber — about $10,400 per acre (or $25,000 per hectare) — and the cost of reforestation. And they blamed government policies initiated by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin — including initiatives to eliminate the Federal Forestry Service and cut about 150,000 forestry jobs — for making the fire damage far worse. That gutting of forestry resources left Russia helpless in the face of the record heat wave and unprecedented wildfires, the groups said. “The system of control over forests has collapsed,” said Ivan Blokov, head of Greenpeace Russia. The Russian government reported 29,500 fires during the heat wave, covering a total area of 2.3 million acres (935,000 hectares).
Categories: Environmental News
World’s Largest Solar Plant Nears Approval in California Desert
Yale Environment 360 - Fri, 08/27/2010 - 09:56
U.S. officials are expected to approve by this fall what would be the world’s biggest solar power plant, a 1,000-megawatt project in the California desert that developers say could power 800,000 homes. The Blythe Solar Power Project, which would use concentrated solar thermal technology, is to be built on 7,025 acres of public land in Riverside County, about 10 miles west of the city of Blythe. Solar Millenium LLC, the Oakland-U.S. Department of Interior based developer of the project, said it will take about six years to complete the four phases of the $6 billion solar installation. Once completed, it would nearly the double the total installed commercial-scale power capacity nationwide. Uwe T. Schmidt, executive chairman of Solar Millennium, said the Blythe facility will replace fossil fuel-powered generating plants that would have pumped two million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. The California Energy Commission recommended approval of the project earlier this month.
Categories: Environmental News
First Genetically-Altered Fish for Human Consumption Reviewed in U.S.
Yale Environment 360 - Thu, 08/26/2010 - 11:38
U.S. officials are reviewing an application for what would be the first genetically-engineered animal approved for human consumption, an Atlantic salmon modified to grow at twice the rate of normal salmon. The Food and Drug Administration will consult experts and review scientific data to evaluate whether the so-called AqAdvantage salmon — reared by Boston-based AquaBounty Technologies — is safe for humans, poses any environmental threats, or should be labeled as genetically modified. Scientists and environmentalists say the final decision, which is expected in less than a year, could either open the door to numerous genetically modified animals raised for consumption or undercut the profitability and research opportunities within the nascent industry. The process involves taking a growth hormone gene from a chinook salmon, merging it with a control DNA sequence from the eel-like ocean pout, and injecting the gene into the eggs of Atlantic salmon. While the growth hormone gene is similar to the Atlantic salmon's, the ocean pout control sequence directs the gene to produce hormone year-round rather than just in the summer.
Categories: Environmental News
Canada Lists BPA as Toxic
Yale Environment 360 - Thu, 08/26/2010 - 10:48
The Canadian government is adding bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in thousands of everyday plastics, to its register of toxic substances. The primary component of hard and clear polycarbonate plastics, BPA is found in many water bottles, baby bottles, and the linings of canned foods. Among other concerns, studies have shown that BPA can cause immune system disorders and disrupt development in animals. According to a recent report by Statistics Canada, 91 percent of people tested had BPA in their urine, with the highest concentrations among children. Two years ago, Canada banned the sale of polycarbonate plastic baby bottles containing BPA. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is investigating whether to include the chemical on its list of chemicals of concern, and Denmark this year banned the use of BPA in materials that come in contact with food or beverages. The American Chemistry Council objected to the Canadian action, arguing for a more complete review of BPA, but the Canadian government rejected the industry group’s request.
Categories: Environmental News
Spurred by Warming Climate, Beetles Threaten Coffee Crops
Yale Environment 360 - Thu, 08/26/2010 - 07:33
Coffee production has long been vulnerable to drought or excess rains. But recently, a tiny insect that thrives in warmer temperatures — the coffee berry borer — has been spreading steadily, devastating coffee plants in Africa, Latin America, and around the world. BY ERICA WESTLY
Categories: Environmental News
Electric Car Made of Hemp Is Developed by Canadian Collaborative
Yale Environment 360 - Wed, 08/25/2010 - 10:59
A group of Canadian companies is developing an electric vehicle made of hemp, a compact car developers say will reach top speeds of 55 miles per hour and will have a range of 25 to 100 miles before requiring a battery re-charge. The Kestrel, being developed by Calgary-based Motive Industries Inc., is one of five electric vehicles planned as part of Project Eve, an auto industry collaboration looking to boost production of electric vehicles and components in Canada, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The body of the vehicle will be made of an impact-resistant composite material derived from mats of hemp, a durable fiber cultivated from the cannabis plant that Motive officials say has twice the strength of other plant fibers and does not require much water or pesticide use. The fact that hemp cannot be grown in the United States because it contains the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — and is sometimes used in the cultivation of drugs like marijuana — will give developers another market advantage, said Nathan Armstrong, president of Motive Industries.
Categories: Environmental News
World’s Smallest Frog Discovered in Forests of Borneo
Yale Environment 360 - Wed, 08/25/2010 - 10:00
Researchers tracking the planet’s rarest amphibians have discovered what they say is the world’s smallest frog, a pea-sized creature that lives inside and around pitcher plants on the island of Borneo. Scientists found the tiny amphibian, called Microhyla nepenthicola, near a roadside within Kubah National Park. They named the species after the plant on which it depends, the Nepenthes ampullaria, a type of pitcher plant that thrives in damp, shady forests. Researchers say the frogs deposit eggs on the sides of the pitcher, and
Indraneil Das/Institute of Biodiversity and Enviornmental ConservationThe world’s smallest frog tadpoles grow in water that accumulates inside the plant. Adults reach a size of only about 10.6 to 12.8 millimeters, or about a half-inch. Indraneil Das, a researcher at the Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation at the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, said he’s seen century-old specimens of the frog in museums but scientists thought they were the juveniles of other species. Das is one of the scientists tracking “lost amphibians” for Conservation International and the IUCN’s Amphibians Specialist Group. The findings are published in the journal Zootaxa.Categories: Environmental News
Americans Used Less Energy And More Renewables in 2009, Study Shows
Yale Environment 360 - Tue, 08/24/2010 - 10:52
U.S. energy use fell in 2009 and Americans used more wind and solar power and less electricity generated by burning coal and natural gas, according to a survey by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Using data from the U.S. Department of Energy, the laboratory said energy use fell from 99.2 quadrillion BTUs (quads) in 2008 to 94.6 quadrillion BTUs in 2009, a drop of nearly 5 percent. Laboratory analysts said that while some of the decline was due to the
Lawrence Livermore National Lab/DOEU.S. Energy Flow Chart economic recession, the drop also came about because Americans are using more efficient vehicles and appliances. The laboratory said that electricity generation from solar arrays, wind turbines, geothermal wells, and hydroelectric dams all grew from 2008 to 2009, with wind power showing the most dramatic increase, from .51 quads in 2008 to .70 quads last year. “The increase in renewables is a really good story,” said A.J. Simon, an energy analyst at the lab. “It’s a result of very good incentives and technological advances.”Categories: Environmental News