Nature’s Vital Signs, Using Bioindicators to Understand Ecosystem Health – Dr Paul Montagna, Texas A&M
Original Article Reference https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA243 Share Episode About this episodeThe 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill was an environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico that may take decades to recover. In the immediate wake of the crisis,...
Resilient Cropping Systems for a Sustainable Future – Dr Amélie Gaudin, University of California, Davis
Original Article Reference https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA230 Share Episode About this episodeDr Amélie Gaudin at the University of California, Davis explores ways to develop more efficient and resilient cropping systems. Here we take a closer look at just...
Investigating the Role of Land Use in Climate Change – Professor Qi (Steve) Hu, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Original Article Reference https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA204 Share Episode About this episodeLand-use changes can have a significant effect on regional climates. Professor Qi Hu from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln uses climate models to study the...
Changing the Landscape of Geology, Forecasting Earthquakes – Professor Friedemann T. Freund, NASA Ames Research Center
Original Article Reference https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA217 Share Episode About this episodeImagine a world where we knew about earthquakes before they strike – days before a potentially lethal event. A world with an early warning system that would give...
New Perspectives on Marine Ecology: Technology Informs Oceanic Carbon Models – Dr Mark D. Ohman, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Original Article Reference https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA266 Share Episode About this episodeThe world’s oceans are responsible for absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to mitigate its warming effect on the planet....
Protecting the Plains, A Comprehensive Approach to Invasive Plant Control – Professor KC Olson, Kansas State University
Original Article Reference https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA219 Share Episode About this episodeAround the world, invasive species provide a major threat to global biodiversity. The Great Plains of the United States are among the most threatened ecosystems,...
Combatting the Lionfish Invasion – Dr Mark Hixon and Lab, University of Hawaii
Original Article Reference https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA220 Share Episode About this episodeLionfish are predators that typically inhabit Pacific and Indian Ocean coral reefs. In areas where they have been introduced, they have become troublesome...
An Interdisciplinary Approach to Water Management – Drs Marcellus Caldas & Melinda Daniels, Stroud Water Research Centre
Original Article Reference https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA196 Share Episode About this episodeAccording to the WHO, half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas by 2025. Therefore, managing our water resources is vital, especially...
Buzzing & Blooming, Bee-Flower Interactions in Crop Production – Professor Johanne Brunet, USDA-ARS Vegetable Crops Research Unit
Original Article Reference https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA199 Share Episode About this episodePollination by flying insects is often the forgotten key to high agricultural productivity. Dr Johanne Brunet, research ecologist at the USDA-Agricultural...
The Role of Policies in Managing Scarce Water Resources – Drs Jose Albiac, Ariel Dinar, Encarna Esteban & Dr Taher Kahil
Original Article Reference https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA185 Share Episode About this episodeWater scarcity and perverse policies may have severe effects on the environment, affecting society both directly and indirectly. A team from the Agrifood Research...
Greener Pastures, Transforming Land Management Practices in the Cattle Industry – Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University
Original Article Reference https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA183 Share Episode About this episodeIn the face of global climate change and challenges to sustainable use of renewable resources, farmers and ranchers are continually seeking best management...
The Molecular World of Aphid Feeding – Professor Gerald Reeck, Kansas State University
Original Article Reference https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA181 Share Episode About this episodeProfessor Gerald Reeck and his team at Kansas State University are investigating the molecular basis of aphid herbivory, including suppression of plant defences,...
Working Together to Achieve a Better Future for the Horticultural Industry – Dr Lynda K Deeks, Dr Chantelle N Jay and Dr Laura H Vickers
Original Article Reference https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA177 Share Episode About this episodeThe production of fresh fruit and vegetables, and ornamental plants, is often taken for granted. While producing horticultural crops and plants offers many...
Shaking Up the Physics of Vibration – Dr Wei-Chau Xie, University of Waterloo
Original Article Reference https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA186 Share Episode About this episodeNuclear power plants may be some of the most secure structures in our society, but when subjected to earthquakes, they have the potential to cause major...
Towards Low-Cost, Low-Impact Marine Renewable Energy – Drs Grace Chang and Craig Jones, Integral Consulting Inc.
As we move towards a sustainable future, there is a growing interest in marine renewable energy technologies such as marine hydrokinetic devices and offshore wind turbines. However, the viability of these technologies and the potential environmental effects associated...
A Journey Through the Ocean: A Modern Approach to Science Education – Ocean Tracks
Research in the sciences is currently undergoing a massive transformation, as technological advancements shift big data into the forefront of investigative tools, and early education is looking for solutions to keep up. The Ocean Tracks program offers a structured...
Understanding the Effects of Severe Windstorms on Buildings – Dr John Ginger, James Cook University
As natural disasters are affecting an increasing number of people worldwide, risk mitigation by design is of primary concern to engineers. One of those engineers is Dr John Ginger, Professor of Civil Engineering and Research Director of the Cyclone Testing Station at...
Collaborating for a Cleaner Future – Dr Justyna Widera-Kalinowska, Adelphi University
The greatest challenges facing humanity over the next decades involve finding renewable sources of energy and finding ways to restore natural resources such as clean water that have been polluted by industrialisation. Dr Justyna Widera-Kalinowska of Adelphi University...
Improved Drought Early Warning Science Helps Save Lives and Livelihoods in Africa – Climate Hazards Group, University of California Santa Barbara
Bringing together multidisciplinary scientists and food security analysts from UC Santa Barbara, Africa and Central America, the Climate Hazards Group develops datasets, tools and forecasts that help guide effective disaster responses and long-term development plans...
The Sargasso Sea Commission – Saving the Atlantic Golden Rainforest
The Sargasso Sea contains a unique ecosystem based upon floating seaweed. It is a marine treasure that is threatened by pollution and other human activities. The Sargasso Sea Commission, an international team of researchers and policy makers, is working to preserve...
Climate and Agricultural Resilience in the American Southwest Safeguarding Ancient Traditions Against Modern Threats – Dr Maureen McCarthy, University of Nevada
Sustaining the availability of clean water is one of the greatest challenges humanity will face, as climate change leads to hotter, more extreme weather patterns that disrupt normal snow and rainfall worldwide. These changes are predicted to hit arid climates...
Using Population Genetics to Inform Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation – Drs Eric Hallerman & Jess Jones
Conservation can be difficult work on an ever-changing planet, where human activity often runs counter to the needs of endangered species. When budgets and resources are limited, it is critical that conservation plans are designed to be as effective as possible. Dr...
A Greener Future: Leveraging Ecosystem Services in Sustainable Landscape and City Management – Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology
As global climate change and other major environmental threats advance, scientists are looking for ways to evaluate sustainable solutions for energy, agriculture and city management. Ecosystem services are benefits provided to humans by nature, and over the past two...
Circles of Hope: Circular Buffer Strip Schemes for Agriculture – Dr Sangamesh Angadi, New Mexico State University
Agriculture in the semi-arid US Southern Great Plains depends on irrigation water from the Ogallala Aquifer, the largest in the country. With the aquifer in decline, new ideas will be needed to ensure the future of irrigated agriculture in the region. Dr Sangamesh...
Frozen in Time: The Permafrost Microbiome – Professor Rachel Mackelprang, California State University, Northridge
Deep within the permafrost, viable microbial communities persist, buried for millennia. With the permafrost rapidly thawing due to global warming, these microbes are becoming more active, feeding on previously frozen organic matter and ‘breathing’ out greenhouse...
The Modern Blanket Toss, Expanding Horizons in Alaska – Dr John D Monahan, University of Alaska
The Modern Blanket Toss program offers students attending high school in Alaska, the chance to engage in a series of learning activities using drones – focusing on the wellbeing of local communities. Dr John Monahan of the University of Alaska Fairbanks describes...
Sustaining Industry into the Future – Professor Vladimir Strezov, Macquarie University
It is becoming increasingly critical to accurately assess our methods for producing energy, so that we can prosper without continuing to damage our planet’s delicate environment. Professor Vladimir Strezov and his team at Macquarie University are uncovering the...
In Pursuit of Wild Game Investigating People’s Perceptions of Hunting – Drs Shawn J. Riley and Göran Ericsson
Hunting is among the most ancient of human activities, and still plays a major role in obtaining food for many people worldwide. Dr Shawn Riley and Dr Göran Ericsson work to understand the volume and distribution of wild-harvested meat, how this meat moves through...
California Hydrology in a Warmer World – Dr Robert J. Allen, University of California, Riverside
Scientists rely on large-scale computer models to further their understanding of the Earth’s environment, as well as to predict what the climate will be like in the future. Consisting of complex computer code, many of today’s models have actually been in development...
How NASA’s Satellites Are Mapping the Way for Global Policy – Vanessa M. Escobar and Dr Molly E. Brown
NASA’s satellite technologies have provided a wealth of data about the planet, and can be tailored into usable products to support major decision makers across the world. Vanessa M. Escobar and Molly E. Brown are working to bring these data products to decision-making...