Category: Science News

In science news this week: Forest fires accelerating snowmelt across western US:  “Forest fires are causing snow to melt earlier in the season, a trend occurring across the western U.S. that may affect water supplies and trigger even more fires, according to a new study by a team of researchers at Portland State University (PSU) , the Desert Research Institute […]

In science news this week: Trucking is Mucking Up Chinook Salmon Diversity:  “We’ve all heard that “variety is the spice of life,” but a conservation biologist might suggest “variety is essential for life.” It’s understood that the more genetic diversity a population has, the more likely it will be to be able to adapt to future changes. A loss of […]

In science news this week: Reclaiming the lost population: Recent release part of plan to repopulate winter Chinook salmon in upper Battle Creek after the loss of nearly the entire in-river juvenile population during the drought of 2014 and 2015:  “Winter-run Chinook salmon are unique in that they spawn during the summer months, from mid-April to mid-August, when California is […]

In science news this week: Predicting heat waves? Look half a world away: When thunderstorms brew over the tropics, California heat wave soon to follow:  “When heavy rain falls over the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia and the eastern Pacific Ocean, it is a good indicator that temperatures in central California will reach 100°Fin four to 16 days, according to […]

In science news this week: Clams and Water Pumping Explain Phytoplankton Decline in San Francisco Estuary:  “A combination of invasive clams and water pumping explains the drastic suppression of phytoplankton in the San Francisco Estuary, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.  Previous studies linked fish declines in the estuary in part to a limited supply of […]

In science news this week: Rebuilt Wetlands Can Protect Shorelines Better Than Walls:  “On August 27, 2011, Hurricane Irene crashed into North Carolina, eviscerating the Outer Banks. The storm dumped rain shin-high and hurled three-meter storm surges against the barrier island shores that faced the mainland, destroying roads and 1,100 homes.  After the storm, a young ecologist then at the […]

In science news this week: A Honking, Fluttering Spectacle:  “The honking, fluttering spectacle of tens of thousands of snow geese in flight is a breathtaking sight—like watching “snowflakes drifting lazily across the azure sky,” in the words of naturalist and historian George Bird Grinnell. It is also a sight that would be far less common in the Sacramento Valley if […]

In science news this week: Science Spotlight: Remotely Operated Vehicle Gives Scientists an Underwater View into California’s MPAs:  “Marine scientists from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and Marine Applied Research and Exploration (MARE) recently completed an unprecedented three-year survey of deep-water habitats off the California coast using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Beginning in 2014, MARE’s ROV […]

In science news this week: New US Geological Survey-led Research Helps California Coastal Managers Prioritize Planning and Mitigation Efforts Due to Rising Seas and Storms: “New U.S. Geological Survey-led coastal modeling research presents state, federal, and commercial entities with varying storm and sea level-rise scenarios to assist with planning for future infrastructure and mitigation needs along the California coast.   The […]