trees
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Biology
Dead trees in Yellowstone increase wildfire risk
Output map of distance cumulative calculation from point and line fragility criteria. (a) Distance to roads, (b) Distance to trails, (c) Distance to water, (d) Distance to buildings. Credit: Di Yang et al. Dead trees in Yellowstone National Park increase the risk of wildfires, especially near park infrastructure. A new study published in Forest Ecosystems examines how these dead trees…
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Earth
In the Arctic, planting more trees actually makes the world warmer
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain In many parts of the world, planting more trees means more carbon is stored and global warming is reduced. This is the idea behind recent proposals to plant more trees in Alaska, Greenland and Iceland. However, we recently published a paper in the journal Nature Geoscience arguing that tree planting is not a climate solution in…
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Environment
Wildfire risk increases as trees reclaim eastern U.S. landscape
Credit: Deep Rajwar on Pexels There are more trees and shrubs in the eastern United States than there were 30 years ago. This growth, driven by processes such as unmanaged forest trees and understory reclamation, is fueling wildfire outbreaks and contributing to changes in fire regimes in the eastern half of the country, according to a new study. Some parts…
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Earth
Planting trees in high Arctic latitudes could accelerate rather than slow global warming, scientists say
Direct and indirect effects of afforestation on climate forcing at high latitudes and their relative magnitude over the life of the plantation. a, Plantation establishment disrupts previously intact soils and increases microbial carbon decomposition (1). This is exacerbated by enhanced soil insulation caused by increased snow entrapment and decreased snow cover (2). Growing trees exude carbon from their roots, accelerating…
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Earth
5 surprising ways trees prevent flooding
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain When you think of flood protection, you might imagine giant concrete dams, embankments, or glistening dams on the River Thames. But some of the most powerful tools for reducing flood risk are by far the more natural and widely recognized forests and green spaces. Trees provide more than beauty and oxygen. Learn how trees protect us…
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Chemistry
Discovery of lignin’s molecular properties could help turn trees into affordable, greener industrial chemicals
Bob Kelly (left) and Jack Wang look at the poplar trees in the greenhouse on North Carolina State University’s Centennial Campus. Credit: Dee Shore, North Carolina State University. Trees are the most abundant natural resource on Earth’s landmass, and North Carolina State University scientists and engineers are using trees as a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to producing industrial chemicals…
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Other Sciences
Saturday Quote: Everything that glitters is plastic. It awakened the diversity of trees. the gravity basin in which we live
A data visualization of the movement of galaxies within structures called gravitational basins. The Milky Way is a red dot. Credit: University of Hawaii This week, astronomers considered whether dark energy changes over cosmic time scales. Through neutron analysis, physicists have revealed that some early Iron Age swords have recently been altered by fraudsters to make them more historically exciting.…
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