In science news this week: Delta drought review: How did we do?; New research: Financial incentives create critical waterbird habitat in extreme drought; California grasslands set to store carbon more reliably than forests; Reducing mercury loads in the Cosumnes River; From 0 to 40: Trapping diving beetles preying on pupfish larvae results in increased survival of Devils Hole species; Long-term changes crucial in charting the future of ecosystems; Solutions to water challenges reside at the interface
Delta drought review: How did we do? “The stress of an extreme drought can plunge a freshwater-hungry region into crisis mode. Multiple years of high temperatures plus little rain and snowfall from 2012–2016 drained water supplies across California, and agencies were pushed to their limits trying to manage the state’s largest freshwater-dependent ecosystem, the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. … Weathering such a trying experience offers a chance to take stock, reflect on what worked and what didn’t, and figure out how to do better next time. Researchers from UC Davis, UC Merced, and the Delta Stewardship Council have done just that, in a review of drought management decisions and actions that they presented to the Delta Stewardship Council in March (intended for publication later this year). … ” Read the full article at FishBio here: Delta drought review: How did we do?
New research: Financial incentives create critical waterbird habitat in extreme drought: “Projections by climate scientists suggest that severe droughts may become more frequent over the next century, with significant impacts to wildlife habitat. Fortunately, new research from scientists at Point Blue Conservation Science and The Nature Conservancy shows how financial incentive programs can create vital habitat for waterbirds, filling a critical need in drought years. Between 2013 and 2015, the Central Valley of California sustained an extreme drought, dramatically reducing wildlife habitat. The area is recognized as of hemispheric importance for waterbirds, which use flooded agricultural land and wetlands as habitat. Under two innovative financial assistance programs, farmers are provided with an incentive payment to flood their fields at key moments to create habitat for waterbirds. Until this research, the landscape effects of these incentive programs had not been rigorously studied. … ” Read more from Eurekalert here: New research: Financial incentives create critical waterbird habitat in extreme drought
California grasslands set to store carbon more reliably than forests: “Forests absorb roughly one quarter of the carbon dioxide pollution produced by humans worldwide. Yet in California this century, grasslands and rangelands will be more resilient carbon sinks than forests, a new study has found. “Looking ahead, our model simulations show that grasslands store more carbon than forests because they are impacted less by droughts and wildfires,” says Pawlok Dass of the University of California Davis, US. “This doesn’t even include the potential benefits of good land management to help boost soil health and increase carbon stocks in rangelands.” … ” Read more from Physics World here: California grasslands set to store carbon more reliably than forests
Reducing mercury loads in the Cosumnes River: “The Cosumnes River watershed has seasonal, non-point source hotspots for total mercury and methylmercury production, which discharge to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in north-central California. To reduce mercury loads to the Delta, researchers created open-water deep cells at the downstream end of wetlands. Additionally, hydrology was manipulated so that there was a constant flow-through of water, while control wetlands utilized the standard, “fill-and-maintain” approach. Deep cells in seasonal wetlands were effective in lowering methlymercury exports under flow-through hydrology; however, fill-and-maintain hydrology had lower exports overall because of a single major drainage event. Researchers concluded that reductions in methlymercury concentrations in surface water and fish may require higher flow rates to achieve regulatory goals, which may not be feasible for these managed wetlands. Future studies that focus on limiting methylmercury export could consider combining deep cells with the fill-and-maintain or fill-and-trickle hydrologic management approach. … ” Read more from the USGS here: Reducing mercury loads in the Cosumnes River
From 0 to 40: Trapping diving beetles preying on pupfish larvae results in increased survival of Devils Hole species: “One day in December 2017, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Olin Feuerbacher was working on a Saturday at the Ash Meadows Fish Conservation Facility when he saw something that shocked him. While reviewing a DVR recording of one of the fish tanks, he witnessed a predaceous diving beetle ripping a Devils Hole pupfish larvae to shreds. The tanks are constructed to mirror as close as possible, the pupfish’s natural habitat. “I just about fell out of my seat,” said Feuerbacher. “I watched it for a minute or so and saw it repeated. A beetle tearing apart a 2-3 millimeter larvae.” … ” Read more from the US FWS here: From 0 to 40
Long-term changes crucial in charting the future of ecosystems: “Changes in ecosystems that happen over years can often go unnoticed. That is why long-term research is important in restoring and managing the Florida Everglades and other vulnerable ecosystems, according to a new Florida International University study. “Without long-term data, changes appear as surprises unless you have the context to understand why they may be occurring,” said John Kominoski, scientist in FIU’s Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research (FCE-LTER) Program and assistant professor of biology. “We can understand the present by understanding the past, but we can’t understand the past without a long-term record of data.” … ” Read more from PhysOrg here: Long-term changes crucial in charting the future of ecosystems:
Maven’s XKCD Comic Pick of the Week …
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About Science News and Reports: This weekly feature, posted every Thursday, is a collection of the latest scientific research and reports with a focus on relevant issues to the Delta and to California water, although other issues such as climate change are sometimes included. Do you have an item to be included here? Submissions of relevant research and other materials is welcome. Email Maven
