In science news this week:
DWR Lead Scientist Ted Sommer wins career achievement award: “DWR’s Lead Scientist Ted Sommer, whose decades of research into fish and ecology has influenced scientific policy and management in California, received a career achievement award Monday at the Bay-Delta Science Conference in Sacramento. The Brown-Nichols Science Award is a biennial honor for scientists whose research into the San Francisco Estuary and watershed is widely recognized by the scientific community. The award is announced every two years by the Delta Science Program, Delta Stewardship Council and U.S. Geological Survey. ... ” Read more from DWR News here: DWR Lead Scientist Ted Sommer wins career achievement award
The pros and cons of hydropower: “Hydropower can generate electricity without emitting greenhouse gases but can cause environmental and social harms, such as damaged wildlife habitat, impaired water quality, impeded fish migration, reduced sediment transport, and diminished cultural and recreation benefits of rivers. A new River Research and Applications study considers these issues as they relate to a hydropower project undergoing relicensing in California. The study reveals that important positive and negative effects are not adequately examined in the hydropower relicensing process, and it points to opportunities to reduce the negative environmental impacts of hydropower without great economic penalties. … ” Read more from Science Daily here: The pros and cons of hydropower
Float on: A New Floating PIT Tag Antenna for Studying Salmon Movement: “In the words of famous fisheries scientist John Sheperd, counting fish is just like counting trees, except that fish are invisible and keep moving. This statement aptly summarizes one of the most difficult aspects of fisheries biology: knowing how many fish there are and when and where they are moving. Addressing these questions is particularly important for species like salmon, which travel great distances into and out of rivers over the course of their lives. Fisheries scientists have developed numerous technologies to track fish movements, and they are continually seeking new, innovative ways to monitor these movements. The goal of a less invasive, more efficient monitoring system led scientists in Norway to develop and implement a new floating antenna array to detect passing salmon marked with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags. ... ” Read more from FishBio here: Float on: A New Floating PIT Tag Antenna for Studying Salmon Movement
A new journal for conservation science and practice: “Why do some conservation strategies succeed, while others fail? And how do we connect research to actual results on the ground? Wiley recently announced a new journal, Conservation Science & Practice, that will feature research trying to answer some of these questions. The journal will focus on papers addressing the policy, planning, and practice of conserving biological diversity, with a particular emphasis on research that connects findings to conservation outcomes to address which strategies succeed or fail. To learn more, we sat down with one of the journal’s editors, Sheila Reddy, who is an associate director of strategic initiatives at The Nature Conservancy. ... ” Read more from the Cool Green Science blog here: A new journal for conservation science and practice
Yes, you can boil water at room temperature. Here’s how: “Sometimes it’s right on the box of rice mix—the high altitude version of cooking instructions. Usually this means that your rice will have to cook a little bit longer if you are in Denver or at the top of Mount Everest. Of course that’s just a joke. No one cooks rice at the top of Everest. But why are the instructions even different? Why does it matter where you cook? The answer has to do with boiling water. … ” Read more from Wired Magazine here: Yes, you can boil water at room temperature. Here’s how
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
