In science news this week:
Sierra snowpack could drop significantly by the end of the century: “A future warmer world will almost certainly feature a decline in fresh water from the Sierra Nevada mountain snowpack. Now a new study by the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) that analyzed the headwater regions of California’s 10 major reservoirs, representing nearly half of the state’s surface storage, found they could see on average a 79 percent drop in peak snowpack water volume by 2100. What’s more, the study found that peak timing, which has historically been April 1, could move up by as much as four weeks, meaning snow will melt earlier, thus increasing the time lag between when water is available and when it is most in demand. … ” Read more from Science Daily here: Sierra snowpack could drop significantly by the end of the century
Declining snowpack over Western US mapped at a finer scale: “Researchers have now mapped exactly where in the Western U.S. snow mass has declined since 1982. The research team mapped the changes in snow mass from 1982 to 2016 onto a grid of squares 2.5-miles on a side over the entire contiguous U.S. A person could practically find the trend for their neighborhood, said first author Xubin Zeng, a University of Arizona professor of hydrology and atmospheric sciences. Grid size for previous studies was about 40 miles on a side, he said. … ” Read more from Science Daily here: Declining snowpack over Western US mapped at a finer scale
Feeding a crowd: Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge serves up winter meals to migratory birds: “It’s the holidays, and for many of us, that means planning meals for large groups of people who descend on our homes. Now, imagine if you had to plan a meal for 100,000 guests. Chris Schoneman and Tom Anderson, spend much of their summer months doing just that. Starting in June, they develop plans for crops that will be grown on the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge to feed hungry birds that arrive in the fall. “From October through the end of January, this refuge becomes a key stopover point for birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway,” said Schoneman, project leader for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Complex. “It’s not unusual to see 100,000 birds each day on the Salton Sea during those months, and then another 100,000 scattered on managed habitat near the southern shore of the Salton Sea.” … ” Continue reading at the US FWS here: Feeding a crowd: Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge serves up winter meals to migratory birds
Stinky salmon and other natural fertilizers: “From dying salmon, mighty redwoods grow. Scientists have long studied how the expansive, lush forests of the Pacific Northwest are nourished by an annual fertilizer boost provided by migrating salmon. As salmon return from the ocean, where they can gain more than 98% of their body weight, they import a wealth of nutrients from their marine feeding grounds to the freshwater habitats of their birth. Stream networks act as arteries of the landscape, allowing salmon – and the nutrients they carry – to disperse across large swaths of the Pacific Northwest. A diverse array of animals feast on this seasonal salmon buffet, and through their digestion distribute “fish fertilizer” far beyond river channels. … ” Read more from FishBio here: Stinky salmon and other natural fertilizers
Fish and fire: “In recent years, some of the most destructive wildfires in documented history have ravaged large swaths of the Golden State, taking an unprecedented toll on human life and property. The first winter rains ushered in sighs of relief from first responders and washed the smoke particles from the air, but the recent fires’ impact on watersheds has only just begun. Wildfires affect streams and their inhabitants in many ways. The first rains do not effectively absorb into burned soil, and run off instantly instead of soaking in. … ” Read more from FishBio here: Fish and fire
Fire’s effect on soil moisture, runoff: “Fire and water. Timeless, opposing forces, they are actually linked in powerful ways that can have major impacts on communities and ecosystems. The 2011 Las Conchas mega-fire in New Mexico burned more than 150,000 acres and threatened the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Now, using data from the fire, researchers at Los Alamos have created an experimental model that will help us better understand the interactions of fire and water in the soil. Adam Atchley, a researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory, and his team set off with a goal: to evaluate how the soil’s water balance changes before and after a fire, depending on the burn severity. … ” Read more from Science Daily here: Fire’s effect on soil moisture, runoff
Freshwater is getting saltier, threatening people and wildlife: “Salts that de-ice roads, parking lots and sidewalks keep people safe in winter. But new research shows they are contributing to a sharp and widely rising problem across the U.S. At least a third of the rivers and streams in the country have gotten saltier in the past 25 years. And by 2100, more than half of them may contain at least 50 percent more salt than they used to. Increasing salinity will not just affect freshwater plants and animals but human lives as well—notably, by affecting drinking water. ... ” Read more from Scientific American here: Freshwater is getting saltier, threatening people and wildlife
The bizarre and disturbing life of sea cucumbers: “Globular denizens of the ocean floor, sea cucumbers are not much to look at. But for some reason I find them endearingly uncharismatic. They have no faces, or even eyes, just a digestive tract with a hole at either end housed in a body that resembles a well-formed turd. (And is also unavoidably phallic.) And their entire life revolves around sucking up the seafloor and pooping it right back out again. You honestly couldn’t design a less-interesting animal if you tried. And yet still I love them, because they manage to be absolutely fascinating despite their utter lack of charisma. Why, exactly, are they so interesting? Well… … ” Read more from the Cool Green Science blog here: The bizarre and disturbing life of sea cucumbers
Science Magazine’s favorite photos of 2018: This year’s most eye-catching moments in science. Click here to view the gallery.
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
