DNR weekend reading: We’re bothering the birds and the crabs, apparently

A seal swims past some of the toxic creosote-treated pilings that a DNR-managed project will soon remove from Budd Bay at Olympia.

Here are links to reading selections about climate, the environment and other science topics  published recently by science journals, universities, websites, and other sources:

Newswise: Exurban Residences Impact Bird Communities Up to 200 M Away

A study by the Wildlife Conservation Society indicates that impacts to bird communities from a single rural, “exurban” residence can extend up to 200 meters into the surrounding forest. The findings suggest that even isolated rural residences can have a negative affect on sensitive bird species, such as the hermit thrush and scarlet tanager, that prefer unbroken forests, while others, like the blue jay and black-capped chickadee, often thrive with human neighbors.  Read more…

University of Bristol: Ship noise makes crabs get crabby

A study published  in Biology Letters found that ship noise affects crab metabolism, with largest crabs faring worst, and found little evidence that crabs acclimate to noise over time. The team from the Universities of Bristol and Exeter found that crabs exposed to recordings of ship noise showed an increase in metabolic rate, indicating elevated stress, which could have implications for growth. Read more…

University of Oslo: Windmills at sea can break like matchsticks

Medium-sized waves can break wind turbines at sea like matches, asserts Professor John Grue at the University of Oslo, who is one of the world’s foremost experts on wave research. Grue says an inexplicable wave phenomenon called ringing, which is a special type of vibration that occurs when choppy waves hit marine installations, arises at the rear of the turbine. Grue is now looking for a general mathematical formula that can explain the special phenomenon.  Read more…

University of Colorado: Volcanic aerosols, not pollutants, tamped down recent Earth warming, says CU study

A team led by the University of Colorado-Boulder looking for clues about why Earth did not warm as much as scientists expected between 2000 and 2010 now thinks the culprits are hiding in plain sight — dozens of volcanoes spewing sulfur dioxide. The study results essentially exonerate Asia, including India and China, two countries that have increased their industrial sulfur dioxide emissions by about 60 percent from 2000 to 2010 through coal burning.  Read more…

Science Daily: Loss of Wild Insects Hurts Crops Around the World

Researchers studying data from 600 fields in 20 countries have found that managed honey bees are not as successful at pollinating crops as wild insects, primarily wild bees, suggesting the continuing loss of wild insects in many agricultural landscapes has negative consequences for crop harvests.  Read more…

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February’s top blogs: Firefighting jobs, outdoor recreation and urban forestry drew most readers

Here are the blogs posted in February that drew the most views by Ear to the Ground readers. That’s you! Thanks for reading Ear to the Ground.

	Firefighting isn’t just for men anymore Historically, firefighting has been dominated by men in both professional and volunteer firefighting careers. But this just isn’t the case anymore. DNR is currently recruiting for wildland firefighting positions and wants to encourage women to apply.
	The little trail that could: Mailbox Peak Trail mentioned by President Obama Mailbox Peak trail on DNR-managed lands was mentioned in the national news when President Obama commented on his appointment for Secretary of Interior, Sally Jewell, a Washington resident.
	Reiter Foothills Test Rides Draws a Crowd DNR hosted test rides on the first 4×4 trail built at Reiter Foothills Forest in Snohomish County since a  major restoration project began in November 2012.
	Two of the nation’s best urban forests are right here in the Pacific Northwest   Seattle and Portland have beautiful, healthy trees, so it was no surprise to see that American Forests named these cities as two of the ten best U.S. cities for urban forests.
	Make your voice heard. What information do you need for your epic DNR-recreation adventure? DNR wants your opinion on ‘sprucing up’ our online recreation information. Please take three minutes to take our online recreation survey. (Survey ends March 8)

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DNR weekend reading: Warmer waters, less snow may challenge Northwest shellfish and energy industries

A unnamed tributary to Deer Creek in the Upper Washougal Northern Spotted Owl Management Area managed by DNR in Skamania County. Photo: Florian Deisenhofer/DNR

Today’s DNR Weekend Reading post begins with three developments that could have a direct impact on the Pacific Northwest: reduced snowmelt for water and power supplies, how warming waters affect shellfish, and another approach to using pine resin to make ‘greener’ plastics.

Princeton Journal Watch: Forecast Is for More Snow in Polar Regions, Less for the Rest of Us
A new cli­mate model pre­dicts an increase in snow­fall for the Earth’s polar regions and its high­est alti­tudes, but an over­all drop in snow­fall for the globe, as car­bon diox­ide lev­els rise over the next century. The decline in snow­fall could spell trou­ble for regions such as the west­ern United States that rely on snowmelt as a source of fresh water.

Scientific American: Warmer Waters Make Weaker Mussels  (PODCAST)
The work of University of Washington research scientist Emily Carrington is discussed. Her findings indicate that mussels’ attachment fibers weaken in warm water. As climate change raises ocean temperatures, these shellfish may be forced to cooler waters.

University of South Carolina: Turning Pine Sap Into “Ever-Green” Plastics
Scientists the University of South Carolina are developing new plastics that are “green” from the cradle to the grave because they are derived from the natural resins found in trees, especially evergreens. The rosin and turpentine derived from conifer wood are rich in hydrocarbons and similar, but not identical, to some components of petroleum.

Stanford University: Going negative: Stanford scientists explore new ways to remove atmospheric CO2
Because reducing CO2 emissions may not be enough to curb the current global warming trend, Stanford scientists suggest developing carbon-negative technologies that remove large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere. One approach they favor is converting plant wastes (that release CO2 into the air) into biochar – a charcoal-like substance that can be used as fertilizer to permanently lock the carbon underground.

Science Daily: Coldness Triggers Northward Flight in Monarch Butterflies: Migration Cycle May Be Vulnerable to Global Climate Change  A new study by scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School published in Current Biology, suggests that it is exposure to coldness in the microenvironment of the monarch butterfly’s  overwintering site that triggers its return north every spring. If a warming  climate reduces this cold exposure, the monarch butterfly might just continue flying south instead of returning to upper latitudes each spring.

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DNR weekend reading: Ancient landslides can help guide modern-day salmon restoration

Chopaka Lake Campground and day-use picnic area managed by DNR offer majestic North Cascades scenery. Nearby are Loomis State Forest (also managed by DNR) and the federal Chopaka Mountain Wilderness Study Area. Photo: DNR

Here are links to reading selections about climate, wildlife, the environment and other science news published recently by science journals, universities, websites, and other sources:

University of Oregon: Large, ancient landslides delivered preferred upstream habitats for coho salmon
A study of the Umpqua River basin in the Oregon Coast Range helps explain natural processes behind the width of valleys and provides potentially useful details for river restoration efforts designed to improve habitats for coho salmon.

NOAA Response and Restoration Blog: Where Are the Pacific Garbage Patches Located?
The Pacific Ocean holds more than half of the planet’s free water, but it also holds a lot of the planet’s garbage (much of it plastic). That trash is not spread evenly across the Pacific Ocean; a great deal of it ends up suspended in large “garbage patches.”

University of Hawaii, Manoa: New research shows complexity of global warming
Global warming from greenhouse gases affects rainfall patterns in the world differently than does solar heating, according to a study published in Nature. Global rainfall has increased less over the present-day warming period than it did during the Medieval Warm Period, even though temperatures are higher today than back then.

Scientific American: Where Few Trees Have Gone Before
With a warming climate, snow has begun melting earlier and growing seasons have lengthened, giving trees a boost at higher elevation. As a result, tree occupation of mountain meadows rose from 8 percent in 1950 to 35 percent in 2008, reports a U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service–funded study published last October in Landscape Ecology.

Science Daily: Flood Research Shows Human Habits Die Hard: Few Make Plans to Cut Vulnerability
Research findings from Australia indicate that while households can minimize damage from floods, most people — even those recently affected by major flooding — do not  intend to make changes to reduce their vulnerability to future floods.

 

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Puget SoundCorps-WCC, shellfish grower combine efforts to clean up Dabob Bay Natural Area

Puget SoundCorps/WCC crews worked with Rock Point Oyster Co. staff to clean up the DNR Natural Area at Dabob Bay recently. Photo: Deborah Nemens/DNR.

A one-day beach clean-up at Dabob Bay Natural Area Preserve in early February brought in a bounty (if that’s what you want to call it) of assorted trash. The effort was organized by a DNR Natural Areas Ecologist and carried out by a Puget SoundCorps/Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) crew, whose labors were paid by the State Jobs Bill, which was passed last year.

The crew picked up about 30 bags of trash, as well as many larger items including big chunks of Styrofoam and tires. About one-third of the items were aquaculture debris, mostly mussel disks and oyster harvest bags. Notable items included a Spiderman action figure, lots of shoes, and some gross things best left unmentioned. 

Assisting the Puget SoundCorp/WCC crew were staff volunteers from Rock Point Oyster Co., which leases state aquatic lands near the preserve. The company also hauled the collected trash away to an approved landfill.

The Dabob Bay Natural Area, located on the northwest shore of Hood Canal, includes 1,193 acres of shoreline, marsh and forestland. It protects rare examples of intact salt marsh and sand spit plant communities. The area is considered one of Washington’s best-functioning coastal spit and tidal wetland systems. About a half-dozen commercial shellfish operations operate nearby producing world-renowned oysters. And now it is a lot cleaner thanks to the Puget SoundCorp/WCC, state jobs bill funds, and the help of Rock Point Oyster Co.

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DNR weekend reading: Cooling trees, navigating salmon and more

DNR manages the 1,215-acre North Bay Natural Area Preserve in Grays Harbor County, Washington, to protect its high quality coastal freshwater habitat. Photo: Joe Rocchio/DNR.

Here are links to reading selections about climate, wildlife, the environment and other science news published recently by science journals, universities, websites, and other sources:

NASA: Pacific Locked in ‘La Nada’ Limbo
Sea-surface height data from NASA’s Jason-1 satellite show that the equatorial Pacific Ocean is still locked in what some call a neutral, or ‘La Nada’ state. This condition follows two years of strong, cool-water La Nina events.

Science Daily: Animal Magnetism: First Evidence That Magnetism Helps Salmon Find Home
A new study, published in this week’s issue of Current Biology and partly funded by the National Science Foundation, suggests that salmon find their home rivers by sensing the rivers’ unique magnetic signature.

University of Guelph: Biodiversity Helps Protect Nature Against Human Impacts: Study
A study by University of Guelph integrative biologists, published as the cover story in Nature, lends scientific weight to aesthetic and moral arguments for maintaining species biodiversity. It suggests that farmers and resource managers should encourage more kinds of plants in fields and woods as a buffer against sudden ecosystem disturbance.

BioMedCentral: Planting trees may not reverse climate change but it will help locally
Afforestation, planting trees in an area where there have previously been no trees, can reduce the effects of climate change by cooling temperate regions, suggests a study in the open access journal Carbon Balance and Management. Afforestation might  lead to cooler and wetter summers by the end of this century.

University of Washington: Salmon runs boom, go bust over centuries
Scientists have recognized that salmon stocks vary not only year to year, but also on decades-long time cycles. One example is the 30-year to 80-year booms and busts in salmon runs in Alaska and on the West Coast driven by the climate pattern known as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation.

DNR will hire seasonal wildland firefighters. Apply online

This firefighter is using a drip torch to fight wildfire on the Table Mountain Complex fire. Photo by: Kent Romney/WIMT2

DNR is recruiting for Forest Fire Fighter Crew Members and Engine Leaders/Squad Boss positions for the 2013 summer season. Being a member of a handcrew or wildland fire engine crew is an excellent opportunity for motivated individuals and students who desire a career in natural resource management or to gain fundamental forestry experience through fire crew employment. Plus, if you’re interested in radio dispatch, we have a position opened for a seasonal radio operator.

We also are recruiting for Helitack Fire Fighters, Helitack Squad Bosses and Helicopter Managers to become members of Washington State’s seasonal wildland fire Helitack Aviation Operations crew. Helitack crew members are centrally based out of Ellensburg but provide statewide aviation support for fires throughout the season. Helitack crew members perform initial attack fire fighting in remote locations (accessed by helicopter) and support DNR’s fire fighting helicopter fleet.

We are looking for individuals willing and capable of performing strenuous outdoor work safely and productively and of accepting direction and acting responsibly. The duration of these positions is generally three to four months. Work begins approximately mid-June and ends in mid-September. The experience and training gained as a Forest Fire Fighter or an Engine Leader/Squad Boss can form the foundation for a successful career in forestry and other natural resource professions. DNR will provide safety clothing needed for the job.

Visit the DNR Jobs Page where you can sign up for weekly emails of new job announcements.

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Deadly Solomon Island tsunami highlights need for tsunami awareness here

In the news today are reports that magnitude 8 earthquake hit near the Solomon Islands, generating a tsunami that is reported to have damaged dozens of homes in the South Pacific island chain. At least five people were killed.

The location of the quake is in the region of the boundary of two major tectonic plates, the Australia and Pacific plates — the Australia plate is being forced (subducted) beneath the Pacific plate. For background, see today’s scientific summary report from the USGS

Another major subduction, known as the Cascadia Subduction Zone, lies just off the coast of Washington state, which is why tsunami awareness is a focus of natural hazards planning efforts here. DNR and its Geology and Earth Resources Division work with federal agencies and local governments to prepare maps of recommended tsunami evacuation routes for many coastal Washington communities. We also map earthquake faults and hazards. Local and state emergency officials rely on these maps, in addition to data and estimates prepared by DNR’s geologists and other sources to plan their responses to earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters.

DNR’s interactive web portal also offers Washington State tsunami evacuation maps. We also co-developed a smartphone application that shows the danger zones and evacuation routes (in the future we hope to update the app. to provide alerts and other information).

More DNR tsunami safety resources…

DNR weekend reading: Impacts on human health from forest fires, climate change and rising oceans

A log truck crosses Naneum Creek in the Naneum State Forest hauling timber salvaged from state trust lands burned in the Table Mountain Fire last September. Photo: Seth Jones/DNR.

Here are links to reading selections about climate, wildlife, the environment and other science news published recently by science journals, universities, websites, and other sources:

BioMedCentral: Measuring the consequence of forest fires on public health
Pollution from forest fires is affecting the health of people with asthma and other chronic obstructive lung diseases, finds a study in Biomed Central’s open access journal Environmental Health. This study uses data from pharmacies and dispensaries to measure the increase in drugs needed to alleviate symptoms associated with pollution.

Science Daily: Climate Change Impacts to U.S. Coasts Threaten Public Health, Safety and Economy, Report Finds
According to a new technical report, authored by 79 leading scientists and experts (including lead authors from NOAA and the USGS), the effects of climate change will continue to threaten the health and vitality of U.S. coastal communities’ social, economic and natural systems.

NY Times: The Budding Health Care Costs of Climate Change
A growing number of public health experts are recognizing the need to integrate information about a changing climate into their disaster preparedness and response planning.are long-term health effects, from increased rates of tetanus and respiratory disease to post-traumatic stress disorder.

environment360.com: To Tackle Runoff, Cities Turn to Green Initiatives
Urban stormwater runoff is a serious problem, overloading sewage treatment plants and polluting waterways. Now, various U.S. cities are creating innovative green infrastructure — such as rain gardens and roadside plantings — that mimics the way nature collects and cleanses water.

University of Florida: UF/IFAS survey of nation’s largest cities finds water supplies not as threatened as believed
Although reports of drought conditions, water wars and restrictions have often painted a bleak picture of the nation’s water availability, a new University of Florida survey finds that conditions aren’t quite so bad as believed. A website that ranks the 225 largest U.S. urban areas based on water availability and vulnerability can be found at soils.ifas.ufl.edu/hydrology/cities.

Princeton Journal Watch: Spring may come earlier to North American forests (Geophysical Research Letters)
Deciduous trees in the continen­tal U.S. could send out new spring leaves up to 17 days ear­lier in the com­ing cen­tury than they did before global tem­per­a­tures started to rise, accord­ing to a new study by Prince­ton Uni­ver­sity researchers.

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DNR weekend reading: Farmed fish, runt tree rescue, smoked grapes and other stories

The Morning Star Natural Resources Conservation Area encompasses nearly 30,000 acres. The popular hiking and camping area, which is 25 miles east of Everett, Washington, is managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Photo: DNR.

Here are links to reading selections about climate, wildlife, the environment and other science news published recently by science journals, universities, websites, and other sources:

Green (New York Times): Milestone Looms for Farm-Raised FishSometime this year, we will quietly pass a milestone in human history: the majority of the fish we eat will be farm-raised rather than wild-caught.

Green (New York Times): After a Die-Off, Runts to the RescueThe small trees and understory vegetation that the pine beetles mostly leave alone appear to be compensating for the loss of mature trees by drastically increasing their uptake of nitrate. The results were published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

USDA-Agriculture Research Service: USDA Studies Confirm Plant Water Demands Shift with Water AvailabilityPlants can adapt to extreme shifts in water availability, such as drought and flooding, but their ability to withstand these extreme patterns will be tested by future climate change, according to a study by U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists and their cooperators published this week in Nature.

University of New Hampshire: Warmer Soils Release Additional CO2 Into Atmosphere; Effect Stabilizes Over Longer Term
Warmer temperatures due to climate change could cause soils to release additional carbon into the atmosphere, thereby enhancing climate change – but that effect diminishes over the long term, finds a new study in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Science Daily: New Way to Identify ‘Smoked’ Grapes and WinesWith climate change sparking concern about an increased risk of wildfires, scientists are reporting development of a way to detect grapes exposed to smoke from those fires, which otherwise could be vented into bad-tasting wine. Their report on the method for detecting smoke taint in both grapes and wine appears in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.