Group items tagged

"Berkeley Earth has just released analysis of land-surface temperature records going back 250 years, about 100 years further than previous studies. The analysis shows that global warming is real, and the best explanation of the temperature trend is a combination of volcanoes and CO2."

"What is the Earth Exploration Toolbook? The Earth Exploration Toolbook is a collection of computer-based Earth science activities. Each activity, or chapter, introduces one or more data sets and an analysis tool that enables users to explore some aspect of the Earth system. Step-by-step instructions in each chapter walk users through an example - a case study in which they access data and use analysis tools to explore issues or concepts in Earth system science. In the course of completing a chapter, users produce and analyze maps, graphs, images, or other data products. The ultimate goal of each activity is to build user's skills and confidence so they can use data to conduct their own investigations of the Earth system."

A training manual to use a free open-source GIS to do spatial analysis with plant biodiversity and distribution

"A good essential question Is open-ended; that is, it typically will not have a single, final, and correct answer. Is thought-provoking and intellectually engaging, often sparking discussion and debate. Calls for higher-order thinking, such as analysis, inference, evaluation, prediction. It cannot be effectively answered by recall alone. Points toward important, transferable ideas within (and sometimes across) disciplines. Raises additional questions and sparks further inquiry. Requires support and justification, not just an answer. Recurs over time; that is, the question can and should be revisited again and again."

Nearly 100 endangered species should be on track to meet federal scientists' recovery goals, according to a new analysis by a national nonprofit organization that seeks to protect the planet's biological diversity. The Center for Biological Diversity's review examined population trends of 110 endangered plant and animals protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in every state across the USA, including Florida's American crocodile, the gray wolf of the Rockies, and the black-footed ferret, which once existed from southern Canada to Texas. The group found that 90 percent of the species listed are on a positive trajectory toward recovery - and some are even doing better. Source: redOrbit (http://s.tt/1cmi1)

Up next, 30,000 species under the sea. A few years ago, marine biologists working off the coast of Oregon collected samples of seawater from the very deepest parts of the ocean there at two sites near an active ocean floor volcano. And once the samples are brought to the surface, biologists on the other side of the country, in Massachusetts, analyzed the samples to find out what kinds of microbes were living at the bottom of the ocean. And what they found was astonishing. An amazing array of microbes, more than 30,000 species many, which were never - have never been seen before. They are new to science. The results of that analysis were published earlier this month in the journal Science.

"In this 50-question activity, you will determine the best locations to site a wind energy farm in Colorado. You will use GIS as your primary investigative tool and use spatial analysis techniques to consider the best site. You will consider highways, wind speed, cities, size of polygon, contiguity, elevation, federal land, and will perform a number of geoprocessing functions including dissolve, intersect, erase, join, and more to arrive at your conclusion. "

"Google has a new desktop tool called Google Refine to help with cleaning up messy datasets, transforming them, and augmenting them with web-based data services. I could see this tool being used throughout the Lab in many areas: on field data, preparing science datasets for analysis, even run-of-the-mill business data manipulation. If you ever find yourself using a text editor or Excel to manipulate data, you might find this tool useful. Note that it comes in somewhat unusual packaging, because after downloading and installing the tool on your machine, you interact with it via a web browser. The link above has several videos that demonstrate its utility." (Paul Allen)

The Land Use Calculator is a tool for rapid scenario analysis of land-use implications, useful for decision-makers to address real-world challenges and for classroom teaching of conservation biology, sustainable development, environmental economics and global change biology. It is a decision-support tool targeted at land-use decision-makers in the tropic, allowing users to evaluate the implications and tradeoffs of pursuing alternative development scenarios by simultaneously accounting for the societal priorities of agricultural production, economic development, carbon conservation and biodiversity protection. Users specify a few environmental and socioeconomic parameters describing a landscape scenario, and the tool determines the implications of that scenario in terms of biodiversity, carbon stocks, greenhouse-gas emissions, financial returns of the land and employment opportunities.

The NBII Northeast Information Node (NIN) Web site gives users-educators, resource managers, researchers, and the general public-easy access to the data resources and analysis tools they need to better understand, utilize, and protect the environmental resources of this region.

Maps show threats from sea level rise and storm surge to all 3000+ coastal towns, cities, counties and states in the Lower 48.

"Investigate the devastating earthquakes in January 2010 and compare them to past earthquakes using GIS as the investigative tool. Examine fault lines, population, ocean floors, plate boundaries, volcanoes, and other data to get a complete understanding of the physical and cultural geography of the Caribbean Sea region. "

Understand how floods occur, and why floodplains are important to communities, with a case study of Boulder, Colorado, USA.

Environmentalists to use new Google 3D Trees mapping tool to preserve forests

The UK government worked hand-in-hand with the nuclear industry to play down the Fukushima crisis: they are treating the public with contempt GrrlScientist: This true crime thriller is the story of a few committed individuals who devote their lives to catching those who would destroy our environment by over-exploiting the world's natural resources It's a striking phrase - privatising official development aid - and one green banker thinks it might just solve the problems of poverty and environment 30 Jun 2011: Rezaul Karim Chowdhury: By pushing climate loans, the UK and the World Bank are making people in poor countries pay twice for climate change - even though we played almost no part in causing the problem Euractiv: A global deal to cut maritime carbon emissions is unachievable, say EU officials BusinessGreen: Chief executives say setting UK on European time would be worth £3.5bn to UK economy To build a sustainable future we need to change the way we build now, says Ursula Hartenberger The company faces mounting criticism for lack of transparency, but much of this may be down to its sprawling business model More from Guardian Sustainable Business Despite legislation on CFCs, the ozone hole has grown to an average 25.81m sq km Down 232,340 metric tons since 1950 Loops of metal wire have been cleverly put together to form this large fruitbowl, just £12.60.

This online data viewer provides user-friendly access to regional land cover and land cover change information developed through NOAA's Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP). The Land Cover Atlas eliminates the need for desktop geographic information system software, or advanced technical expertise, by processing C-CAP data for the user and providing easy access to that distilled information.

Learn more about the kinds of data available and download data. Use these tools to turn data into the useful information your organization needs. Update your skills by participating in one of these training programs. See how data and tools are used to address coastal management issues.