Rare Conservation Links

Overall strength of storms as measured in wind speed would rise by 2 to 11 percent, but there would be between 6 and 34 percent fewer storms in number, a new report from a World Meteorological Organization panel of 10 experts indicates. There would be fewer weak and moderate storms and more of the big damaging ones. "An 11 percent increase in wind speed translates to roughly a 60 percent increase in damage, said study co-author Kerry Emanuel, a professor of meteorology at MIT."

Challenged by strict air-quality rules, dairy farmers face costly changes to generators used to burn methane to produce power. With the intention of using these generators to eliminate methane waste, along with electricity bills, farmers now meet an unexpected consequence- the conversion of methane into electricity produces nitrogen oxides, or NOx. This pollutant exacerbates the state's smog problem. After already spending several hundreds of thousands of dollars on their "dairy digester" systems at the urge of the state, farmers are forced to abide by the state's air quality standards by purchasing expensive additional equipment, or shut down their waste-consuming generators. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District's limit of 11 parts per million of NOx for new digester systems works out to equal the emissions of 26 cars for every 1,000 cows, said Frank Mitloehner, an associate professor at UC Davis' department of animal science.

Hope or hype?

"Research has shown that marine protected areas (MPAs)-areas where fishing and other potentially destructive activities are regulated-are benefitting, not just the fish habitats they are known to aid, but nearby coral reefs as well. "That is, while coral cover initially continued to decrease in the MPA's first few years, decline slowed and then eventually stabilized after several years of MPA establishment."

"From the recent discovery of a species of wasp that enslave unsuspecting spiders to a new report from the United Nations that estimates a 500% growth over the next 10 years in computer waste in India alone, a lot has happened this week in green."

"The Galapagos fur seal's move into a new habitat suggests swifts changes are occurring in the Earth's environment, with or without El Nino."

"It's been absent from the hives of Scotland for 50 years but, it seems, the Southern Cuckoo bumblebee has returned. Still common in England, the curious bee-a member of the subgenus Psithyrus-was discovered just over the border in St Abbs."

Plastic marine debris collected in a surface plankton net tow. Photo: Sea Education Association. Though it hasn't garnered nearly as much attention as its plastic-ridden analog in the Pacific, the North Atlantic Ocean too has its very own gigantic

Experts warn that Scotland's targets on cutting emissions will be hard to achieve without a wider international agreement.

Environmentalists say Asian carp, an invasive species of food-guzzling fish, could cause an ecological disaster if it enters Lake Michigan.

More Big Cats

"Its short lifespan and greater potency means tackling methane emissions now could have a dramatic effect on atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations"

Upward of 4,000 sea turtles were rescued within days.

Solar cells are still very inefficient, but this is helping to chip away at that.

"For every argument tossed forward by climate change skeptics, there's a body of scientific research that clarifies the issue."

Excessive use of fertilizer is polluting China's soils, in addition to their water from agricultural run-off, a new report from Science reveals. The report details the acidification and rates of nitrogen specifically in the North China Plain and the Taihu Lake region in south China.

Who knew that a bug could be so beautiful?