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Environment + Sustainability

A line of clouts stretches from the tropical Pacific to western North America where it becomes a massive storm.
Photo Credit
Stuart Rankin via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)
The Pineapple Express — an atmospheric river originating in the tropical Pacific — walloped western North America in February 2017. These systems are becoming more frequent at higher latitudes, leaving mid latitudes drier.

Atmospheric rivers are shifting toward the poles, possibly following a long-term cycle

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Rice terraces at sunset in Japan
Photo Credit
iStock/Sean Pavone

Shining a light on the interconnectedness between societies and the natural world
A fishing boat deploys its nets accompanied by a flock of gulls.
Photo Credit
Split Second Stock
Fishermen and regulatory agencies will need to adapt when marine heatwaves impact the ranges and population levels of targeted species.

Lessons from ‘The Blob’ will help us manage fisheries during future marine heatwaves
A whitebark pine growing on the rock overlooking Big Pine Creek in the Eastern Sierra Nevada.
Photo Credit
Joan Dudney
Whitebark pines growing in cold, high elevation regions grew more during droughts, which lengthened their growing season.

How a drought affects trees depends on what’s been holding them back
A pumpjack nestled between trees and luxury homes.
Photo Credit
iStock
California currently has no setback restrictions, so oil production can occur in the middle of neighborhoods like Signal Hill, in Los Angeles.

Keeping California’s oil in the ground will improve health but affect jobs
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Doctoral candidate Amelia Ritger receives award for women researchers
Illustration of molecular chain overlaid on image of plastic bottles
Photo Credit
Jessie Ward O'Sullivan

A game-changing method of “upcycling” plastics helps clear the path toward a circular economy
Hillside daisy blankets hills in yellow, with splashes of pink, orange and blue.
Photo Credit
Joan Dudney
California’s wildflowers have painted parts of the state in a dazzling array of colors.

Tending to our superblooms requires developing plans for people to enjoy them
aerial view of wildfire marching across a forest landscape
Where fire is a natural part of the ecosystem, it can create space and opportunities for adaptations and new species

Naturally fire-prone ecosystems tend to have more species of birds and mammals, a new study reveals
Stressed pines on a hill in southwestern Colorado.
Photo Credit
A climate-stressed forest in southwestern Colorado near Wolf Creek Pass.
A climate-stressed forest in southwestern Colorado near Wolf Creek Pass.

US forests face an unclear future with climate change
A snorkeler with camera and note pad investigates a nearly bleached coral.
Photo Credit
Jeff Liang
Professor Deron Burkepile observes coral in the process of bleaching in the reefs around Moorea.

Stripped to the Bone: Research in Moorea shows the presence of coral skeletons influences reef recovery after bleaching
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Climate Forward: UC Santa Barbara receives $1 million to develop climate action capacity
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Records from Platform Holly provide a glimpse of how petroleum production affects natural gas seeps
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