What's Current in

Environment + Sustainability

A dark salamander sits on a gloved hand.
Photo Credit
Brooklyn Stone
Noel the northwestern salamander hitched a ride on a Christmas tree from the Pacific Northwest to sunny Santa Barbara.

From forest to living room: How Christmas trees can transport wildlife across states

Read Article

walking on shore on left glitching on right
Photo Credit
Amelie Funk

Climate science is catching up to climate change with predictions that could improve proactive response
Diatoms under the microscope.
Photo Credit
Elif Bayraktar via iStock
Diatoms are one of the largest groups of phytoplankton, which serve as a foundation of the ocean’s food web.

Important groups of phytoplankton tolerate some strategies to remove CO2 from the ocean
an orange garibaldi with a scientific diver in the background
Photo Credit
Chris Honeyman
A research diver conducts periodic monitoring of a kelp forest marine protected area

Multiple ecosystems in hot water after marine heatwave surges across the Pacific
A thinning forest on a hill.
Photo Credit
Lee Anderegg
A forest community changes as trembling aspen succumb to drought in southwestern Colorado.

Forests can adapt to climate change, but not quickly enough
Burning hillside at Sedgwick Preserve
Photo Credit
Matt Perko
A flame torched hillside at Sedgwick Reserve is the site of a prescribed burn.

Taming Fire: Controlled burns can be a boon to our landscape
People discuss matters of water policy over an aquifer.
Photo Credit
iStock/ Matt Perko

The more stakeholders are included in policy planning, the better those policies protect them
school of bluefin tuna

New research finds that more than 90% of global aquaculture faces substantial risk from environmental change
oil and natural gas infrastructure in the Permian Basin
Oil and gas extraction infrastructure in the Permian Basin

MethaneMapper is poised to solve the problem of underreported methane emissions
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
Subscribe to Environment + Sustainability