A handful of new studies analyze the depletion and contamination of groundwater, as well as the effects of climate change—and how communities are responding.
Anthropogenic effects
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Analysis Reveals Patterns of Streamflow Generation Across USA
A new study transforms a classic conceptual framework into a quantitative classification of streamflow generation patterns.
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Pharmaceuticals Pollute the Ganges
Scientists report a cocktail of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and personal care products found near two pilgrimage cities along the river.
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Aquatic Plants May Help Chesapeake Bay Resist Ocean Acidification
In freshwater vegetation flats upstream of the Chesapeake, chemical reactions create molecules that raise pH levels in the bay.
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New England Forests Were Historically Shaped by Climate, Not People
A first-of-its-kind study combining paleoecology and archeology indicates that the New England landscape was not actively managed with fire prior to European arrival.
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Starting (and Stopping) a Fire to Study It
Fire experiments on peatlands in Southeast Asia have identified previously unknown emissions patterns and could point to ways to detect these smoldering fires before they become too big to fight.
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Europe’s Rivers Are the Most Obstructed on Earth
By analyzing satellite imagery of rivers worldwide, researchers have pinpointed over 35,000 obstructions like dams and locks that affect an environment’s ecology, hydrology, and water resources management.
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Road Dust: A Health Hazard Hidden in Plain Sight
Legacy heavy metals from past industrial activity combine with traffic paint; asphalt; and bits of tires, brakes, and car parts to create toxic dust on our roadways.
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This Bridge Monitors the Environment and Harnesses Tidal Energy
The “smart” Memorial Bridge spanning the Piscataqua is outfitted with a tidal turbine and more than 40 sensors.
Posted inNews
The Toxic Legacy of DDT Lives On in Remote Canadian Lakes
DDT and its breakdown products permeate lake sediments decades after the pesticide was banned.