http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/water/ Learn about Earth's water resources. Read current research on the water cycle, water pollution, groundwater depletion and lake protection. en-us Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:05:01 EST Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/water/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110202859.htm The lush, tropical Congo Basin was much different 150 million to 200 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed Gondwana, the single continent formed by Africa and South America. Geochemical analysis of rare ancient soils from Central Africa suggests the land was arid, with a small amount of seasonal rainfall, and few bushes or trees. There's very little data for the paleoclimate of the Late Jurassic, but it's important because climate determines plant communities. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110202859.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121117.htm Large blooms of tiny marine plants called phytoplankton are flourishing in areas of open water left exposed by the recent and rapid melting of ice shelves and glaciers around the Antarctic Peninsula. This remarkable colonization is having a beneficial impact on climate change. As the blooms die back phytoplankton sinks to the sea-bed where it can store carbon for thousands or millions of years. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121117.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029161532.htm Climate models that predict heavy rainfall don't give the whole picture, according to the results of a new study. Researchers examined climate changes that have taken place over the past 800,000 years, and discovered that the melting icebergs in the North Atlantic and changes in the El Niño Southern Oscillation have a great influence on the intensity of monsoon rains. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029161532.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171741.htm California experienced centuries-long droughts in the past 20,000 years that coincided with the thawing of ice caps in the Arctic, according to analysis of stalagmites from a cave in the Sierra Nevada. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171741.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110211333.htm Researchers have identified a key component that increases the toxicity of golden algae which kills millions of fish in the southern U.S. every year. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110211333.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110141840.htm Researchers have created a glacier in a freezer that could help scientists understand how glaciers slide across their beds. That could help researchers predict how climate change accelerates glacier sliding and contributes to rising sea levels. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110141840.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110105353.htm Aerosols, very small particles suspended in the air, play an important role in the global climate balance and in regulating climate change. They are one of the greatest sources of uncertainty in climate change models. ESA's GlobAerosol project has been making the most of European satellite capabilities to monitor them. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110105353.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091108131442.htm New research demonstrates that deep creep may mean milder, more frequent earthquakes along SoCal's San Jacinto fault, making it a less likely candidate for a major earthquake than its neighbor to the east, the Southern San Andreas fault. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091108131442.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106121918.htm The epic flooding that hit the Atlanta area in September of 2009 was so extremely rare that, six weeks later this event has defied attempts to describe it. Scientists have reviewed the numbers and they are stunning. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106121918.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106140757.htm Despite the fact that summer 2009 had more sea ice than in 2007 or 2008, scientists are seeing drastic changes in the region from just five years ago and at rates faster than anticipated. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106140757.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145308.htm As the climate gets warmer, arid soils lose nitrogen as gas, reports a new study. That could lead to deserts with even less plant life than they sustain today, say the researchers. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145308.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121115.htm Scientists have discovered that the key to plants' responses to drought lies in the structure of a protein called PYR1 and how it interacts with the plant hormone abscisic acid. Their study could open up new approaches to increasing crops' resistance to water shortage. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121115.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106201613.htm Deep under the sea, a fossil the size of a sand grain is nestled among a billion of its closest dead relatives. Known as foraminifera, these complex little shells of calcium carbonate can tell you the sea level, temperature, and ocean conditions of Earth millions of years ago. That is, if you know what to look for. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106201613.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132454.htm Scientists are making progress toward development of an "artificial leaf" that mimics a real leaf's chemical magic with photosynthesis -- but instead converts sunlight and water into a liquid fuel such as methanol for cars and trucks. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132454.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104091728.htm A new study into the health of families who drink rainwater has found that it is safe to drink. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104091728.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121207.htm The Alps are growing just as quickly in height as they are shrinking. This paradoxical result comes from a new study by a group of German and Swiss geoscientists. Due to glaciers and rivers, about exactly the same amount of material is eroded from the slopes of the Alps as is regenerated from the deep Earth's crust. The climatic cycles of the glacial period in Europe over the past 2.5 million years have accelerated this erosion process. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121207.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106120807.htm The United States is using less water than during the peak years of 1975 and 1980, according to water use estimates for 2005. Despite a 30 percent population increase during the past 25 years, overall water use has remained fairly stable according to a new report. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106120807.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104140814.htm Conserving water and reducing the environmental impact of runoff are two important issues confronting container nursery operations. Current regulations in five states limit water consumption and/or nutrient concentrations in runoff. Researchers investigated whether irrigation scheduling based on daily water use (DWU) -- the combined loss of water from plant transpiration and substrate evaporation -- could conserve water. According to the study, "scheduling irrigation according to plant DWU substantially reduced the amount of irrigation applied. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104140814.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104140816.htm Air quality in homes and offices is becoming a major health concern. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in indoor air emanate from adhesives, furnishings, clothing, and solvents and have been shown to cause illnesses in people. Researchers tested ornamental indoor plants for their ability to remove harmful VOCs from indoor air. The study concluded that simply introducing common ornamental plants into indoor spaces has the potential to significantly improve the quality of indoor air. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104140816.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143817.htm For the insects called water striders, the pushiest guys don't always get the girls. New research provides support for the theory of multi-level selection and contradicts previous laboratory experiments that suggested that the most aggressive males are the most successful at reproducing. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143817.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103112249.htm Researchers found that removing all of the trees from a section of the forest had a negative effect on amphibians during their later life cycles, but had some positive effects during amphibians' aquatic larva stages at the beginning of their lives. To lessen the negative effects during the later life stage, scientists recommend partial or selection cuts to forests rather than completely removing trees from an area. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103112249.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104000925.htm Biologists have explained why corals spawn for just a few nights in some places but elsewhere string out their love life over many months. A new study shows that corals spawn when regional wind fields are light. When it is calm, the eggs and sperm have the chance to unite before they are dispersed. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104000925.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172247.htm About half of 36 fish stocks in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, many of them commercially valuable species, have been shifting northward over the last four decades, with some stocks nearly disappearing from US waters as they move farther offshore, according to a new study. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172247.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172251.htm Researchers spent two months this summer high in the Peruvian Andes and brought back two cores, the longest ever drilled from ice fields in the tropics. This latest expedition focused on a yet-to-be-named ice field 5,364 meters above sea level in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172251.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103144822.htm Engineers are assessing systematic production methods that could make the costs of algae oil production more reasonable, helping move the U.S. from fossil fuel dependency to renewable energy replacements. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103144822.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103102353.htm Flemish scientists have developed a technology that can significantly increase crop yields as well as make them more resistant to unfavorable growing conditions. It is based on selecting plants that make more efficient use of energy. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103102353.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103145611.htm Following the launch of ESA's SMOS satellite on Nov. 2, the French space agency CNES, which is responsible for operating the satellite, has confirmed that the instrument's three antenna arms have deployed as planned, and that the instrument is in good health. During launch and the first few orbits around Earth, the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) instrument's antenna arms remained safely folded up. Today, these three arms folded-out and now form a large three-pointed star shape. With its unusual shape, measuring eight metres across, SMOS can be dubbed a 'star in the sky'. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103145611.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123027.htm Scientists have used images compiled over a decade to study volcanic activity in the African Rift. A new article focuses on the section of the rift in Kenya. Surface deformation of four active volcanoes underscore possibility for human hazard, as well as the potential of geothermal resources. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123027.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104122522.htm New scientific discoveries are moving society toward the era of "personalized solar energy," in which the focus of electricity production shifts from huge central generating stations to individuals in their own homes and communities. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104122522.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101555.htm In Bangladesh cholera epidemics occur twice a year. Scientists have tried, without much success, to determine the causes -- and advance early detection and prevention efforts. Now, researchers have proposed a link between cholera and fluctuating water levels in the region's three principal rivers -- the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101555.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171209.htm The remaining ice fields atop famed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania could be gone within two decades and perhaps even sooner, based on the latest survey of the ice fields remaining on the mountain . The findings indicate a major cause of this ice loss is very likely to be the rise in global temperatures. Although changes in cloudiness and precipitation may also play a role, they appear less important, particularly in recent decades. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171209.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091030125058.htm Although declining streamflows and half-full reservoirs have gotten most of the attention in water conflicts around the United States, some of the worst battles of the next century may be over groundwater, experts say -- a critical resource often taken for granted until it begins to run out. But lessons learned as oil was running out may offer some solutions. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091030125058.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111845.htm A rocket carrying the European Space Agency's Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity satellite blasted off successfully today. SMOS is the first-ever satellite to attempt to measure ocean salinity from space. It will provide global maps of soil moisture over land and surface salinity over the ocean. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111845.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102085825.htm Nature inspires technology as an engineer and an ecologist have teamed to develop robots that use advanced materials to swim like fish to probe underwater environments. Robotic fish -- perhaps schools of them operating autonomously for months -- could give researchers far more precise data on aquatic conditions, deepening our knowledge of critical water supplies and habitats. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102085825.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029160119.htm Generating energy on a large scale by mixing salt and fresh water is both technically possible and practical. The worldwide potential for this clean form of energy – 'blue energy' – is enormous. However, several essential technological developments are needed and investments in large-scale trials, a Dutch researcher says. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029160119.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103102402.htm The Environmental Restoration Project at Sandia National Laboratories reports the successful construction of an alternative evapotranspirative cover at the Mixed Waste Landfill in September. The 2.6-acre site is located in Technical Area 3 in the west-central part of Kirtland Air Force Base. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103102402.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028140043.htm Researchers are using a remotely operated vehicle and satellite-linked data loggers to learn more about turtle behavior in commercial fishing areas and to develop new ways to avoid catching turtles in fishing gear. This marks the first time an ROV has been used to follow turtles in the wild to learn about their behavior and how they interact with their habitat Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028140043.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029111907.htm A new European Earth observation satellite will be launched in the early hours of Monday November 2 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia. The European Space Agency Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity satellite will measure moisture levels in the Earth's soils and the saltiness of the world's oceans from space for the very first time. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029111907.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028114025.htm Scientists are reporting results of one of the first studies on the release of silver nanoparticles from laundering those anti-odor, anti-bacterial socks now on the market. Their findings may suggest ways that manufacturers and consumers can minimize the release of these particles to the environment, where they could harm fish and other wildlife. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028114025.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922160106.htm Bacteria commonly used to indicate health risks in recreational waters might not be so reliable after all. Pathogenic E. coli were pervasive in stream-water samples with low concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria. This is one of the unexpected findings that may affect how we rely on indicator bacteria to determine if water is contaminated with bacteria that can make people sick. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922160106.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090904071905.htm The long-term effects of pesticides on living organisms in rivers and on water quality can now be assessed more easily. Researchers from Germany have developed a tool that can estimate the harmful effect of pesticides, such as those flushed into rivers and streams from agricultural land, within minutes. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090904071905.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028134628.htm The US Environmental Protection Agency has announced a study that will investigate ways to reduce pollution that can run off paved surfaces and improve how water filters back into the ground. EPA is testing a variety of different permeable pavement materials and rain gardens in the parking lot at the agency's Edison, N.J. facility. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028134628.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090917161736.htm Predicting harmful algal blooms, or HABs, in the Great Lakes is now a reality as NOAA announces an experimental HAB forecast system in Lake Erie. HABs produce toxins that may pose a significant risk to human and animal health through water recreation and may form scum that are unsightly and odorous to beach visitors, impacting the coastal economy. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090917161736.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026103844.htm The same phenomenon that occurs when it's time for certain mushrooms to eject spores also occurs when dew droplets skitter across a surface that is highly water repellent. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026103844.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022114321.htm Geologists are finding that the most important tools in their fieldwork on groundwater arsenic pollution are women and children armed with pamphlets and testing kits. The research examines arsenic levels in the groundwater in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. While trying to understand how the naturally occurring arsenic gets into groundwater, the researchers are helping Bengalis identify contaminated water sources so they can make more informed decisions about where to dig wells. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022114321.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022153635.htm An Israeli researcher's "hyperspectral remote sensor" combines sophisticated sensors in orbit with sensors on the ground and in the air to give advance warnings about contamination, pollution and weather disasters. Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022153635.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090917161740.htm Temperature differences and slow-moving water at the confluence of the Clearwater and Snake rivers in Idaho might delay the migration of threatened fall Chinook salmon salmon and allow them to grow larger before reaching the Pacific Ocean. To find out if that's the case, a team of researchers is implanting young fish with acoustic and radio tags to track their movement and using hydrological sensors to measure water temperature and speed. Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090917161740.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022101659.htm Scientists finally understand how the lotus plant keeps itself clean and dry. It took an ultra high speed camera, a powerful microscope and an audio speaker to unlock a secret that has puzzled scientists for ages. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022101659.htm