News by Subject Atmospheric Science

Woody vegetation, such as trees and shrubs, has increased dramatically in Ozark grasslands over the past 75 years, according to a study published this week in the journal Landscape Ecology. If these ecosystems continue to favor woody vegetation, will it be possible to maintain open grasslands for the foreseeable future?

Reducing tourist consumption of reef fish is critical for Palau's ocean sustainability, finds a new UBC study that suggests other small island nations might also consider adopting this strategy.

Three-quarters of counties in the contiguous United States present suitable environmental conditions for at least part of the year for either Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus mosquitoes to survive if introduced, according to researchers at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The two mosquito species can transmit viruses that cause Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever.

Reducing tourist consumption of reef fish is critical for Palau's ocean sustainability, finds a new Nippon Foundation-UBC Nereus Program study published today in Marine Policy. While climate change is expected to lead to sharp declines in Palau's reefs, the best tourism management strategy includes a more than 70 per cent reduction in reef fish consumption by visitors. These findings are highly relevant for sustainable development in small island developing states under climate change.

The rainfall over the Yangtze River valley in the summer of 2016 was much weaker than that in 1998, despite the intensity of the 2016 El Nino having been as strong as that in 1998. A group of scientists from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, have now revealed the remarkable role played by the mid-latitude circulation in this surprising feature.