Rats can absorb disease agents from their local environment and spread them, according to a new study. The results also indicate that the threat rats pose to the health of poultry and humans has been underestimated.
Read MoreNatural carbon sinks and their role in climate
Protected areas such as rainforests occupy more than one-tenth of the Earth’s landscape, and provide invaluable ecosystem services, from erosion control to pollination to biodiversity preservation. They also draw heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and store it in plants and soil through photosynthesis, yielding a net cooling effect on the planet.Determining the role protected areas play as carbon sinks — now and in decades to come — is a topic of intense interest to the climate-policy community as it seeks science-based strategies to mitigate climate change. Toward that end, a study in the journal Ambioestimates for the first time the amount of CO2 sequestered by protected areas, both at present and throughout the 21st century as projected under various climate and land-use scenarios.
Read MoreChanging climate and reforestation
For the past six years, researchers at the Universitat Politènica de València (Polytechnic Univeristy of Valencia, UPV) have been studying the performance of twelve Aleppo pine varieties native to different regions of Spain in reforestation campaigns across three national forest areas. Different varieties or genotypes have different levels of resistance to cold and drought, which influence how well they perform in a given geographical region, and researchers wanted to find out which varieties worked best and where.To do so, the different national varieties or genotypes were used to repopulate forest areas in La Hunde, Valencia (as the control region), in the drier Granja d'Escarp, Lleida, to the north and further inland in Tramacastiel, Teruel, where the climate is much cooler.”The varieties from Inland Levante and La Mancha performed the best overall, while those from further south seem to be perfect for reforestation efforts in regions already affected by climate change,” observes Antonio del Campo, researcher at the UPV's Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (IIAMA).
Read MoreUsing an Electric Fence for Your Rural Property
By Farm Supply Store Part of living on a farm means having proper fencing, though this can often entail a number of different options depending on your property and what […]
Read MoreElectric Fences: A Better Alternative to Barbed Wire
Written by: The Farm Supply Store One of the most popular forms of home security and safeguarding animals is electric fences. It is economical, and is easier to install and […]
Read MoreGrowing worldwide population threaten biodiversity of the planet
Human overpopulation is creating many problems and causing concerns among many nations worldwide. The world population is estimated at 7.2 billion at the present and expected to grow to between […]
Read MoreBoat Cushions for your Marine Lifestyle
Foam Factory, Inc. As a boat owner, you might often notice that your cushions, whether on the berth or benches, often tend to go saggy past some years of use. […]
Read MoreReusable Ag parts for your farm
Written by Worthington Ag Parts If you have an agricultural startup, you might find that it is more worthwhile to use reusable agricultural equipment parts rather than purchasing new parts. […]
Read MoreTips on watching Killer whales in the San Juan Islands
Written by Crystal Seas Watching whales in the waters of the San Juan Islands is an incredible experience. Most of the whales that are visible from these islands are orcas […]
Read MoreMost Known Regions of Italy
Most Known Regions of Italy To many people, when asked about Italy, they immediately think about Rome. This is for good reason, of course. Rome is by far one of […]
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