Ecology & Environment

News articles classified as Ecology & Environment

Nature as a defense against sea-level rise

Researchers modeled how investing in environmental conservation and protection can help San Mateo County adapt to rising seas. The findings provide incentives for policymakers to prioritize nature-based approaches when planning for sea-level rise.

When will California’s San Joaquin Valley stop sinking?

A Stanford University study simulates 65 years of land subsidence, or sinking, caused by groundwater depletion in California’s San Joaquin Valley. The results suggest significant sinking may continue for centuries after water levels stop declining but could slow within a few years if aquifers recover.

Pollution and crops

New analysis shows crop yields could increase by about 25% in China and up to 10% in other parts of the world if emissions of a common air pollutant decreased by about half.

Coral-killing sunscreens

Stanford researchers reveal a mechanism by which oxybenzone, a common sunscreen component, may damage reefs. The surprising findings could help guide the development and marketing of effective, coral-safe sunscreens.

Massive conservation effort

California has rolled out plans to protect plant and animal life across 30 percent of the state’s most critical land and water by 2030. Biologists Elizabeth Hadly and Mary Ruckelshaus and environmental law expert Deborah Sivas discuss keys to its success, potential impacts, legal precedents, and more.

Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment —

Earth Day 2022

The Stanford Natural Capital Project developed open-source software that has been downloaded and used in more than 185 countries to help inform investments in nature and ecosystem sustainability for the benefit of all.

Stanford’s Richard Nevle discusses his new book

Richard Nevle, deputy director of Stanford’s Earth Systems Program, discusses his forthcoming collection of essays about the Sierra Nevada mountain range, The Paradise Notebooks.

Health, happiness and prosperity – with fewer kilowatts

Analysis of data from 140 countries suggests many rich countries could use less energy per capita without compromising health, happiness or prosperity. Countries struggling with energy poverty may be able to maximize well-being with less energy than previously thought.

Mapping risks of labor abuse and illegal fishing

A new modeling approach combines machine learning and human insights to map the regions and ports most at risk for illicit practices, like forced labor or illegal catch, and identifies opportunities for mitigating such risks.

Building smarter

Analysis presents a first-of-its-kind framework to design the most efficient mix of urban buildings along with integrated systems to supply power and water services. The approach could significantly reduce costs and pollution compared to traditional systems.

Sewer treasure

Promising technologies for converting wastewater into drinkable water produce a chemical compound that can be toxic, corrosive and malodorous. An analysis of one possible solution reveals ways to optimize it for maximum energy efficiency, pollutant removal and resource recovery.

Personal experience and disaster adaptation

Surveys of people exposed to wildfires and hurricanes show that negative experiences with these events are associated with elevated perceived risk for specific climate hazards and self-reported adaptation behaviors, as well as increased support for interventions. The findings could help shape public communications and policy.

Investing in tourism through wildlife and roads

To keep tourism revenue flowing, a new method uses NASA satellite data and social media posts to show the benefits of investing in nature – and the roads to get to it.

Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment —

Rethinking how to measure methane’s climate impact

Stanford researchers Sam Abernethy and Rob Jackson discuss the history of the current global warming potential metric, how a shorter timeframe could help policymakers realign their climate commitments and more.

Wildfire burn area

Rapidly growing communities in the American West’s forests and shrublands are nestled in zones where local soil and plant traits amplify the effect of climate change on wildfire hazards and lead to bigger burns.

Stanford Report —

Chris Field awarded Japan Prize

Field has won one of the world’s foremost prizes for his contributions to estimation of global biospheric productivity and climate change science.

Rethinking cooking with gas

Natural gas stoves release methane – a potent greenhouse gas – and other pollutants through leaks and incomplete combustion. Stanford researchers estimate that methane leaking from stoves inside U.S. homes has the same climate impact as about 500,000 gasoline-powered cars and the stoves can expose people to respiratory disease-triggering pollutants.

Bill Lane Center for the American West —

The lithium rush is on

The push for a future free from fossil fuels is creating new urgency to mine resources for the batteries needed to decarbonize transportation.

Stanford Earth Matters —

Stanford Earth’s top 10 stories of 2021

Our list includes a mix of favorites, high-impact stories and some of our most read research coverage from a year of uncertainty, adaptation and discovery.

Researchers test physics of coral as an indicator of reef health

New research shows that physics measurements of just a small portion of reef can be used to assess the health of an entire reef system. The findings may help scientists grasp how these important ecosystems will respond to a changing climate.

Why warming makes weather less predictable

A Stanford University study shows chaos reigns earlier in midlatitude weather models as temperatures rise. The result? Climate change could be shifting the limits of weather predictability and pushing reliable 10-day forecasts out of reach.

Turning a climate problem into a food solution

Methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, can be captured and transformed into protein-rich feed for farmed fish – an increasingly important food sector. A new analysis shows how to make the approach more cost-effective than current fish feeds.

Trees on the move

As climate conditions change, tree species are shifting their ranges. Wildfire is accelerating this process, likely by reducing competition from established species – a finding that raises questions about how to manage land in an era of shifting ecosystems.

Promise and limits of COP26 pledges

Stanford experts discuss strengths and weaknesses of major pledges at the UN climate summit that target methane emissions and deforestation.

Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health —

Five questions on the cost of climate change

Global Health Faculty Fellow Marshall Burke's research has focused on quantifying the impacts of climate change in ways that resonate with politicians, decision-makers, and the general public.

Stanford Earth —

Methane and climate change

Nations around the world are joining a pledge to curb emissions of methane, and the Biden administration is proposing stricter regulation of the potent greenhouse gas. Explore Stanford research about methane emissions and promising solutions.

Carbon emissions rebound to near pre-pandemic levels

Global emissions of carbon dioxide are surging once again as power plants and industry burn more coal and natural gas, narrowing the remaining window for limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.