Background Articles

A powerful "bomb cyclone" swept across the northwest United States, leading to the deaths of two people, widespread power outages, and significant damage from fallen trees and extreme weather conditions.

The South-central Invasive Species Strike Team is actively working in Bristol Bay to manage and control the spread of invasive species, such as Bird Vetch, which threaten local ecosystems essential for subsistence in Alaska.

A study reveals that large wildfires in Canada's boreal forests cause prolonged ground warming for over a decade, with implications for climate change feedback loops.

Invasive species like green crabs and choke cherry trees are causing environmental and economic harm in Alaska.

Eider populations along the Norwegian coast have declined by up to 80%, with a nationwide decrease of 35-40%, and the reasons remain unknown.

Canada's record wildfires contribute significantly to global non-tropical tree cover loss, with implications for climate change and biodiversity.

Conservationists petition for federal protection of the rare Kigluaik buttercup, threatened by climate change and proposed mining activities.

New Zealand's first mechanical suction dredge is being trialed in Northland to combat the invasive seaweed caulerpa, potentially revolutionizing marine biosecurity efforts.

Alaska experts are grappling with the challenge of controlling the highly invasive Japanese knotweed, which is resistant to conventional eradication methods and threatens local ecosystems.

Algal blooms in the Liffey River threaten Dublin's drinking water due to pollution and climate change, raising concerns about the safety of fish and the future impact on water treatment.

Lichens can provide valuable information about air quality and environmental conditions, as different species have different sensitivities to pollution and humidity levels, making them useful indicators of climate and pollution levels in a given area.

"I am concerned about high levels of PFAS contamination in the drinking water?"

A "weed smackdown" at an Anchorage park is part of a long-running campaign to stop the spread of plants that are harming the natural ecosystem.

A decline in the population of sea otters, a well-known predator of urchins and other kelp-eating critters, led to the spread of “urchin barrens” along the Pacific coast, where urchins have mowed down entire kelp forests. Now, researchers are trying to figure out if, and how, other predators such as sunflower stars could play a complementary role in protecting the kelp forests.

In Southeast Alaska, and across the state, climate change is bringing more rainfall, less winter snowfall and hotter temperatures. According to the project’s lead researcher Alex McCarrel, those changes disrupt berry development because a berry plant’s life cycle is precisely tuned to its environment.

Survivors of the Maui fire in Lahaina say they were overwhelmed by the speed of the blaze, the smothering smoke and the lack of escape routes.

Monkshood, a common yet highly poisonous plant in Alaska, has seen an unusual bloom this year, raising concerns about its safety among hikers and gardeners. Experts affirm that while the plant is toxic, casual contact is unlikely to cause harm.

The R/V Sikuliaq is a familiar sight in the Port of Nome. The ice-breaking research vessel is owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. This year, while the vessel is out at sea it will be collecting water that could signal whether a bloom is occurring.

During the 1970's much of the Norwegian coastline was overfished. In the past, a kelp forest provided shelter and food for local sealife. Today, the seabed, along the Norwegian coastline is a sea urchin desert. Researchers, volunteers, and the "Kelp Keepers" in Tromso, are removing the sea urchins and rebuilding the kelp forest.

When most people consider the arctic, or high-altitude mountain landscapes, they think of endless snow, ice and bare rock. But pastel-coloured flowers, sometimes just a few millimetres wide, bloom in these dramatic places too. The miniature flowers not only weather some of the toughest habitats on Earth, but can also help engineer the landscape for other species.