Category: Ecology

Urban Forests

Urban Forests

Urban Forests

05/03/20

“How can we have a forest in the middle of a city?”

 

City parks are a stale of what constitutes a good quality of life by letting residents reconnect with nature. However, cities can take this to a whole new level with Urban Forests. Urban forests are parts of a city that have been completely protected from development and human intrusion. A prominent urban forest in real-life is the Tijuca Forest in Rio de Janeiro, which contains the world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue and 32 km² (12.4 mi²) of greenery. Urban forests will become more critical in the new climate paradigm, where their ability to absorb groundwater discharge and lower ambient temperatures will build greater resilience capacity.

Ecological Data Analysis

Ecological Data Analysis

Ecological Data Analysis

05/02/20

“How can we apply advanced statistical analysis to Ecology?”

 

Ecology is an academic field that is rich in data. From the largest of ecosystems to the smallest of invertebrates, data can play a central role in how everything operates. To take a deeper dive into its fundamental core, Ecological Data Analysis can be done to quantify these relationships. This can range from seeing what factors lead to evolution to categorizing population characteristics.

Why WUI Maps Need to Take Into Account Wind Effects

Why WUI Maps Need to Take Into Account Wind Effects

Why WUI Maps Need to Take Into Account Wind Effects

04/08/20

“Why do wildfire maps need to take into account the effects of wind?”

 

Wildland-urban interface maps are pivotal for community planners, emergency managers, and policymakers to understand their community’s vulnerability to wildfire. However, seldom do these take into account wind, which holds the potential to spread fires beyond the natural wildland-urban interface. This can be a critical factor and needs to be taken into account. This is Why WUI Maps Need to Take Into Account Wind Effects.

Image credit media.wired.com

How Droughts Can Lead to Ecological Devastation

How Droughts Can Lead to Ecological Devastation

How Droughts Can Lead to Ecological Devastation

03/07/20

“How can droughts cause mass ecological devastation?”

 

Water is one of the most important ingredients of life. However, with the changing climate, droughts are becoming more common. When there is an extended period of rain-loss, plants can die out, reducing food sources for animals, cascading until a vast ecosystem death occurs. This is How Droughts Can Lead to Ecological Devastation.

Why Timing for Prescribed Burns in Crucial for Wildfire Resilience

Why Timing for Prescribed Burns in Crucial for Wildfire Resilience

Why Timing for Prescribed Burns in Crucial for Wildfire Resilience

02/06/20

“Why is it important for resilience that we perform prescribed burns at the right time?”

 

Prescribed burning is one of the most common methods for making a landscape more resilient to wildfires. However, some native plant life might be adapted to burn at certain times of the year. If they are lit on fire outside of this time period, then ecological mayhem may ensue and end up harming the environment. This is Why Timing for Prescribed Burns in Crucial for Wildfire Resilience.

 

Image credit cdn.britannica.com