Hello hello, ready for this weeks environmental news?
Cloud brightening technology might help save the reef
Scientists are trialling a new technology which could slow the impacts of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef. The device shoots microscopic droplets of saltwater into the atmosphere which should mix with the lower atmosphere to brighten clouds. These clouds then reflect more sunlight and, as a result, the reef should not absorb as much heat. The research is still in its very early days but the team hopes that in a few years, the technique can be trialled on a larger scale to determine how effective it is. This project is just one of 42 similar experiments which are trying to find ways to save our precious reef.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-17/cloud-brightening-aims-to-protect-great-barrier-reef/12156596
New hope for Norfolk Island’s morepork owl
Two morepork owl chicks have been located on Norfolk Island, much to the delight of scientists who have been trying to save the species for 40 years. These chicks, along with the other 50 birds left on the island, are a product of a desperate last act in the 1980s when the last surviving female was successfully paired with an owl of a New Zealand subspecies. In 2012, the owls unexpectedly stopped breeding until 2019. These new chicks are a huge success story for the scientists working hard to save this unique species.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-17/norfolk-island-morepork-owl-new-generation/12150012
Extinction of megafauna would trigger huge loss of biodiversity
Research led by Swansea University has collected data about the megafauna of the oceans and the important ecological role they play. Marine megafauna describes the largest animals in the ocean including whales, sharks, seals and sea turtles and their importance for maintaining healthy oceans is paramount. The data showed that if current trajectories were maintained, we could lose 18% of marine megafauna within the next 100 years and if we lost all currently threatened species, 48% of ecological functions would cease to operate.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/04/200417212930.htm
Lockdown leaves power grid overloaded
With demand for electricity down 5% in WA, experts worry that the energy grid could become overloaded and result in wide-spread issues such as blackouts. Energy being generated by the region’s 300 000 solar panels could potentially overwhelm the system with Autumn being a time of sunny days yet low energy use. While unlikely, if demand falls to below 700MW, energy generation could be switched off during the day as a last resort if technology is not able to cope with so much disposable energy. This provides an opportunity for household solar panels to prove their worth and become a more integrated part of energy generation.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-18/covid-led-drop-in-energy-use-risks-system-overload/12150030
Record low ozone levels over Arctic
NASA has reported the lowest ozone levels over the Arctic on record on the 12 March. These rare depletions in ozone levels typically happen once per decade but this incident is particularly worrying as ozone levels are typically high during March. Consequently, Arctic air is warming and creating unfavourable conditions for the formation of clouds which release harmful chemicals from the atmosphere.
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/nasa-reports-arctic-stratospheric-ozone-depletion-hit-record-low-in-march
Cloud brightening technology might help save the reef
Scientists are trialling a new technology which could slow the impacts of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef. The device shoots microscopic droplets of saltwater into the atmosphere which should mix with the lower atmosphere to brighten clouds. These clouds then reflect more sunlight and, as a result, the reef should not absorb as much heat. The research is still in its very early days but the team hopes that in a few years, the technique can be trialled on a larger scale to determine how effective it is. This project is just one of 42 similar experiments which are trying to find ways to save our precious reef.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-17/cloud-brightening-aims-to-protect-great-barrier-reef/12156596
New hope for Norfolk Island’s morepork owl
Two morepork owl chicks have been located on Norfolk Island, much to the delight of scientists who have been trying to save the species for 40 years. These chicks, along with the other 50 birds left on the island, are a product of a desperate last act in the 1980s when the last surviving female was successfully paired with an owl of a New Zealand subspecies. In 2012, the owls unexpectedly stopped breeding until 2019. These new chicks are a huge success story for the scientists working hard to save this unique species.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-17/norfolk-island-morepork-owl-new-generation/12150012
Extinction of megafauna would trigger huge loss of biodiversity
Research led by Swansea University has collected data about the megafauna of the oceans and the important ecological role they play. Marine megafauna describes the largest animals in the ocean including whales, sharks, seals and sea turtles and their importance for maintaining healthy oceans is paramount. The data showed that if current trajectories were maintained, we could lose 18% of marine megafauna within the next 100 years and if we lost all currently threatened species, 48% of ecological functions would cease to operate.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/04/200417212930.htm
Lockdown leaves power grid overloaded
With demand for electricity down 5% in WA, experts worry that the energy grid could become overloaded and result in wide-spread issues such as blackouts. Energy being generated by the region’s 300 000 solar panels could potentially overwhelm the system with Autumn being a time of sunny days yet low energy use. While unlikely, if demand falls to below 700MW, energy generation could be switched off during the day as a last resort if technology is not able to cope with so much disposable energy. This provides an opportunity for household solar panels to prove their worth and become a more integrated part of energy generation.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-18/covid-led-drop-in-energy-use-risks-system-overload/12150030
Record low ozone levels over Arctic
NASA has reported the lowest ozone levels over the Arctic on record on the 12 March. These rare depletions in ozone levels typically happen once per decade but this incident is particularly worrying as ozone levels are typically high during March. Consequently, Arctic air is warming and creating unfavourable conditions for the formation of clouds which release harmful chemicals from the atmosphere.
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/nasa-reports-arctic-stratospheric-ozone-depletion-hit-record-low-in-march