Groundwater may play key role in forest fires

Aug 9th, 2017 Conservation, Nature 1 min read

Tropical rainforests have that name for a reason, occurring in high rainfall areas close to the equator with swirling mists shrouding their lofty heights and moist soil that squelches underfoot. Some rainforests in Southeast Asia, however, tell a different tale. They have been drying up. This has caused devastating fires have been ravaging the area over the last two decades, like one in Indonesia in…

Does fishing make corals sick?

Jul 20th, 2015 Conservation 1 min read

Coral reefs, teeming with life, are home to vibrant fish communities — which makes them extremely attractive places to go fishing. However, fishing in reefs may injure corals, which in turn allows disease to fester, a recent study on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef reports. Coral disease is a major problem for reefs around the world. When a coral is battling an infection, its growth rate,…