Tag Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
On Earth Day, the world pauses
Sunlight shines through a stand of pine trees at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum this week.Today is Earth Day, which campus is marking with events and a virtual conference.
Blank’s Slate: You don’t have to miss observing Earth Day
Chancellor Rebecca Blank urges you to participate in a virtual Earth Day conference sponsored by the Nelson Institute on April 20. And learn more about the history of the Nelson Institute as it celebrates 50 years.
Governor issues proclamation in honor of the Nelson Institute’s 50th anniversary
The institute, named for former governor, senator and Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, has worked to provide scientifically sound research on environmental challenges since 1970.
Warming oceans could cause Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse, sea level rise
A new study found that warming below the surface of the planet’s oceans is a significant contributor to ice sheet melt, particularly in the Antarctic, where a large portion of the ice sheet exists under the water.
Potential predation prevention: Remind cattle they are herd animals
An experiment will test the back-to-the-future principle that cattle will find safety by returning to their roots as herd animals, says graduate student Naomi Louchouarn, who began the experiment last spring.
Human migration out of Africa may have followed monsoons in the Middle East
A new study provides evidence that summer monsoons from Asia and Africa may have reached into the Middle East for periods of time going back at least 125,000 years, providing suitable corridors for human migration.
Irrigated farming in Wisconsin’s Central Sands cools the region’s climate
Irrigation dropped maximum temperatures by one to three degrees Fahrenheit on average while increasing minimum temperatures up to four degrees compared to unirrigated farms or forests, research shows.
Paul Robbins promoted to dean of Nelson Institute
Chancellor Rebecca Blank and Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf recently announced that Paul Robbins has received the new title effective March 1. Robbins has served the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies as its director since 2012.
Turn off a light, save a life, says new UW–Madison study
We all know that turning off lights and buying energy-efficient appliances saves us money. Now, according to a new study by UW–Madison researchers, we know that saving energy also saves lives.
Flashing lights protect livestock in Chile — by deterring pumas
New UW–Madison research shows how bright, flashing lights can prevent puma attacks on livestock in Chile, without harming the predators.
Elders-in-Residence Program will bring Native community leaders to campus for mentoring, support
The initiative will seek to improve the experience of American Indian and Alaskan Native students by hosting Native elders on campus for extended visits and educational exchanges.
A warming climate means profound changes for U.S. National Parks
The analysis of all 417 of America’s national parks, conducted by UW–Madison’s Center for Climatic Research, found that average temperatures increased at twice the rate as the rest of the nation over the past century.
Ancient farmers spared us from glaciers but profoundly changed Earth’s climate
Ancient farming practices led to a rise in the atmospheric emission of the heat-trapping gases carbon dioxide and methane – a rise that has continued since, unlike the trend at any other time in Earth’s geologic history, according to new UW–Madison research.
In a warming world, could air conditioning make things worse?
A team of UW–Madison researchers forecasts as many as a thousand additional deaths annually in the Eastern United States alone due to elevated levels of air pollution driven by the increased use of fossil fuels to cool the buildings where humans live and work.
UW project asks: What happens to irrigation water in Wisconsin’s Central Sands?
“You can't grow much here without irrigation," says farmer Justin Isherwood, "but we’re not sure how much is enough, and how to leave the same groundwater resource for the next generation."
Invasive worms spreading in Arboretum forests, limited effects so far
Despite Asian jumping worms’ known appetite for leaf litter and tendency to change soil nutrients, researchers found limited evidence of changes to vegetation in areas where the worms have invaded the UW–Madison Arboretum.
Lethal management of wolves in one place may make things worse nearby
Farms that had a wolf killed experienced a 27 percent decrease in risk of another attack, but it was offset by a 22 percent increase at a number of farms in the same township.
Mapping cropland: UW–Madison plays critical role in worldwide map
A UW–Madison researcher was part of a global collaboration has just released a satellite-based map of world croplands that “found” 625 million to 875 million acres that were not known to national agricultural authorities.
Degree program uses satellite, drone technologies to solve environmental problems
Students will learn skills that can be applied to conducting wildlife surveys, mapping floodwaters, monitoring environmental conditions, and many other applications.
Study measures air pollution increase attributable to air conditioning
The study shows the electricity production associated with air conditioning causes emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide to increase by hundreds to thousands of metric tons.