Ecoclimax

When we think about ocean plastic pollution, we often picture careless beachgoers or irresponsible coastal communities. However, the reality is far more complex and widespread. A groundbreaking study from the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research in Leipzig shed light on a startling fact: a handful of rivers contribute disproportionately to the ocean's plastic problem. Initially, it was believed that just ten rivers were responsible for up to 95% of all river-borne plastic entering our oceans. These rivers included the Yangtze, Yellow, Hai He, Pearl, Amur, Mekong, Indus, and Ganges in Asia, and the Niger and the Nile in Africa.  However, more recent research has refined these findings, providing a clearer picture of the global plastic pollution landscape. A 2021 study published in Science Advances revealed that over 1,000 rivers account for 80% of global annual emissions, ranging between 0.8 and 2.7 million metric tons of plastic. This research, while adjusting the prev

At about 9,500 years ago, the Holocene "Optimum" began setting in motion the warmest and wettest phase of climate during the Holocene. The Great Lakes expanded, and the southern Sahara became a Savannah as monsoon rains reached far to the north of their current extent. In the western Sahara, Niger tributaries stretched deep into the desert, and Lake "Mega-Chad" fed it through the Benue. Although after 7,000 years ago, a general cooling and drying began, the final drying of the Sahara only started about 4,500 years ago. While short-term variation has continued, current conditions were well established by about 2,000 years ago. Sub-Saharan Africa: An Environmental History By Gregory Maddox Our ancestors almost exterminated themselves some 7,000 years ago. According to genetics data after a period of some 2,000 years of decline, there was only one fertile male left alive to mate with every 17 women. The Stanford University's scientists blame “competition bet

Early autumn (August through October) temperatures over the past 50 years are warming in all regions in Alaska. The strongest trend is on the North Slope due to the collapse of early autumn sea ice in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas

Plastic pollution in the marine environment has become a significant concern because of its persistence at sea and its damaging effects on marine life and, potentially, human health. Laurent C. M. Lebreton and his team estimated that between 1.15 and 2.41 million tonnes of plastic waste presently enter the ocean annually from rivers, with over 74 percent of emissions occurring between May and October. The top 20 polluting rivers, primarily located in the Asian continent, accounting for 67 percent of the global total. GIS specialist John Nelson was impressed by the “Principle Rivers/Lakes/Mountains” map diagrams that were popular in the mid-1800s and visualized top plastic waste-contributing rivers worldwide (Yangtze, Ganges, and Xi rivers). Top plastic waste-contributing rivers by metric tonnes of plastic are deposited daily: 1. Yangtze River and basin - 912 tonnes 2. Ganges River and basin - 315 tonnes 3. Xi River and basin - 202 tonnes

Historic and current average high temperatures of the month of July (in Fahrenheit). July 2018 has seen higher than average temperatures across the globe. The extreme weather has exacerbated flooding drought and forest fires countries. The highest temperature ever recorded (°C) in Europe  

Mexico is considered one of the most mega-diverse countries of the world. With over 200 thousand different species, Mexico is home of 10–12% of the world's biodiversity. Mexico ranks first in biodiversity in reptiles with 707 known species, second in mammals with 438 species, fourth in amphibians with 290 species, and fourth in flora, with 26 thousand different species. Mexico is also considered the second country in the world in ecosystems and 4th in overall species.