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Babies near gas wells more likely to have birth defects

Posted date: 4:50 PM / comment : 0 , , ,

By Brian Bienkowski
Staff Writer
Environmental Health News

Oil Fields in Colorado, Energy Tomorrow/flickr
Women who live near natural gas wells in rural Colorado are more likely to have babies with neural tube and congenital heart defects, according to a new study.
As natural gas extraction soars in the United States, the findings add to a growing concern by many activists and residents about the potential for health effects from the air pollutants.
Researchers from the Colorado School of Public Health analyzed birth defects among nearly 125,000 births in Colorado towns with fewer than 50,000 people between 1996 and 2009, examining how close the mothers lived to natural gas wells.
Babies born to mothers living in areas with the highest density of wells – more than 125 wells per mile – were more than twice as likely to have neural tube defects than those living with no wells within a 10-mile radius, according to the study published Tuesday. Children in those areas also had a 38 percent greater risk of congenital heart defects than those with no wells. 
Both types of birth defects were fairly rare, occurring in a small percentage of births, but they can cause serious health effects. The researchers did not find a significant association between gas wells and other effects, including oral cleft defects, preterm births and low birth weight.
Neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, are permanent deformities of the spinal cord or brain. They usually occur during the first month of pregnancy, before a woman knows she is pregnant. Congenital heart defects are problems in how the heart's valves, walls, veins or arteries developed in the womb; they can disrupt normal blood flow through the heart.
Colorado remains among states torn over gas production.
For babies born to mothers in the areas with the most wells, the rate of congenital heart defects was 18 per 1,000, compared with 13 per 1,000 for those living with no wells within a 10-mile radius. For neural tube defects, the rate was 2.87 per 3,000, compared with 1.2 per 3,000 in areas with no wells.
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission estimates that 26 percent of the more than 47,000 oil and gas wells in Colorado are located within 150 to 1,000 feet of homes.
“Taken together, our results and current trends in natural gas development underscore the importance of conducting more comprehensive and rigorous research on the potential health effects of natural gas development,” the researchers wrote in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
The study was limited in that the researchers didn’t have access to the mothers’ health or socioeconomic information, or their actual exposures to air pollutants. They had to assume that the address when they delivered the baby was the same as during their first trimester. They also knew only if a gas well existed in the year of the births, not how active it was.
Larry Wolk, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said no conclusions could be drawn from the study because the researchers didn't know the status of the wells and didn't know the mothers' residential history and health care status.
“Overall, we feel this study highlights interesting areas for further research and investigation, but is not conclusive in itself,” Wolk said in a prepared statement. 
“I would tell pregnant women and mothers who live, or who at-the-time-of-their-pregnancy lived, in proximity to a gas well not to rely on this study as an explanation of why one of their children might have had a birth defect. Many factors known to contribute to birth defects were ignored in this study," said Wolk, who was appointed to his position by Gov. John Hickenlooper last August.
The Colorado Oil and Gas Association forwarded a request for comment to Dollis Wright, head of an environmental communication company in Colorado.
“They didn’t address things like prenatal care, socioeconomic status and access to health care, which can make all the difference in the world when you look at birth defects,” Wright said.
However, the researchers did take into account the mothers' education, smoking, age, ethnicity, smoking and alcohol use.
Colorado is ranked sixth in the United States for natural gas production, and from 2007 to 20011, the state's production rose 27 percent, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Two years ago, the lead researcher of the new study, Lisa McKenzie, testified before federal officials recommending stronger state regulation of hydraulic fracturing. She cited a 2012 study she conducted that found carcinogens such as benzene near drilling sites in Garfield County, Colo. McKenzie and colleagues did not know how many of the wells in the new study used hydraulic fracturing.
The study comes on the heels of research from the University of Missouri thatfound elevated levels of endocrine-disrupting compounds near natural gas drilling in Garfield County. Some chemicals that alter hormones have been linked to birth defects.
It is unclear what, if anything, related to the natural gas wells could raise the risk of birth defects. However, benzene and other hydrocarbons, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, are emitted by trucks, drilling and pipelines near the wells.
Benzene previously has been linked to neural tube defects in other areas, including Texas, where exposure is high from petrochemical industries. Benzene and several other air pollutants around natural gas wells are known to cross the placenta from mother to the fetus.
“One plausible mechanism could be an association between air pollutants emitted during development and congenital heart defects, and possibly neural tube defects,” McKenzie said.
McKenzie said she is more cautious about the neural tube findings than the heart findings because the rate was elevated only among women who lived with the highest density of wells, and because there were only 59 babies with the neural defects.
Wright said the study had some “good news for the energy industry” because when the researchers tightened the radius to two and five miles within the mothers’ homes, the odds of some birth defects dropped lower than the odds at 10 miles.
However, for the congenital heart and neural tube defects, increased risk was found at distances of two, five and 10 miles for the mothers living in areas with the highest densities of wells compared with areas with no wells. 
Colorado remains torn over natural gas production. Four towns – Broomfield, Fort Collins, Lafayette and Boulder – last year passed initiatives to ban or place a moratorium on fracking. The Colorado Oil and Gas Association filed a lawsuit trying to stop the bans in Fort Collins and Lafayette.
Communities should decide whether they want to put pregnant mothers at risk, said Lindsey Wilson, a field associate with Environment Colorado, an environmental group.
“The findings in this study clearly show how important it is that Colorado state officials allow communities to make their own decisions on whether or not to allow fracking within their borders,” Wilson said.

China may spray water from skyscrapers to clean smog from the air in cities

Posted date: 11:30 AM / comment : 0 , , ,

Nextbigfuture covered the concept of spraying water from skyscrapers to reduce air pollution in cities in China.
Spraying water from skyscrapers could help to reduce the concentration of PM2.5 pollution - tiny particles in the air which are especially hazardous to health - efficiently to a safer level of 35 micrograms per cubic metre, and in as quick as 30 minutes. Air pollution is a big problem in China and this is approach to pollution mitigation is being developed there.

In addition, the process is natural, technologically feasible, efficient and low cost. All the necessary technologies and materials required to make it work are already available, Yu says, from high buildings, towers and aircraft, to weather modification technology and automatic sprinkler heads.

Tests will be performed at Zhejiang University campus first and then Hangzhou city if everything goes well. If we are successful, our work can be followed by the other cities in China and around the world."

Air pollution in China has progressively worsened over the past 30 years, particularly in its megacities, due to rapid economic growth and expansion of industrial activity. According to a Greenpeace report released last week, in 2013, 92 per cent of Chinese cities failed to reach the national standard of a PM2.5 density of no greater than 35 micrograms per cubic metre. Thirty-two cities were double the standard, while the top 10 cities were three times the standard.

The six most polluted cities are in Hebei province, led by the industrial cities of Xingtai and Shijiazhuang. Among China's international business centres, Beijing was the worst at No 13, with an average PM2.5 index of 89.5 micrograms per cubic metre, followed by Qingdao (No 47) and Shanghai (No 48).

Natural precipitation is effective at cleaning air pollution - just think how much clearer the Hong Kong skyline is after a rainy day. In Beijing, an urban atmospheric environmental monitoring station showed that PM2.5 concentrations decreased from about 220 to 30 micrograms per cubic metre on September 26, 2011 because of heavy rain. Precipitation can also efficiently reduce gaseous air pollutants such and nitric acid and sulphur dioxide.

Yu's system is designed to spray raindrops of specific sizes and rain intensity, and at different heights, for the most efficient pollution reduction depending on the conditions.

Water should be sprayed into the atmosphere from at least 100 metres high, he says, because most air pollution is below this height. For areas with no tall buildings, towers of 100 to 200 metres high can be built.

The spraying would need to be done daily to avoid the accumulation of air pollution. Ideally, the water will be obtained from rivers and lakes to keep costs low, he says, and can be collected and reused, thereby preventing any exacerbation of existing water shortages. Although there are potential problems - such as flooding, humidification of the low atmosphere, and slippery grounds - Yu says these are outweighed by the benefits.

Dr Chan Chak-keung, a professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology's division of environment, says Yu's proposal is "interesting" but is concerned about the scheme's water usage.

"Where will we find that much water? You could recycle the water, but that itself is a challenging task," says Chan. "If I spray water from the roof, what about pollution above the roof? Assuming his team can find a system that works, and they've done enough economic analysis and considered the handling of water resources, this could be a viable option.

"I would also recommend he considers spraying water right at the street level, especially along heavy traffic roads."

Background

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Water spray geoengineering to clean air pollution for mitigating haze in China’s cities

All 74 of China's big cities fail to meet air quality standards. It will take decades to radically improve the emissions of China's factories, powerplants and cars. 

China produces 55 billion tons of rain per year from massive cloud seeding programs. China plans to increase this to 280 billion tons of rain per year from cloud seeding.

China is predicted to reach 4.8 billion metric tons per year by 2020, up from 3.65 billion tons in 2013. The prediction was made by China National Coal Association vice president Liang Jiakun. China uses about half of the world total in coal. 1 billion tonnes is used in Europe and another 1 billion tons in the United States.

How much is 4.8 billion tons ? That is 600,000 110 car trains full of coal. The 110 cars each hold 100 tons of coal but about 25% of it is water weight. So only 8000 tons of coal per train which coal plants need every 1 to 3 days. Coal is burnable dirt. The world is burning a literal mountain of it every year.

China can achieve rapid improvement in lower particulate emissions by increasing the fines and turning on the emission control systems at coal plants. The coal plant operators follow what the central government orders. The central government had given a wink to turning off the emissions control equipment in order to get lower electricity prices. The cost benefit has clearly changed. The central government needs to improve the air for the people in urban centers. The emission control systems are being turned on. However, a lot of the emissions are construction dust and pollution from cars. It will take a lot more to make the air in the cities better. This is why the water spraying systems will help bridge the 2-4 decade gap to better air quality.

The US geological service has some information on rainfall. The water spraying system would be creating about 30 minutes of artificial rain on days that have no rain and high pollution levels. China has another large water project that quoted 1 kilowatt hour of energy to raise one ton of water by 200 meters. If there was 100 hours of artificial rain needed per year, then we would just need to know the rate or amount of artificial rain for the air pollution cleaning effect. The energy times about 0.05 dollars per kilowatt hour would approximate the operating cost.

Asian Air Pollution Affecting World’s Weather

Posted date: 7:41 AM / comment : 0 , ,

Extreme air pollution in Asia is affecting the world’s weather and climate patterns, according to a study by Texas A&M University and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory researchers.
Yuan Wang, a former doctoral student at Texas A&M, along with Texas A&M atmospheric sciences professors Renyi Zhang and R. Saravanan, have had their findings published in the current issue of Nature Communications.
Satellite photo shows huge air pollution clouds at far left. Japan is on the right.
Satellite photo shows huge air pollution clouds at far left. Japan is on the right. (Photo: NASA JPL)
Using climate models and data collected about aerosols and meteorology over the past 30 years, the researchers found that air pollution over Asia – much of it coming from China – is impacting global air circulations.
“The models clearly show that pollution originating from Asia has an impact on the upper atmosphere and it appears to make such storms or cyclones even stronger,” Zhang explains.
“This pollution affects cloud formations, precipitation, storm intensity and other factors and eventually impacts climate.  Most likely, pollution from Asia can have important consequences on the weather pattern here over North America.”
China’s booming economy during the last 30 years has led to the building of enormous manufacturing factories, industrial plants, power plants and other facilities that produce huge amounts of air pollutants.  Once emitted into the atmosphere, pollutant particles affect cloud formations and weather systems worldwide, the study shows.
Increases in coal burning and car emissions are major sources of pollution in China and other Asian countries.
Air pollution levels in some Chinese cities, such as Beijing, are often more than 100 times higher than acceptable limits set by the World Health Organization standards, Zhang says.
One study has shown that lung cancer rates have increased 400 percent in some areas due to the ever-growing pollution problem.
Conditions tend to worsen during winter months when a combination of stagnant weather patterns mixed with increased coal burning in many Asian cities can create pollution and smog that can last for weeks.  The Chinese government has pledged to toughen pollution standards and to commit sufficient financial resources to attack the problem.
“The models we have used and our data are very consistent with the results we have reached,” Saravanan says.
“Huge amounts of aerosols from Asia go as high as six miles up in the atmosphere and these have an unmistakable impact on cloud formations and weather.”
Zhang adds that “we need to do some future research on exactly how these aerosols are transported globally and impact climate. There are many other atmospheric observations and models we need to look at to see how this entire process works.”
Yuan Wang, who conducted the research with Zhang while at Texas A&M, currently works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a Caltech Postdoctoral Scholar.
The study was funded by grants from NASA, Texas A&M’s Supercomputing facilities and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China.

Light Giving Plant

Posted date: 9:31 AM / comment : 0 , , ,

We may one day be reading by the light of a houseplant
Bioglow's Starlight Avatar(TM) as seen in regular light (left) and in darkness (right).

Tired of filling your house with boring old ficus plants and ferns for a little greenery? You're in luck, because you could soon be able to bring home your own luminescent plant. No, it isn't the result of some kind of nuclear accident. The plants are engineered by the biotechnology company Bioglow and were first announced in 2010 when molecular biologist Alexander Krichevsky et al. published the results in PLOS One. Since that initial report, the team has been working to refine the technique and get the plants growing brighter.

Bio-luminescence can be found in a variety of organisms, including certain jellyfish, bacteria, and insects. These creatures use their natural glow for many reasons, including scaring off predators or attracting prey. For modern scientists, bioluminescence is used a standard marker used in biological research, as it gives scientists a very clear confirmation that the genetic modification was successful. Now, plants that are genetically engineered to be bio-luminescent will be available to the public as a novelty, though it could have future implications as a truly–ahem–green source of energy.

Glowing plants have been attempted for some time now, but required the use of special dyes or UV lights. Because the properties that made these glow were from an external source, these didn’t really work all that well and were not truly bioluminescent. Bioglow’s plants will be the first commercially available plants that have been altered to be autonomously luminescent (which Krichevsky describes as “autoluminescent”).

The glowing plants have been named Starlight AvatarTM. They are an engineered version of Nicotiana alata plants, which is an ornamental tobacco species. Don’t let that put you off; the plant smells like jasmine, not an old bowling alley. Its moniker comes from the fact that it glows about as bright as starlight. Depending on the individual, the light can be seen as soon as the lights go out, but it may also take a couple minutes for your eyes to adjust. 

The biggest drawback of the plant now is that they have a relatively short lifespan at only 2-3 months because it takes so much out of the plant to create the light. The lab continues to work on increasing the longevity of the plant as well as ramping up the brightness. It is the company’s hope that someday these plants could be used to provide a natural source of light inside the home and even possibly replace garden lights, saving money and energy.

Dying to get your hands on one of the first Starlight AvatarTM plants? Bioglow will be holding an auction for the first twenty plants. It doesn’t cost anything to sign up for the auction, but you do need to register on Bioglow’s website to get on the email list for the auction link. The auction is only open to those in the United States and bidding starts at just $1, plus shipping fees.


Note: The date of the auction hasn’t been released yet, but this article will be updated when Bioglow makes the announcement to those who have confirmed registration.

Planting a Forest by a single man

Posted date: 8:05 PM / comment : 0 ,

India’s forest man

Lauded for growing an entire forest over thirty years, Jadav Payeng shows the way forward to afforestation.Planting a Forest

forest of india
Payeng's many trees are a lush forest home to wild elephants, tigers, rhinos and deer [Amarjyoti Borah]
Thirty-four years ago when he began to plant trees, no one, including him, had the slightest idea that his effort would give birth to an entire forest.
It all began with a dream he had in 1979 to plant trees on barren land for small animals and birds to build their homes on the tree tops. Planting a forest
Chasing his dream, Jadav Payeng, then a young lad, belonging to the Mishing tribal community in Jorhat district, in the north eastern state of Assam, began to plant trees regularly.
Decades later, the trees have transformed into a lush forest covering 55 hectares of land, home to wild elephants, tigers, rhinos and deer.Planting a forest
Similarly, he is growing trees on another 150 hectares of land, which is adjacent to the first forest he helped plant.Planting a forest
In appreciation of his single handed efforts, the Assam government has named the forest he helped grow after him, as Mulai Kathoni Bari or the forest of Mulai, Payeng’s pet name.
In 2012, India’s premier educational institution, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) named him the ‘Forest Man of India’.Planting a forest

Country wisdom

Payeng’s story of afforestation brims with country wisdom that needed no alarming statistics about the ill effects of deforestation, shrinking animal habitats and providing sanctuaries for natural wealth to survive, but only homespun instinct.Planting a forest
His story is not without hardship. The year he began to plant his trees was the one marked by major floods in Assam.
It was 1979 and he was a teen. As the floods rose, he saw hundreds of dead snakes washed on the river bank. He realised the top soil cover was being washed away, trees were uprooted and animals rendered homeless or dead.Planting a forest
"I realised how nature and the ecosystem continue to get damaged," remembers Payeng.
Around the time, he also observed the flow of migratory birds was gradually declining to the forest areas and wetlands near his home and this disturbed him.
His village elders told him that with decline in forest cover and deforestation, animals lost their homes. The solution was to build new homes or forests for the animals they said.
"They gave me a few bamboo plants and asked me to plant those," recalls Payeng.
He located a riverine island, a few kilometres out on the banks of the mighty River Brahmaputra, and began to plant the samplings.

A sapling a day

Religiously since then, Payeng visited the island and planted a few saplings every day for 34 years.
"The island was close to my home and I began by planting bamboo and indigenous or non-valuable plants. It’s only since the past 15 years that I have begun to plant high value trees like teak," said the forest man.

Watering the growing area of plants posed a problem, too. He could not draw water from the river and water all the growing plants, as the area proved to be vast for one man.
He built a bamboo platform on the top of each sapling and placed earthen pots with small holes in them. The water would gradually drip on the plants below and water them through the week until the pots were drained off water.
Payeng also released termites, ants, earthworms and insects to work the soil to a fertile condition.
"Termites and ants are very good at improving the soil fertility. They burrow into the hard rocky surface making the soil porous and easy to plough," he said.
Ritu Thakur, of the North Eastern Regional Institute of Water and Land Management (NERIWALM), agreed.
"Ants makes the soil arable and improve the quality physically, while termites improve the soil condition chemically by secreting certain enzymes," Thakur said.
Jungle tales
As his forests grew, they posed new problems for the villagers who posed a challenge to Payeng.
The forest’s wild elephants began to stray to the villages on the edge of the forest and damage the crops and agricultural fields. Tigers were also noted hunting small village fowls and pheasants.
Angry villagers told Payeng that they would destroy his forest as the animals were posing a threat to their lives and crops.
Payeng began to plant more trees, especially banana trees, a favourite food for elephants in his jungle.
Finding adequate food within the forest, the elephants stopped coming out to the villages, and soon the population of animals such as deer grew, providing enough game for the wild tigers.

Growing forests

Payeng’s obsession for growing forests has left his family to work as dairy farmers. They have 50 livestock and sell the milk to the villagers for a living.
After rushing through his chores in the morning and supplying milk to the villages, Payeng chases his dream of growing "more and more forests" along the islands near the Brahmaputra.
Payeng’s efforts in conservation have also been widely appreciated by the Assam government, academicians, and former president of India and eminent scientist, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
"Payeng is a true conservationist who is working generously on the issue, and he has shown what an ordinary person with good motive and will power can do," said Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi.

Planting a forest


Light Emitting Aggregates

Posted date: 8:36 PM / comment : 0 , ,

Could Sparkling Glow-in-the-Dark Pavement Replace Street Lights?

This energy-efficient technology to illuminate pathways is environmentally friendly and beautiful.

Starpath: Glow-in-the-Dark, Energy-Efficient Technology to Illuminate Streets at Night
A bike path in Cambridge, England glows with a brilliant blue.

Keeping parks well lit at night can be a costly means to ensure pedestrian and cyclist safety. But a British-based company has come up with a way to turn park paths into glow-in-the-dark thoroughfares that double as energy-efficient works of art. 
Created by Pro-Teq, Starpath is a sprayable coating of light-absorbing particles that harvests ultra-violet rays from the sun during the day and dramatically lights up like a starry sky at night. The veneer is non-reflective, anti-slip and waterproof, and can be applied to cement, wood, tarmac or other solid surfaces.

Earlier this month, Starpath was tested on all 1,600 square-feet of the paths at Christ’s Pieces Park, in the university town of Cambridge. The park is well trafficked late into the evening by cyclist and pedestrians alike.
"Our surface works best over tarmac or concrete, predominantly tarmac, which is the main bulk of the U.K. path network," says Pro-Teq’s Neil Blackmore, in a sales video. "When it's coming to the end of its useful life, we can rejuvenate it with our system, creating not only a practical, but a decorative finish."
Seeing that local city councils were increasingly shutting off park lights at night to save money, Pro-Teq developed Starpath to maintain public safety without the financial and environmental costs of overhead lighting. It's a common problem; in the U.S. for instance, cities generally count streetlights as their first or second biggest energy drains.
But the glow-in-the-dark spray also comes with additional benefits: Its non-reflective surface doesn't seem to contribute to light pollution, which not only inhibits views of the nighttime sky, but can have dire consequences for local wildlife due to the constant illumination.
Overhead street lighting does provide one important benefit to urban parks, however, and that's the deterrence of crime. It's not yet known if Starpath would provide enough light to do the same.
Pro-Teq's Neil Blackmore says that for larger urban parks where the possibility of crime is higher, his technology could be used in conjunction with overhead lighting, if not replacing street lights completely, then cutting down on the number of them necessary to illuminate darkened areas.
"I was in London today looking at a large park for Starpath," he says. "And there's lights down by the river, but in the back of the park, there's no lighting at all. So having our product there, in the complete darkness, would only benefit the user."
Pro-Teq’s demonstration project in Cambridge is tiny, though, compared to a glow-in-the-dark technology being rolled out across the English Channel.
The Netherlands began its "smart highway" redesign this year with the promise of using super-charged glow-in-the-dark paint to illuminate highways during the country's long, dark winters. Not only will the paint light up to define the road and its lanes, but when the temperature drops below freezing, a bright snowflake design appears on the asphalt, warning drivers about the possibility of black ice.
As innovative and environmentally-friendly as the Netherlands' design is, though, Pro-Teq's Starpath may have bested it in terms of pure aesthetics. The starry spray is dramatic and not only lights up to a brilliant blue (as seen in the video above), but is also available in other sparkling colors, like red, gold and green.
Whether its application could extend to some roadways remains to be seen, but at least for now, Starpath looks like an energy-efficient way to light up parks while simultaneously turning them into eye-catching art displays.

TREEPODS: Carbon-Scrubbing Artificial Trees for Boston City Streets

Posted date: 8:24 PM / comment : 0 , , ,


TREEPODS: Carbon-Scrubbing Artificial Trees for Boston City Streets

Biomimicry, de-carbonization, air cleaning, air purification, kinetic energy, TREEPODS, Cristian Canonico, Mario Caceres, Boston, Dr. Klaus Lackner, solar energy, sustainable design, green urban design
Trees naturally filter and clean our air, but in today’s heavily polluted world, it’s just too huge of a task to expect Mother Nature to take care of herself. Taking this into account, designers Mario Caceres and Cristian Canonico have designed a set of beautiful air-filtering trees for the SHIFTboston urban intervention contest. Called TREEPODS, the designs harnesses biomimicry to efficiently emulate the carbon filtration qualities of trees.

Biomimicry, de-carbonization, air cleaning, air purification, kinetic energy, TREEPODS, Cristian Canonico, Mario Caceres, Boston, Dr. Klaus Lackner, solar energy, sustainable design, green urban design

The TREEPOD systems are capable of removing carbon dioxide from the air and releasing oxygen using a carbon dioxide removal process called “humidity swing,”. In addition to their air-cleansing abilities, TREEPODS will also include solar energy panels and will harvest kinetic energy through an interactive seesaw that visitors can play with at the TREEPOD’s base. As passersby play on the seesaws they power displays that explain the TREEPODS’ de-carbonization process. Both the solar panels and the kinetic energy station will power the air filtration process, as well as interior lights.
The TREEPODS themselves will be made entirely of recycled/recyclable plastic from drink bottles. Based not only on trees, but on the human lung, the design of the “branches” will feature multiple contact points that serve as tiny CO2 filters. The proposed design, giant white and translucent canopies of trees, can be installed among existing trees or on their own. Interestingly, the TREEPODS have been compared to “urban furniture”: sleek yet functional design pieces that would fit into any urban environment. At night, the TREEPODS light up in an array of eye-catching colors.
Caceres and Canonico hope that these “trees” will function not just as examples of gorgeous urban design and sources of sustainable energy, but also as meeting places, allowing citizens to have an air purifying tree to sit under with friends and enjoy the day.


Glowing trees could replace street lamps

Posted date: 8:05 PM / comment : 0 , ,

Glowing bio-LED trees could replace street lamps

Glowing trees could replace street lamps

Trees with naturally-glowing leaves could provide an environmentally-friendly alternative to street lamps. Researchers in Taiwan have discovered that adding nanoparticles of gold to the leaves of the Bacopa Caroliniana tree causes its leaves to glow.LED glow

Dr Ye-Hsun points out that this is potentially a win-win-win situation, with the glowing plants reducing power usage, and lowering light pollution, while absorbing CO2.

Dr Yen-Hsun Su from at Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University was working on alternatives to LED lights when the discovery came about.LED glow

‘Bio-LED’ lights

The tiny particles of gold cause chlorophyll in the plants leaves to produce a reddish luminescence.LED glow

Dr Yen-Hsun Su told Chemistry World: “In the future, bio-LED could be used to make roadside trees luminescent at night. This will save energy and absorb CO2 as the bio-LED luminescence will cause the chloroplast to conduct photosynthesis.”

ETA comment: Too many lights

I have often wondered why so many lights are left on – especially between one and five in the morning. Pedestrians and motorists require different types of lighting. Lighting just for pedestrians is cheaper.

If organisations responsible for lighting, as part of their planned maintenance and replacement programs devised lighting that catered specially for driving and lighting that was especially for walking separately then they would be able to turn off the lights for drivers but keep on the lower-powered lights for pedestrians. Naturally, this would generally only apply to main roads, but bio-LED technology could provide an ideal solution for lighting for pedestrians. LED glow

This dog is standing on thousands of frozen fish!

Posted date: 9:27 AM / comment : 0 ,

This dog is standing on thousands of frozen fish!

This dog is standing on thousands of frozen fish

It is assumed that the fish were frightened into shallow waters by whales and the water froze solid before the fish could escape. The local temperature was about -8 C (17 F). Though other fish have been chased into the bay by predators before, this is the first known occurrence of getting trapped in the ice.

As the ice thaws, the fish will probably be scavenged by birds.
Kosmo Elk in water - froze into ICE: This something special sight met Inger Sjøberg on Kosmo lake in Valnesfjord in Fauske municipality in Nordland last week. - There has probably been a distressing death, she said. - Photo: Private /
Froze into ICE: This something special sight met Inger Sjøberg on Kosmo lake in Valnesfjord in Fauske municipality in Nordland last week. - There has probably been a distressing death, she said.


Source

Worldwide Amphibian Declines: How big is the problem, what are the causes and what can be done?

Posted date: 9:18 AM / comment : 0 ,

Worldwide Amphibian Declines: How big is the problem, what are the causes and what can be done?

I. Introduction

Amphibians, a unique group of vertebrates containing > 7000 known species, are threatened worldwide. A recent assessment of the entire group (iucnredlist.org/amphibians) found that nearly one-third (32%) of the world’s amphibian species are threatened, representing 1,856 species. Amphibians have existed on earth for over 300 million years, yet in just the last two decades there have been an alarming number of extinctions, nearly 168 species are believed to have gone extinct and at least 2,469 (43%) more have populations that are declining. This indicates that the number of extinct and threatened species will probably continue to rise (Stuart et al. 2004).

Amphibian diversity is highest in the tropics and Brazil has the most described species at 932 species. By contrast, the United States is nearly the same size as Brazil but has 297 species (as of Feb 13, 2013).

Click on the image to see a larger version of this map.


II. Map of Global Declines

Declines have occured around the world, the areas that have suffered the most declines include Central America, the Caribbean, and Australia.
Click on the image to see a larger version of this map.



III. Why Are Amphibian Populations Declining?


Clearly, the most important factor leading to amphibian population declines is habitat destruction. When forests are cleared it is no surprise that species that once lived there disappear. What is alarming is that there are many cases where the habitat is protected and amphibians are still disappearing. The causes for recent amphibian declines are many, but an emerging disease called chytridiomycosis and global climate change are thought the be the biggest threats to amphibians. Chytridiomycosis is a disease caused by the fungal chytrid pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. This pathogen is associated with the global loss of hundreds of species of amphibians and represents a spectacular loss of biodiversity, some say the worst in recorded history.
In the table below we break down all of the hypothesized factors and the links provide more detailed information for each one. Some factors are obviously shared with other types of endangered species on our planet and are part of to the worldwide biodiversity crisis such as habitat destruction, alteration and fragmentation (Fisher and Shaffer 1996, Davidson et al. 2001, Marsh and Trenham 2001), introduced species (Vredenburg 2004, Kats and Ferrer 2003) andover-exploitation (Jennings and Hayes 1985, Lannoo et al. 1994). For these threats, we have a pretty good understanding of the ecological mechanisms underlying declines (Collins and Storfer 2003). However, amphibians have also declined in relatively ‘pristine’ and protected environments (Wake 1991, Crump et al. 1992, Lips 2000). These more complex and elusive mechanisms include climate change (Pounds et al. 1999, Kiesecker et al. 2001, Carey and Alexander 2003), increased UV-B radiation, chemical contaminants (Hayes et al. 2002, Blaustein et al. 2003), emerging infectious diseases (Daszak et al. 2003; see AmphibiaWeb's global distribution map of chytrid) and deformities (or malformations). The underlying mechanisms behind these factors are complex and they may be working synergistically with more straight forward factors, such as habitat destruction and introduced species, to exacerbate declines (Kiesecker et al. 2001, Blaustein and Kiesecker 2002). Researchers are finding that there is not a single overarching cause for global declines, instead all of these factors are threatening amphibian populations and the threat tends to vary depending on the location. If we are going to prevent further extinctions, research must move forward quickly and be used effectively in management by governments and non-governmental organizations around the world.


IV. Factors Involved in Amphibian Declines

Table 1. Probable and confirmed factors causing amphibian declines (modified from Table 1 in Young et al. 2001).
FACTORPROCESS(ES)
Habitat destruction, alteration and FragmentationRoads, introduced species, or other factors separate remaining populations of amphibians from each other.
Introduced SpeciesNon-native species prey on or compete with native amphibians.
Over-ExploitationAmphibians are removed form the wild and sold internationally as food, as pets, or for medicinal and biological supply markets
Climate ChangeAmphibians are extremely sensitive to small changes in temperature and moisture. Changes in global weather patterns (e.g. El Niño events or global warming) can alter breeding behavior, affect reproductive success, decrease immune functions and increase amphibian sensitivity to chemical contaminants.
UV-B RadiationLevels of UV-B radiation in the atmosphere have risen significantly over the past few decades. Researchers have found that UV-B radiation can kill amphibians directly, cause sublethal effects such as slowed growth rates and immune dysfunction, and work synergistically with contaminants, pathogens and climate change.
Chemical ContaminantsChemical stressors (e.g., pesticides, heavy metals, acidification and nitrogen based fertilizers) can have lethal, sublethal, direct or indirect effects on amphibians. These effects may include death, decreased growth rates, developmental and behavioral abnormalities, decreased reproductive success, weakened immune systems and/or hermaphroditism.
DiseaseNew diseases (such as chytridiomycosis) or higher susceptibility to existing diseases leads to deaths of adults and larvae.
DeformitiesThere has been a recent and widespread increase of deformities (or malformations) in natural populations of amphibians; this is now perceived as a major environmental problem.
SynergismsMultiple factors can act together to cause mortality or sublethal effects.


V. Possible Solutions: WHAT CAN BE DONE TO SAVE AMPHIBIANS?


The Global Amphibian Assessment has created an AMPHIBIAN ACTION CONSERVATION PLAN (pdf).

Table 2. Here are some other ways to reverse or ameliorate Amphibian Declines:
SOLUTIONPROCESS(ES)
Captive BreedingCaptive breeding progams for endangered species are being carried out in zoos.
ReintroductionsReintroduction programs place amphibians back into wild habitats in the hope that new populations can be established.
Non-native Species RemovalIntroduced species are being removed where they threaten native species.


VI. Literature Cited

Alford, R. A., and S. J. Richards. 1999. Global amphibian declines: A problem in applied ecology. Pages 133-165 in Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics. Annual Reviews, Palo Alto.
Blaustein, A. R., and J. M. Kiesecker. 2002. Complexity in conservation: Lessons from the global decline of amphibian populations. Ecology Letters 5:597-608.
Blaustein, A. R., J. M. Romansic, J. M. Kiesecker, and A. C. Hatch. 2003. Ultraviolet radiation, toxic chemicals and amphibian population declines. Diversity & Distributions [print] 9:123-140.
Blaustein, A. R., and D. B. Wake. 1990. Declining amphibian populations - a global phenomenon. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 5:203-204.
Carey, C., and M. A. Alexander. 2003. Climate change and amphibian declines: is there a link? Diversity and Distributions 9:111-121.
Collins, J. P., and A. Storfer. 2003. Global amphibian declines: Sorting the hypotheses. Diversity & Distributions [print] 9:89-98.
Crump, M. L., F. R. Hensley, and K. L. Clark. 1992. Apparent decline of the Golden Toad: underground or extinct? Copeia 1992:413-420.
Daszak, P., A. A. Cunningham, and A. D. Hyatt. 2003. Infectious disease and amphibian population declines. Diversity & Distributions [print] 9:141-150.
Davidson, C., H. B. Shaffer, and M. R. Jennings. 2001. Declines of the California red-legged frog: Climate, UV-B, habitat, and pesticides hypotheses. Ecological Applications 11:464-479.
Fisher, R. N., and H. B. Shaffer. 1996. The decline of amphibians in California's Great Central Valley. Conservation Biology 10:1387-1397.
Hayes, T. B., A. Collins, M. Lee, M. Mendoza, N. Noriega, A. A. Stuart, and A. Vonk. 2002. Hermaphroditic, demasculinized frogs after exposure to the herbicide atrazine at low ecologically relevant doses. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 99:5476-5480.
Houlahan, J. E., C. S. Findlay, B. R. Schmidt, A. H. Meyer, and S. L. Kuzmin. 2000. Quantitative evidence for global amphibian population declines. Nature 404:752-755.
Jennings, M. R., and M. P. Hayes. 1985. Pre-1900 overharvest of California [USA] red-legged frogs (Rana aurora draytonii): The inducement for bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) introduction. Herpetologica 41:94-103.
Kats, L. B., and R. P. Ferrer. 2003. Alien predators and amphibian declines: Review of two decades of science and the transition to conservation. Diversity & Distributions [print] 9:99-110.
Kiesecker, J. M., A. R. Blaustein, and L. K. Belden. 2001. Complex causes of amphibian population declines. Nature 410:681-684.
Lannoo, M. J., K. Lang, T. Waltz, and G. S. Phillips. 1994. An altered amphibian assemblage: Dickinson County, Iowa, 70 years after Frank Blanchard's survey. American Midland Naturalist 131:311-319.
Lips, K. R. 2000. Decline of a tropical amphibian fauna. in 166th National Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Science Innovation Exposition., Washington, D.C., USA, February 17-22, 2000.
Marsh, D. M., and P. C. Trenham. 2001. Metapopulation dynamics and amphibian conservation. Conservation Biology 15:40-49.
Pounds, A., M. Fogden, and J. Campbell. 1999. Biological response to climate change on a tropical mountain. Nature 398:611-614.
Stuart, S., Chanson, J. S., Cox, N. A., Young, B. E., Rodrigues, A. S. L., Fishman, D. L. and Waller, R. W. 2004. Status and trends of amphibian declines and extinctions worldwide. - Science 306: 1783-1786.
Vredenburg, V. T. 2004. Reversing introduced species effects: Experimental removal of introduced fish leads to rapid recovery of declining frog. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 101(20):7646-7650.
Wake, D. B. 1991. Declining amphibian populations. Science 253:860.
Young, B. E., K. R. Lips, J. K. Reaser, R. Ibanez, A. W. Salas, J. R. Cedeno, L. A. Coloma, S. Ron, E. La Marca, J. R. Meyer, A. Munoz, F. Bolanos, G. Chaves, and D. Romo. 2001. Population declines and priorities for amphibian conservation in Latin America. Conservation Biology 15:1213-1223.

Source

Literature citations edited by John Wilkinson (johnjwilkinson at hotmail), May 14, 2008.


VII. Recent Scientific Publications

AmphibiaWeb maintains a list of recent scientific publications on amphibian declines and amphibian conservation.This list is compiled and updated monthly by Professor Tim Halliday (formerly DAPTF International Director) (t.r.halliday@open.ac.uk).

Scientists discover giant trench under Antarctic Ice

Posted date: 9:19 AM / comment : 0 , ,

A massive ancient subglacial trough – deeper than the Grand Canyon - has been discovered by a team of UK experts. The research involved scientists from Newcastle University, the University of Bristol's Glaciology Centre, the British Antarctic Survey and the universities of Edinburgh, Exeter, and York. They charted the Ellsworth Subglacial Highlands – an ancient mountain range buried beneath several kilometres of Antarctic ice - by combining data from satellites and ice-penetrating radars towed behind skidoos and on-board small aircraft.
Antarctica
Credit: Newcastle University
The researchers spent three seasons investigating and mapping the region in West Antarctica, uncovering a massive subglacial valley up to 3 kilometres deep, more than 300 kilometres long and up to 25 kilometres across. In places, the floor of this valley is more than 2000 metres below sea level.
The  and deep valley were carved millions of years ago by a small icefield similar to those of the present-day Antarctic Peninsula, or those of Arctic Canada and Alaska.
Professor Martin Siegert, Professor of Geosciences at the University of Bristol, said: "While the idea of West Antarctic Ice Sheet growth and decay over the past few million years has been discussed for decades, the precise location where the ice sheet may originate from in growth phases, and decay back to in periods of decay, has not been known.
"By looking at the topography beneath the ice sheet using a combination of ice-penetrating radio-echo sounding and satellite imagery, we have revealed a region which possesses classic glacial geomorphic landforms, such as u-shaped valleys and cirques, that could only have been formed by a small ice cap, similar to those seen at present in the Canadian and Russian High Arctic. The region uncovered is, therefore, the site of ice sheet genesis in West Antarctica."
The team's analysis has provided an unprecedented insight into the extent, thickness and behaviour of this ancient icefield, and the configuration and behaviour of the early West Antarctic Ice Sheet. The subglacial landscape shows where and how the West Antarctic Ice Sheet originated and grew. It also provides important clues about the size and shape of the  in West Antarctica in a warmer global climate.
The findings are published in the latest edition of the Geological Society of America Bulletin. The paper's lead author Dr Neil Ross, from Newcastle University, said: "The discovery of this huge trough, and the characterisation of the surrounding mountainous landscape, was incredibly serendipitous.
"We had acquired ice penetrating radar data from both ends of this huge hidden valley, but we had no information to tell us what was in between. Satellite data was used to fill the gap, because despite being covered beneath several kilometres of ice, the valley is so vast that it can be seen from space.
"To me, this just goes to demonstrate how little we still know about the surface of our own planet. The discovery and exploration of hidden, previously-unknown landscapes is still possible and incredibly exciting, even now."
More information: Neil Ross, Tom A. Jordan, Robert G. Bingham, Hugh F.J. Corr, Fausto Ferraccioli, Anne Le Brocq, David M. Rippin, Andrew P. Wright, and Martin J. Siegert. "The Ellsworth Subglacial Highlands: Inception and retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet." Geological Society of America Bulletin, January 2014, v. 126, no. 1-2, p. 3-15, first published on September 19, 2013, DOI: 10.1130/B30794.1

FACED WITH SEA ICE LOSS, EMPEROR PENGUINS ALTER BREEDING TACTICS

Posted date: 7:29 AM / comment : 0 , ,

Emperor penguin

FACED WITH SEA ICE LOSS,
EMPEROR PENGUINS ALTER BREEDING TACTICS

Confronted with the loss of sea ice in some parts of Antarctica, four colonies of emperor penguins have come up with an innovative breeding strategy to adapt to their changing environment. Using satellite images, an international team of scientists tracked the four colonies from 2008 to 2012. In the first three years, the emperor penguins hatched and incubated eggs in their customary fashion — atop the sea ice that freezes during the Antarctic winter and spring. But in 2011 and 2012, sea ice did not form until a month after the breeding season began. As a result, the emperor penguins — the largest penguin species on earth — did something never before witnessed by scientists: They climbed up the nearly sheer walls of large, floating ice shelves — huge structures, often hundreds of square miles in extent, that flow from land-based glaciers into the sea. In the region of the four colonies, the ice shelf walls reach as high as 100 feet, researchers say. The scientists say the altered breeding behavior could demonstrate how ice-dependent emperor penguins may adapt to life in a warming world.
sea ice, is global warming real, effects of global warming, global warming myth, global warming news, rising sea levels, 
emperor penguin, emperor penguin facts, where do penguins live, pictures of penguins, facts about penguins, penguins,
emperor penguins, polar bears

Magnolia trees

Posted date: 10:22 AM / comment : 0 , ,

japanese magnolia, magnolia flower, star magnolia, jane magnolia, sweetbay magnolia, magnolia virginiana,
royal star magnolia, magnolia jane, ann magnolia, magnolia soulangiana, magnolia flowers, elizabeth magnolia,
teddy bear magnolia trees,
Magnolias are prized worldwide for their flowers and forms. Growing as large shrubs or trees, they produce showy, fragrant flowers that are white, pink, red, purple or yellow. Some forms are evergreen with glossy and leathery leaves and some evergreen types have buds, stems and undersides of leaves that are covered with attractive gold to copper to brown felt-like hairs. There are more than 200 species of Magnolia native to temperate, subtropical and tropical areas of southeastern Asia, eastern North America, Central America, the Caribbean and parts of South America. Many are now grown worldwide because of their beautiful flowers, shape and form.
How do you know if a magnolia is right for you? Ask the following questions to help determine if you should consider a magnolia -- and if so, where best to plant it:

WHAT KIND OF WINTERS DO YOU HAVE? magnolia tree, trees, palm trees, star magnolia tree, plants, shrubs, 

dogwood shrub, fast growing trees, cherry blossom tree, cherry tree, forsythia, conifers, weeping willow, dogwood,
hydrangea, azaleas, viburnum, hibiscus, camellia, azalea
The easy way to answer this question is to figure out what “zone” you live in. The U.S. is divided into zones by the USDA depending on how cold the winters are. Similar hardiness zone maps are available for Australia, Canada, China, Europe, and Japan and many other regions are developing maps.
Magnolias are available for almost any climate, especially if you can provide protection from harsh conditions.

WHAT KIND OF LIGHT DOES YOUR GARDEN RECEIVE?

Magnolias prefer a spot in the garden that receives full sun to light shade. That said, if you live in a particularly warm or dry climate, your magnolia might benefit from a location shaded from the hot afternoon sun. If possible, avoid exposed, windy locations because strong winds can damage large flowers and the typically brittle branches.

WHAT KIND OF SOIL DO YOU HAVE?

Most magnolias grow best in moist, well-drained, slightly acid soils but neutral to slightly alkaline soils are also suitable for growth. Magnolias are adaptable to clay, loam or sand soils, but most grow poorly in wet or poorly drained soils. Well-established plants can be moderately drought tolerant.

WHICH MAGNOLIA IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

So many choices, too small a garden. When you start looking into magnolias, you will want one in every bed! Some magnolias are grown primarily for their flowers, usually in the form of a shrub or small tree. Other magnolias grow to be large shade trees, and yet others are used as evergreen shrubs, trees or hedges. Consult our Magnolia Cultivars Checklist for options and consider visiting one of the gardens listed on this map to get an idea for the kinds of magnolias that are likely to do well in your climate.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE COMMON TYPES OF MAGNOLIA AVAILABLE AT LOCAL NURSERIES?

Star Magnolia: Those of you living in colder areas may already be familiar with Star Magnolia,Magnolia stellata. This magnolia is one of the best known species because it is very cold hardy (USDA Zones 4-8), widely adaptable and blooms when very small. Star Magnolia is a slow growing, broad spreading, small tree or large shrub, ultimately reaching 15 feet tall or more. Leaves may be 4-8 inches long and up to 3 inches wide. As a deciduous plant, the dark green leaves drop in fall, sometimes turning yellow before falling.
Star Magnolia flowers are 3 to 5 inches in diameter with 12 to 40 petal-like parts called "tepals." The overall effect of the tepals is that of a starburst, hence the name, "Star Magnolia." Flowers are white, although a few cultivars have pinkish flowers. Star Magnolia's characteristics have made it popular as a parent of many hybrids.
Saucer Magnolia: Saucer and other large-flowered hybrid magnolias are deciduous trees known for their spectacular display of flowers appearing before the foliage in late winter and early spring. They are considered some of our most beautiful flowering trees, and some cultivars are hardy into USDA Zone 4 while others are adaptable in warmer Zone 9. These deciduous flowering magnolias generally are considered small trees with slow to moderate growth rates. Smaller cultivars may be grown as large shrubs and some larger trees may eventually grow 40 to 70 feet tall. Tree shape characteristically is upright to rounded when young and becoming rounded or broad-spreading with age. The medium green leaves are oval to circular in shape and vary in size from 3 to 10 inches long and 2 to 10 inches wide. Leaves turn a nondescript yellow to brown before dropping in fall. The trunk has smooth, tan or grey bark and branches exhibit large, fuzzy flower buds.
The fragrant flowers open before the foliage and range in color from white to pink to purple. Often flowers display one color on the outer side of the tepal and a lighter color inside. Many different cultivars or varieties have been selected over the years. Characteristics vary with the cultivar but flowers range from 3 to 12 inches in diameter. Peak bloom usually occurs in early spring; because of this, flowers are sometimes damaged by frosts. Some cultivars produce flowers sporadically through the summer and fall. Reddish fruits sometimes develop in the fall.
Southern Magnolia: Residents of warm temperate climates (USDA Zones 7-9) may be familiar with the Southern Magnolia. This native of southeastern North America was first introduced to Europe in 1731, and quickly became popular because of its glossy evergreen foliage, large beautiful flowers and elegant form. Growing as a small to large evergreen tree, Southern Magnolia also was found to be widely adaptable to different climates, soils, and exposures. Thus, it was the first Magnolia to be planted widely as a street or shade tree and is now grown nearly worldwide wherever suitable climate and soils exist.
Southern Magnolia has glossy, leathery, evergreen, oval-shaped leaves that are 5 to 8 inches or more long and half as wide. The upper leaf surface is dark green and the lower surface is often covered by brown, dense, felt-like hairs. The fragrant white flowers are 8 inches in diameter, appearing in late spring and intermittently throughout the summer. The flowers are followed by reddish, 3- to 5-inch long, oblong-shaped fruits displaying red seeds ripening in late fall. This species is extremely variable in size, shape, habit, growth rate, canopy density, leaf color, and flowering season. This variability has allowed a large number of beautiful cultivars to be selected.
Southern Magnolia is used as a specimen plant, street tree, shade tree, screen or windbreak. This tree also can be grown as an espalier.
Champaca Magnolia: Many magnolias grow in subtropical and tropical climates typical of USDA Zones 10-12 and warmer. Champaca Magnolia is a native of southeastern Asia famous for its extremely fragrant creamy-white, yellow or yellow-orange flowers. The small flowers are produced in large numbers because they form all along the branches and not just at the stem tips as with many other magnolias. Champaca blooms from spring through summer and sporadically flowers in winter. Its fragrance is so beautiful and powerful, it is used to make perfumes.
Champaca Magnolia is often grown in humid subtropical and tropical areas because it is valued for its form as an evergreen tree as well as its floral fragrance. Champaca Magnolia's typical size in the landscape is 30 feet tall and wide, though this tree may grow much larger with time.
Many new magnolias have been discovered in tropical areas of Asia and South America, and these may become more available in the future.

WHAT TIME OF YEAR SHOULD YOU PLANT A MAGNOLIA?

Deciduous magnolias (those that drop their leaves in fall) are best planted when dormant, typically in late fall or winter in warmer climates and early spring in cold climates. Evergreen magnolias are best planted in early spring. For the first 6 to 12 months after planting, both types will benefit from mulch and regular irrigation during warm or dry weather.

WHERE TO GO TO BUY MY MAGNOLIA?

Check with your local retail nursery or garden center. They may know which magnolias grow well in your area and will have these for sale. You may need to look for specialty, rare or new magnolias at "better" garden centers or from an online magnolia nursery. Consult our list of magnolia nurseries for suppliers specializing in this family.

WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING A MAGNOLIA?

Look for healthy magnolias with evenly spaced branches. A container-grown plant can be slipped out of its pot to inspect the roots. Healthy roots are white, whereas diseased roots are brown to black and often have a sour odor.
Avoid plants with:
  • spotted, discolored or distorted leaves
  • discolored stems
  • broken branches
  • crossing and rubbing branches
  • wounds on the main trunk(s)
  • discolored roots
  • swollen areas on stems or roots (however, note that grafted or budded plants sometimes have swollen areas where the bud or graft was attached; check with nursery personnel to determine if this is the case)
  • many circling roots just inside of the container indicating the plant may be rootbound, making the plant more difficult to establish and often resulting in poor long-term growth and survival.
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