The article “Hurricane Ida’s Hidden Dangers: A Model Reveals the Worst-Case Scenario for NYC” delves into the story of Hurricane Ida, which devastated the Northeast region in 2021. While the storm caused significant damage and loss of life, researchers have simulated its trajectory using advanced models to reveal an even more catastrophic scenario had the storm track shifted just 30 miles eastward.

Philip Orton, a professor at Stevens Institute of Technology, led a team of researchers who improved upon existing modeling systems like COAWST (Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere-Waves-Sediment Transport). They incorporated pluvial flooding effects, which occurs when heavy rain falls directly onto land, and simulated the potential impact on Jamaica Bay in Queens, New York.

The study revealed that shifting the storm track eastward would have resulted in higher rainfall intensities within the flood model’s area. The researchers found that if Ida had maintained its original trajectory, it would have soaked urban centers in New Jersey but produced far more severe effects in NYC.

In the worst-case scenario, approximately 5907 buildings and 24 square miles of the Jamaica Bay watershed would have experienced deep flooding greater than one foot deep. This devastating outcome underscores the importance of capturing compound flooding events like hurricanes with extreme rainfall and storm surges.
The researchers also simulated various alternative tidal conditions, which showed that a high tide could have slightly increased flooding for certain areas, such as the east and west shores of Jamaica Bay and Hamilton Beach.

These findings highlight the model’s utility in representing compound flooding events, particularly as sea levels continue to rise. The study emphasizes the need to capture compounding effects when forecasting extreme weather events like hurricanes.

The article concludes by underscoring the significance of using advanced modeling systems like COAWST and highlighting the importance of integrating pluvial flooding effects into these models. By doing so, researchers can better predict the severity of compound flooding events and help emergency management officials prepare for worst-case scenarios.
In an effort to improve forecasting and emergency planning, this study demonstrates the potential of advanced modeling systems in representing complex weather phenomena like hurricanes.

In the complex dance between trees and their environment, scientists have discovered that some trees take their symbiotic relationships to the next level. By forming close associations with not one, but two different groups of mycorrhizal fungi, these trees are better equipped to handle water and nutrient scarcity – a vital trait for forestry in the face of climate change.

While most terrestrial plants rely on single fungal associations to supplement their nutrient uptake, some tree species have evolved to host multiple fungus types. This “bigamy” allows them to tap into a broader range of nutrients, making them less sensitive to drought and more resilient in harsh environments. In fact, trees with dual symbioses can colonize larger territories than those with single associations.

Researchers from the University of Zurich and Agroscope have used over 400 tree species as their basis to demonstrate this phenomenon. According to Ido Rog from the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at UZH, “bigamy” improves tree fitness, enabling them to adapt to rougher environmental conditions and colonize nutrient-poorer niches.

The concurrent associations with two different mycorrhizal fungi also expand the diversity of trees’ nutrient supply. As UZH professor Marcel van der Heijden explains, this strategy allows trees to “cope with a more diverse range of soil properties.” The distribution of trees with dual symbioses is indeed more pronounced in dry areas than in rainier habitats.

In forestry, this knowledge could prove valuable for selecting tree species that are specialized in dual fungal associations. These trees might be better suited to coping with ongoing global warming and could be used to colonize dry climate zones – a prospect that holds promise for the future of our planet’s forests.

The connection between sulfur runoff from South Florida’s sugarcane fields and elevated mercury levels in the Everglades has been made clear by researchers from the University of California, Davis. Their study, published in Nature Communications, reveals that the sulfur applied to manage pH levels in these alkaline soils can trigger a chemical reaction that converts mercury into its toxic form, methylmercury.

The research team collected water and mosquito fish across wetlands fed by agricultural canals, documenting how sulfur runoff can dramatically increase methylmercury concentrations in fish. In some cases, this concentration is up to 10 million times greater than the levels found in the waters where these fish live, posing a significant risk to both human health and wildlife.

“Methylmercury is a neurotoxin that can cross the blood-brain barrier and even the placental barrier,” explained lead author Brett Poulin. “This makes it particularly problematic, as it can affect cognition, development, and other critical processes in humans.”

The Minamata Convention on Mercury, adopted by the United Nations in 2013, aims to reduce mercury emissions worldwide. However, the process is slow and uncertain, and the US Environmental Protection Agency does not regulate sulfur like it does nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizers.

Interestingly, reducing sulfur use in agriculture could quickly decrease mercury levels in fish, especially considering that over 60% of the Everglades have been found to contain sulfur contamination. Local management actions and sustainability initiatives can help minimize regional sulfur usage, which fuels the anaerobic bacteria and archaea responsible for converting mercury into methylmercury.

The study’s findings provide a clear call to action for local authorities to prioritize environmental sustainability and reduce sulfur use in agriculture. With the involvement of experts from the US Geological Survey, this research offers a tangible solution to mitigate the mercury crisis in the Everglades and protect both human health and wildlife.