Comprehensive data analysed in a new study show how extensive rainfall can erode soils across the EU and Switzerland, revealing that Mediterranean regions have the highest risk for erosive events and floods. The resulting dataset can also be used for disaster planning and relief.

Climate change is likely to increase the frequency and severity of flooding. This study reviewed damage mitigating measures at local, regional and national scales, and suggests that approaches including both spatial planning and private precautionary measures (such as building adaptations) are important for integrated risk management.

Human activities have caused phosphorus to accumulate in soils and water bodies, creating a legacy that could last for decades, new research shows. A study of three major river basins highlights better sewage treatment facilities and reduced fertiliser use as key reasons for an overall decline in phosphorus levels in the Thames River basin, UK, since the late 1990s.

Throughout Europe and beyond, the delivery of flood risk management (FRM) is increasingly being seen as the shared responsibility of governmental actors and citizens. However, a new study, which explored the viewpoints of stakeholders in a flood-prone part of Belgium, found that citizens see FRM mainly as the government’s responsibility.

After the 2002 floods in Germany — the country’s most economically damaging natural hazard — efforts were made to develop a more integrated system of flood management. A recent study has reviewed how those measures helped Germany to cope with the more recent floods of 2013, highlighting developments in early-warning systems and consideration of hazards in urban planning. The researchers also discuss areas for improvement, including citizen engagement and cross-border collaboration.

Researchers have analysed the policy response to the 2013–2014 flooding of the Somerset Levels and Moors in the UK. Analysis of media coverage and interviews with stakeholders revealed how local pressure promoted dredging — a policy that had fallen out of favour with the national Environment Agency (EA). Although dredging was eventually readopted by the EA, there remain uncertainties over its long-term viability due to funding constraints and debates over its effectiveness.

As the climate becomes more volatile, managing the risk of flooding has never been more important. This study proposes a new framework for evaluating how flood risk is managed by governments, which is applied to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the system in England. The researchers say their approach can help to improve flood-risk governance and could be applied to other countries as well as other types of hazard.

A method for assessing urban neighbourhoods’ resilience to flooding has been presented in a recent study. The method identifies features of urban landscapes that contribute to three elements of flood resilience: resistance, absorption and recovery. In a German case study, the tool shows that the features which make a waterfront neighbourhood of Hamburg more flood resilient include high bridges, open public spaces and flood-protected basements.

A new framework has been developed to assess how effective Flood Emergency Management Systems (FEMS) are in Europe. Examining FEMS in five European countries, this study highlights the strengths and weaknesses of existing systems and makes recommendations for improving their effectiveness, particularly in relation to institutional learning, community preparedness and recovery.

Natural water-retention measures, which ‘keep the rain where it falls’, have great potential to be used as part of flood-risk management plans. But their benefits for downstream urban areas can bring costs to the upstream agricultural areas where they are installed, a recent analysis explains. The researchers behind this analysis suggest that we need new and/or improved policies and institutions to oversee the trade-offs and benefits for agriculture and flood management, and a better scientific understanding of the measures’ likely impact on urban flood risk.

River flooding costs billions of euros annually in the EU. When one river floods, others nearby often do so at the same time — extending the overall impact beyond the border of an individual drainage basin. With this in mind, this study analysed the spatial extent of flood events across Europe from 1960 to 2010, using data from the European Flood Database (EFD). The research presents key findings for flood forecasting, risk financing and flood-mitigation policy.

Google has announced machine images, a new type of Compute Engine resource that contains all the information people need to create, backup or restore a virtual machine, reducing the amount of time people spend managing their Cloud environment.

Pollination of intensively farmed, flowering crops could affect the pollination of wild plants in neighbouring fields, according to a study by German researchers. In their one-year study, they found fewer bees visited wild plants that are close to oilseed rape fields, although the longer-term picture is less clear. The researchers warn that increasing cultivation of biofuel crops could possibly reduce wild flower populations.

Riversides that are unprotected by flood defences are home to more diverse plant communities, according to a new study. According to the researchers of the study, 'soft' approaches to flood management, which work in harmony with natural processes, could help promote biodiversity in flood-prone regions.

Falling levels of insect pollination are causing declining yields of important agricultural crops. However, new research from South Africa now indicates that planting small patches of native flowers in agricultural fields can be a profitable and sustainable method of increasing pollination and yield.

Trawling can disturb the seabed, impacting habitats and biodiversity. Results from a new study in the North Sea have shown that changes in the distribution of trawling activity – the result of fishers' choices among fishing grounds and the effects of fisheries' regulations - have greater implications for the overall state of seabed habitat than the protection that might be provided by proposed Marine Protected Areas.

Researchers have developed a new method of mapping seafloor habitats, which uses easily measured environmental properties to infer the type and extent of seafloor ecosystems. It could help in the effective implementation of the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the researchers suggest.

Depositing dredged material on the seabed can significantly reduce the functioning of marine habitats, diminishing the amount of food available for fish and other animals further up the food chain, new research suggests. The author of the study calls for inclusion of this effect into environmental impact assessments of dredging.

The planned expansion of offshore wind farms in the German Bight of the North Sea will provide hard surfaces in what is currently a soft-bottom habitat. This could see an increase in the numbers of some species, such as mussels, which attach themselves to these hard structures, in turn leading to increased numbers of fish and crabs specialised to this habitat, new research suggests.

Ocean warming driven by climate change will reduce the amount of food reaching marine life on the seafloor, a recent study suggests. This would result in a 5.2% global reduction in seafloor biomass by the end of the 21^st century and biodiversity hotspots, such as cold-water coral reefs, will be particularly badly affected, say the researchers.

Trawling's impacts on marine ecosystems can be assessed using simple metrics which characterise easy-to-obtain samples of fish, new research suggests. The Portuguese study shows that groups of fish become dominated by fewer species as fishing intensity increases, while their total biomass declines. Moreover, in the most fished areas there were other noteworthy changes, such as substantial reductions in the proportion of sharks and rays.

Planting early-flowering crops, such as oilseed rape, boosts the numbers of bumblebees available to pollinate late-flowering crops, such as sunflowers, according to recent research. Carefully managing the timing and coverage of flowering crops in the landscape could therefore ensure pollination services and increase yields, say the researchers.

The pollination benefits of planting field margins with wildflowers can outweigh the costs of set-up and maintenance, a new study suggests. On US blueberry farms wildflower strips resulted in double the number of wild bees on adjacent crops and significantly increased yield, the researchers found.

Small mammals clearly benefit from a UK agri-environment scheme (AES), a recent study concludes. Numbers and diversity of voles, shrews and mice were found to increase on and around farmland with 6 m wide field margins and patches of semi-natural habitat - features encouraged under the government-led AES.

Bottom trawling-dragging nets along the sea floor-reduces biodiversity most severely in deeper, species-rich habitats, a study suggests. New research in the Dutch North Sea has shown that this type of trawling had less effect on species richness in shallow areas with coarse sediments. These results suggest that efforts should be made to reduce trawling in these kinds of sensitive habitats, the researchers say.

The preferred habitats of wetland bird species - including 12 that are endangered - have been identified by a new study. From conducting counts at 137 sites across Sweden, it was found that total species richness was highest in sites that had a tendency to flood; wet grassland areas that were grazed as opposed to mowed; and sites that were far from areas of woodland. The authors suggest this research could help determine the most suitable locations for future wetland conservation projects.

The frequency and severity of flooding is expected to increase in the future. This study explored how these changes will affect rivers, in terms of structure as well as animal and plant life. The authors discuss the management implications of their findings and highlight areas for future research, including developing early warning systems for threats to ecosystems.

Among the ecological effects of climate change are changes to the timing of natural events, such as flowering. To understand why these phenological changes affect reproduction, this study manipulated conditions in a spring herb to prompt premature flowering. This exposed the flowers to frost, and resulting damage caused dramatic reductions in plant reproduction, suggesting that climate change may threaten plant survival.

Agri-environment schemes (AES) have been implemented throughout Europe to mitigate against the negative effects of agricultural intensification. Although these schemes have shown positive effects on the abundance and richness of certain species and taxa, the impact of AES on reproduction of target species at the local and landscape scale is poorly understood. This large-scale study looked for the effect of selected AE measures on bumblebee reproduction. Results indicate that bumblebee reproduction is significantly higher on sown flower patches when compared to conventional management. Although the increase is most pronounced at the plot scale, higher reproduction was found in landscapes surrounding larger sown plots (at least one hectare) compared to smaller sown plots.

A study of wildflower planting within agri-environment schemes has demonstrated that the practice can support a diverse array of economically beneficial insect species, not just prominent pollinators such as wild bees and hoverflies. The study demonstrates the high conservation potential of wildflower planting within agricultural landscapes and the value of insects outside the traditional focus of conservation efforts.

This study assessed the implementation of the ‘Flowering Meadows’ agri-environment scheme in France, a results-based scheme which encourages farmers to conserve meadows in the Bauges, Haut Jura and Vercors natural parks. While there was limited change in agricultural practices, the scheme did help to maintain meadow habitats. Farmers also welcomed the results-based payments approach, which gave them greater responsibility for and flexibility in managing their farms.

Researchers have developed a new metric to predict the ecological impacts of invasive alien species. The metric was calculated for a number of known invasive alien species and successfully predicted their impact on native species. The tool could be used to help inform the global management of invasive alien species.

Increases in woody plant and shrub cover render alpine livestock less efficient at using their landscape, finds a new study of the eastern Spanish Pyrenees. Changes in land use and climate will affect not only flora and fauna but also the futures of alpine farmers, says the study, placing them at a growing economic risk both throughout Europe and worldwide.

Free-flowing rivers (FFRs) support a complex, dynamic and diverse range of global ecosystems, and provide important economic and societal services. However, infrastructure built to use these services — most notably 2.8 million dams worldwide — has caused many rivers to become fragmented and disconnected, affecting river biodiversity and ecosystem services. This study constructed a global information system with which to map the fine-scale dynamics and fragmentation of FFRs and to determine how human pressures affect the world’s river systems.

Commercial bottom trawling, the technique of pulling fishing gear across the seabed to catch fish and other seafood, releases pollutants trapped in the seabed, which can negatively affect local marine life and ecosystems. Recent findings from a Norwegian fjord show how mussels can take up high levels of contaminants released by trawling, with important health implications for consumers.

New research has shown that flooding of soils contaminated with arsenic, which may occur as sea levels rise due to climate change, could lead to the mobilisation of this toxic element in the environment. The study shows that arsenic is more stable in soil flooded with saltwater, compared to river water, as salt stabilises mineral oxides and could inhibit microbial activity. However, microbes that transform arsenic into water-soluble forms may adapt to saline conditions, and the risk of arsenic entering waters due to rising sea levels should receive further attention.

Someone recently challenged me to convert the curling simulator we published a few years ago (See this post and this post) to take advantage of new features not available at that time: App Designer and Stateflow for MATLAB.... read more >>

Grey has an iMac Pro, Myke has thoughts about vlogging, and they both have Yearly Theme updates.

SUFFOLK – The Virginia Department of Transportation Hampton Roads District (VDOT) is suspending lane closures on Interstate 64 and Interstate 664...

SUFFOLK– The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is assessing travel needs and making preparations to assist motorists ahead of Hurricane...

Those taking their government-approved daily walk have been warned not to pick wildflowers - or risk facing an eye-watering £5,000 fine.

The post Trainers flock to Kangaroo Island races appeared first on The Lead SA.

LYNCHBURG — As a result of rain and run-off from Tropical Storm Michael, Route 58 in Halifax County is closed from Route 360 to Route 744 until further notice.

SALEM – Throughout the afternoon and evening, crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation have been responding to the immediate concerns of downed trees, mudslides and high water throughout southwestern Virginia. Crews will continue to monitor roadways overnight. As of 10 p.m., roads in all 12 counties of the district have been affected by the heavy rainfall resulting in numerous closures of primary and secondary roads today. Some of the primary roads affected include portions of Interstate 81, Route 220 through Roanoke and Franklin County, Route 419 in Roanoke, Route 58 in Patrick County and Route 57 in Henry County. As streams and rivers swell and water recedes, conditions will continue to change, so motorists should drive with caution and check the latest road conditions before travelling tomorrow morning. The most up-to-date information about flooded roads is available at www.511Virginia.org . To access the list of flooded roads, look for the text views section of the site and search under road conditions.  VDOT encourages motorists to stay off the roads tonight, if possible, and not to drive through ponding water or around barricades.  As water recedes, VDOT will inspect structures and roadways before they can reopen or be repaired.  Some roads may require lengthy closures depending on the extent of damage and how soon repairs can be completed. To report downed trees or debris on state maintained roads, citizens can contact VDOT’s customer service center at 1-800-FOR-ROAD. For emergencies, dial 911. Follow us on Twitter at @VaDOTSalem and @511southwestva  for the latest updates on road conditions.

SALEM – Route 220 north and south at Route 419 (Electric Road) in the Southern Hills area of Roanoke County is closed due to flooding. Drivers will need to seek alternate routes as the road will remain closed until the water recedes. Message boards are in place to alert motorists of the closure. Roads throughout the area may also experience flash flooding conditions as heavy rains continue through the evening. Drivers should use caution, drive with care and expect delays on their commute home from work today. If you see water across a road, turn around. Do not attempt to cross and or go around barricades that have closed a road. The Virginia Department of Transportation will be monitoring road conditions overnight. To report road conditions and downed trees, call 1-800-FOR-ROAD. For updates on this lane closure and others around the district, visit www.511Virginia.org . Follow us on Twitter for the latest updates in our region at @511southwestva and @VaDOTSalem.

SALEM – The gusty winds and heavy rains from the remnants of Hurricane Michael yesterday created flooded roads, downed trees and power lines in western Virginia. As of 11 a.m., approximately 140 roads are closed or affected in the 12 counties of VDOT’s Salem District.   Crews are currently clearing debris and assessing roads throughout the region, coordinating with emergency and utility crews and making or scheduling repairs where possible. In some areas, water will need to recede before a road can be investigated or repaired. Their focus today will be to make roads safe and passable for traffic. If extensive repairs are needed, they will be coordinated and scheduled at a later date.  Drivers are encouraged to continue to monitor road conditions in your area prior to traveling.   The most up-to-date information about flooded roads is available at www.511Virginia.org . For information on specific roads, citizens can access the Road Table under the text views section of the site.  To report downed trees or debris on state maintained roads, citizens can contact VDOT’s customer service center at 1-800-FOR-ROAD.  Drivers who are traveling today are reminded of the following: Turn Around, Don’t Drown! Never drive through water flowing across a road. It takes only six to 12 inches of water to float a small vehicle. Never drive around barricades. Remember, the road has been closed for your safety. Avoid flood-prone areas, especially along creeks and other low-lying areas. Be alert for tree limbs and other debris in the roadway. Even small branches and other debris can damage a car or cause the driver to lose control. If you come across a downed power line, do not try to move it. Contact your local authorities. For updates throughout the day, follow us on Twitter at @VaDOTSalem and @511southwestva  for the latest updates on road conditions.

The assignment was originally planned to start in May 2020.

The contract for the accommodation rig at the Martin Linge field has been pushed to January 2021.

Sarah Palin and other high-profile Republicans may be denying the science behind climate change now, but that's not what they were saying before.