Ecoclimax

The sky is broad, the land is rugged and the air fills your lungs with joy. But for many adventurers, the true appeal of a trek through a national park is the fine detail: the living flora and fauna, often rare and unusual, that quietly populate the landscape. U.S. national parks are each home to an average of 415 species of wildlife. Each species plays an essential role in the park's ecosystem, and each park has its own unique characters, sights and sounds. From tiny but tough pikas to trumpeter swans and Dutchman’s breeches, these wild expanses are full of surprises. So, if you were going down to the park today, which parks would you be most likely to run into a surprise? Casago analyzed National Park Service data to find out which parks have the most wildlife and plants per 100 km² and which have the greatest biodiversity overall. Key Findings  Congaree in South Carolina has the greatest density of wildlife species, with 362 per 100 km². However, Biscayne in Florida has more o...

As the world progresses towards the electrification of the transportation sector, the oil demand will be replaced by the demand for electricity. To highlight the EV impact on oil consumption, the infographic created by BloombergNEF reveals how much oil has been and will be saved every day between 2015 and 2025 by varying electric vehicle types. A typical combustion engine passenger vehicle in the United States uses about 11 barrels (1749 liters) of oil equivalent. A motorcycle uses 1 (159 liters), a Class 8 truck about 24 (3975 liters), and a bus uses more than 258 barrels (41019 liters) per year. When cars switch to electric engines, they no longer require oil, making electricity their source of power instead. Most of the oil saved from EVs on a global scale has come from two- and three-wheeled vehicles, such as motorcycles, scooters, and mopeds. With a wide adoption in Asia, notably, these vehicles displaced the demand for almost 675,000 barrels (107,316,424 liters)of oil per day in...

The European Green Belt is a unique conservation initiative that spans across several countries in Europe. It is an ecological network that follows the former Iron Curtain, which once divided Europe during the Cold War. The Green Belt stretches over 12,500 kilometers (approximately 7,800 miles), extending from the Barents Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south. The idea behind the European Green Belt is to preserve and restore the natural and cultural heritage of the areas along the former Iron Curtain. This region has become an important corridor for various plant and animal species, including many rare and endangered ones. The Green Belt acts as a biological corridor, facilitating the migration and movement of wildlife across Europe. The initiative began in the late 1990s and has since gained significant support from governments, organizations, and local communities. Numerous conservation projects, research initiatives, and cross-border collaborations have been established t...

Shoreline degradation refers to the deterioration or erosion of coastal areas, including beaches, dunes, and cliffs. It is primarily caused by natural processes such as wave action, storms, and tides, but human activities can significantly exacerbate the problem. Human-induced factors contributing to shoreline degradation include coastal development, sand mining, pollution, climate change, and unsustainable coastal management practices. The map below crated by a non-profit environmental communications GRID-Arendal shows coastal population and shoreline degradation. Population size can have a significant impact on coastal degradation. Here are a few ways in which population size can affect coastal degradation: Urbanization and Infrastructure: As the population increases, there is a greater demand for coastal areas for housing, tourism, and industry. This leads to the construction of coastal infrastructure such as buildings, roads, ports, and harbors. The alteration of natural coastal ...

 An urban park is a park that is located within a city's municipal limits or metropolitan area - and some of them, despite their urban location, are surprisingly expansive. Playground Equipment ranked the 25 largest urban parks in the world by acres and visualized them in the infographic below. The World's Top 10 Largest Urban Parks Chugach State Park — 495,199.2 acres (Anchorage, Alaska) Gatineau Park — 89,205 acres (Gatineau, Canada) Table Mountain National Park — 54,610.3 acres (Cape Town, South Africa) Margalla Hills National Park — 42,961.7 acres (Islamabad, Pakistan) Pedra Branca State Park — 30,626.2 acres (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) McDowell Sonoran Preserve — 30,394 acres (Scottsdale, Arizona) Losiny Ostrov National Park — 28,664.2 acres (Moscow, Russia) Franklin Mountains State Park — 24,246 acres (El Paso, Texas) Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge — 22,758.4 acres (New Orleans, Louisiana) Bukhansan National Park — 19,748.7 acres (...

The historical origins of crops before they were domesticated can be traced back to their wild ancestors, which grew naturally in various regions of the world. For example: Wheat, barley, lentils, and chickpeas originated in the Fertile Crescent region of the Middle East. Corn, beans, and squash were first cultivated in Mesoamerica. Rice originated in Asia, with different varieties adapted to different regions such as India, China, and Southeast Asia. Potatoes were first domesticated in the Andean region of South America. Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants were first domesticated in the region that includes present-day Mexico and Central America. Apples were first domesticated in the region that includes present-day Kazakhstan and China. The wild ancestors of these crops were adapted to grow in their natural environments without human intervention, and they had traits that allowed them to survive and reproduce in their local ecosystems. Over time, humans began to select and cultivate pl...