Following a plateau in the early 2000s, global concentrations of the powerful greenhouse gas methane have hit new highs in recent years. Chemical fingerprint tests seem to rule out a major role for fossil fuels. With more than half a dozen possible natural and human sources, how will scientists figure out where it's coming from?
Fish nursery. Bird sanctuary. Storm surge blocker. Maryland’s Blackwater Marsh Wildlife Refuge is all those things and more. And it could be completely underwater by the end of this century. A team of ecologists and climate experts is determined to find and conserve migration corridors for the critical wetland ecosystem.
In a place routinely afflicted by drought, water managers in Tampa Bay use climate forecasts to ensure a water supply to people’s taps without sucking the region’s rivers, wetlands, and groundwater dry. The limits of their innovation might be tested in a future which could pose even more challenges to ensuring the oasis remains green.