4/7 Slime mold, BC climate plan, forest carbon mitigation, stormwater map, urban clover, microplastics, water rule, Site C dam, Free Tokitae, cost of fear

Slime mold [C. Vecchio]

 
Slime mold Fuligo septica
At least 60 species of slime mold can be found in Mount Rainier National Park. These remarkable organisms were once thought to be fungal, but advanced scientific analyses show them to be something which doesn’t fit within the system of taxonomic rank. They are not molds despite the name, although they exhibit characteristics common to fungi, but also to those demonstrated by animals. Scientists were puzzled as to where to place them in the taxonomic structure, and eventually they were relegated to a catch-all Kingdom of unrelated eukaryotic organisms (those with enclosed cellular nuclei) known as "Protoctista," a term sometimes used synonymously with the word "protist" (the latter now being used as a matter of convenience rather than in the taxonomic sense). In other words, a protist is any eukaryotic organism that is not an animal, plant, or fungus. (National Park Service)

B.C. says its climate plan is world leading. So why are emissions going in the wrong direction?
As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the third and final section of its review of climate science, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the report revealed "a litany of broken climate promises" by governments, accusing them of stoking global warming by failing to cut emissions. And while British Columbia has touted its own climate plan as among the best in the world, climate experts and environmental advocates point out that the province's emissions keep climbing — in part due to ongoing investment in fossil fuels. Michelle Ghoussoub reports. (CBC)

WA to become first state in U.S. to preserve 10,000 acres of land for carbon mitigation
A new, first of its kind carbon project that will preserve 10,000 acres of state lands in Washington was announced Wednesday morning by the Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. The first phase will place 3,750 acres into a protected status, starting with areas in Whatcom, Thurston, King and Grays Harbor counties. The second phase will be rolled out within the year after DNR identifies other areas that need to be conserved. This will be the first time a state agency has used a carbon market to preserve forests planned for logging, according to the Department of Natural Resources. Stipulations for carbon storage and generating revenue will be included in “leases” that will cover the protected areas. In the first 10 years the project will yield more than 900,000 carbon offset credits, the commissioner said. Shauna Sowersby reports. (McClatchy)

Stormwater mapping
Yesterday's story about the interactive Stormwater Heatmap prompted Simon Bakke of RE Sources to share their stormwater map  which shows the most recent water quality results from six storm water outfalls and two streams that all discharge into Bellingham Bay. They have been monitored monthly for several water quality parameters starting in Feb 2021.

What the humble clover means for the future of life in cities
A global study into urbanization's impact on white clover shows that the plant is evolving to survive alongside us in Puget Sound. Hannah Weinberger reports. (Crosscut)

For the first time, researchers find microplastics deep in the lungs of living people
Researchers say they have found microplastics — tiny pieces of plastic debris that come as a result of the disposal of industrial waste — deep in the lungs of living humans for the first time. The research, done at Hull York Medical School in England and published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, is the first robust study to identify the plastics in the lungs of living people. The plastics have previously been found in human blood, excrement and in the depths of the ocean. Rina Torchinsky reports. (NPR)

Supreme Court reinstates Trump-era water rule, for now
The Supreme Court has reinstated for now a Trump-era rule that curtails the power of states and Native American tribes to block pipelines and other energy projects that can pollute rivers, streams and other waterways. Jessica Gresko reports. (Associated Press)

Why a highly anticipated Site C dam ‘mega trial’ isn’t happening right now
West Moberly First Nations planned to take BC Hydro to court over claims that Site C violates Treaty 8 Rights; instead they've entered confidential discussions to settle the case out of court. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

South Florida activists rally for orca Lolita's release, but back home, it's up for debate
Much heralded announcements by Miami-Dade County officials and the Miami Seaquarium have raised hopes among South Florida animal rights activists that Lolita the Killer Whale might finally be released after half a century of captivity. Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee's office said it has not taken a formal position on whether Lolita, known as Tokitae in the Pacific Northwest, should be moved back to state waters. Mike Faulk, a spokesman for the governor, said officials have heard "compelling arguments for and against the effort," which has been led by orca advocates and the Lummi Nation. Antonio Fins and Josh Farley report. (Palm Beach Post) See also: ‘The first step in healing,’ Lummi say of push to return captured orca to the Salish Sea  Dalton Day reports. (MyNorthwest)

The Transgenerational Cost of Fear
In a highly controlled experiment, population ecologists and couple Liana Zanette and Michael Clinchy, along with graduate student Marek Allen, all at Western University in Ontario, showed that just the sound of predators can scare song sparrows into a state that tanks their numbers for generations. The research was part of a long-term study of song sparrows living on five small islands in British Columbia’s Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. Ashley Braun reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  211 AM PDT Thu Apr 7 2022   
TODAY  E wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft  at 11 seconds. 
TONIGHT  NW wind to 10 kt becoming SW after midnight. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 10 seconds. A slight chance  of rain in the evening then rain after midnight.

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