NC State News

Jan 16, 2025

Study examines how climate change has shaped coastal forests over the last decade

A new study finds that climate change may have a range of contrasting effects on coastal forests, both slowing and enabling growth in areas where sea levels are rising and storms are more common. Researchers compared a decade of forest growth data from two types of environments across the mid-Atlantic, southeastern, and Gulf coasts of…

Dec 11, 2024

How “thirsty” trees may make forests more vulnerable to climate change

A new study suggests that increased maple populations may leave forests in western North Carolina more vulnerable to extreme weather conditions like flooding and drought.   The southern Appalachian Mountains feature large, intact forests with frequent precipitation. This kind of area would not typically be a place to look for the effects of climate change, but…

Nov 25, 2024

“Biodiversity is not a luxury”: study explores the connection between wealth and ecosystem health

A new study suggests that a more complex understanding of how wealth and biodiversity are linked may help communities with little wealth achieve the levels of diversity typically associated with more affluent areas. Researchers have long understood that areas with more wealth tend to have higher biodiversity, a phenomenon known as the “luxury effect.” However,…

Jul 31, 2024

New model uses satellite imagery, machine learning to map flooding in urban environments

As climate change causes storms to intensify, new tools are needed to map where flooding occurs in under-studied areas. A new mapping tool from North Carolina State University uses machine learning and open-source satellite imagery to model flooding in urban environments. The new model could create maps that predict urban area flooding, which traditionally have…

Jul 15, 2024

Apparel Industry Leaks Millions of Tons of Plastic Into Environment Each Year, Study Finds

A new study finds that waste from the global apparel industry is leaking millions of tons of plastic into the environment each year – an overlooked pollution source which may be getting worse over time. The findings are detailed in a recent study from North Carolina State University researchers, which found that global apparel consumption…

May 3, 2024

Birdwatching can help students improve mental health, reduce distress

A new study finds people who have nature-based experiences report better well-being and lower psychological distress than those who do not. Birdwatching in particular yielded promising results, with higher gains in subjective well-being and more reduction in distress than more generic nature exposure, such as walks. Because birdwatching is an easily accessible activity, the results…

Apr 26, 2024

Mammals on ‘Sky Islands’ May Be Threatened By Climate Change, Human Development

A new study sheds light on how climate change and human development threaten mammal species living in isolated biodiversity hotspots known as “sky islands.” Researchers placed camera traps throughout Mt. Kenya National Park in East Africa, following the same route up the mountain used by Theodore Roosevelt during his expedition there in 1909. By comparing…

Mar 22, 2024

Camera traps help researchers explain animal behavior during global COVID-19 lockdowns

A new collaborative study using thousands of cameras around the world reveals how animal behavior changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the study sheds light on how animal behavior was influenced by changes in human behavior during pandemic lockdowns. Led by the University of British Columbia, the study used data from over 5,000 camera traps…

Mar 7, 2024

Improving Wood Products Could Be a Key to Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Harnessing the ability of wood products to store carbon even after harvest could have a significant effect on greenhouse gas emissions and change commonly accepted forestry practices, a new study from NC State researchers suggests. The new study published in the journal Carbon Balance and Management uses carbon storage modeling to link the carbon stored in…