Professor of marine sciences Yair Rosenthal co-authored a paper reporting the research findings of an international team that investigated the effects of freshwater input from melting glaciers on the ocean’s thermohaline cycle and its potential impact on climate change. Read about the study at Rutgers Today.
Archives for March 2014
EncROACHment: New York City’s Invasive Roaches [VIDEO]
Since the founding of colonial Jamestown, cockroaches have scuttled through the dark spaces of Americans’ homes and our nightmares. But just recently, a new roach appeared on the New York City scene – one with ability to tolerate the cold outdoors. Wha…
Underwater drone fleet’s budget nearly doubled by the Pentagon
Officials at the US Defense Department have requested extra funding for a new fleet of submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles and surveillance drones, according to newly unveiled budget documents. The Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) plans to double its current spending from $14.9 million to $29.9 million for the Hydra program…Scott Glenn, the co-leader of the Challenger Glider Mission and professor of Physical Oceanography at Rutgers, told Rhiannon Williams of the Telegraph that the environmental evaluations are an integral part of the budget request…”Part of our goal with this mission is to increase global ocean literacy. This expanded dataset will enable students and researchers to focus on the science of their local waters, as well as be a part of a global research community, all working toward understanding the ocean’s role in regulating the changing climate and weather.”
Tough Winter Could Stifle a Migrating Bug [AUDIO]
The hard winter may have left New Jersey with at least one positive side effect: the slowing of the migration of a pine tree-devouring insect. Richard VanVranken, agricultural agent and head of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Atlantic County, said the southern pine beetle can encircle a pine tree and cut off its water supply, killing the tree over time. This harsh weather may have put the brakes on the bug’s northern migration to the Mullica Rver, but the jury’s still out. “There have been some reports that we got close to it (low temperatures) for extended periods in some parts of the region,” VanVranken said. “Other parts didn’t quite get cold enough.”
Anthony Broccoli (CC’77, GSNB ’79, ’98): Studying the Bigger Picture of Climate Change
Editor’s Note: This alumni profile on Tony was written in 2014. Since then, Tony served as chair of the Department of Environmental Sciences from 2014-2020, and was named a Distinguished Professor in 2020. “Many of the important turning points in my life took place at Rutgers,” says Anthony Broccoli, an alumnus and professor of Environmental […]
Rutgers Fisheries Research in Mongolia the Subject of Student Film, “The Blue Pearl”
The Mongolian culture has an ingrained traditional respect for water and their cultural practices are aimed at maintaining water quality. The largest lake in Mongolia, known as the Blue Pearl, is sacred to Mongolians. The effects of climate change have had a negative impact on the livelihood of Mongolian herders, who have turned to this […]
Experts Weigh in on Climate Change Impacts in Campus Discussion and Screening of “Shored Up”
What will a rising sea do to our homes, businesses and the survival of our communities? Can we afford to pile enough sand on our shores to keep the ocean at bay? Beach engineering has been our only approach so far but is there something else out there to be explored? In Long Beach Island […]
Underwater drones to map world’s oceans
The 16 unmanned submarines will explore the world’s oceans as part of a research project by Rutgers University. Each 2.2 metre-long glider will rely on the energy from buoyancy changes to propel it forwards at speeds of around 35 km per day as it navigates using altitude and depth sensors, a GPS receiver and altimeter…Scott Glenn, Co-leader of the Challenger Glider Mission and Professor of Physical Oceanography at Rutgers University, said: “The technology underpinnings of this mission are truly enabling our researchers to gather more and better data than ever before, enhancing the basis of knowledge for future generations.”
Wild winter could freeze pine beetle population growth
This Winter’s wild weather has been somewhat pesky to say the least, but there is an upside to this season’s weather: The extreme cold could play a part in eliminating some six-legged pests. The southern pine beetle is an invasive insect capable of leveling pine forests. “There aren’t any natural enemies. It’s been very mild winters for the past dozen years or so and there hasn’t been anything to hold them back,” said Richard VanVranken, department head at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Atlantic County. The warm-weather insect crossed the Delaware Bay into New Jersey around 2001 and has infested pinelands all the way up to the Mullica River. “Whether or not it’s going to hop that and get into the heart of the Pinelands is a real worry for the natural ecosystem,” said Van Vranken, adding that this winter of roller-coaster temperatures could take a toll on the insect’s population.
Entomologist Changlu Wang Helps Eradicate Bedbugs from New Brunswick Public Housing
Insect infestations around the home can easily get out of control when residents don’t have effective ways to tackle the problem. Rutgers Extension Specialist in Entomology Changlu Wang, with Rutgers Department of Entomology, has been on the forefront of developing innovative ways to detect bedbugs and applying non-toxic treatments. He’s working with the New Brunswick […]