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Showing posts with the label TREES

Billions of cicadas are about to emerge from underground in a rare double-brood convergence

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In the wake of North America’s recent solar eclipse, another historic natural event is on the horizon. From late April through June 2024, the largest brood of 13-year cicadas, known as Brood XIX, will co-emerge with a midwestern brood of 17-year cicadas, Brood XIII. This event will affect 17 states, from Maryland west to Iowa and south into Arkansas, Alabama and northern Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia and Maryland. A co-emergence like this of two specific broods with different life cycles happens only once every 221 years. The last time these two groups emerged together was in 1803, when Thomas Jefferson was president. For about f...... Read Full article on HadNews

Why do trees need sunlight? An environmental scientist explains photosynthesis

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Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. Why do trees need sunlight? – Tillman, age 9, Asheville, North Carolina Trees need sunlight for the same reason you need food. The energy from the Sun’s rays is a crucial ingredient in how plants make their own food that helps them power all their cells. Since trees don’t harvest or hunt food, they have to produce their own. The way they make their food is a unique and important chemical process cal...... Read Full article on HadNews

17 million South Africans live on communal land – new study of a rural valley offers insights on how to manage it

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The Tyhume River, flowing from the forested Amathole Mountains in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, gives its name to a valley of 20 villages on communal land. Much of the land is being used to keep livestock, as crop production has declined over the years. This land is under the custodianship of traditional leaders. The valley is typical of South Africa’s communal land: affected by soil erosion, bush encroachment and water scarcity. About one third (over 17 million) of South Africa’s population lives on communal land, which makes up around 13% of all land in the country. The Communal Land Tenure Bill, 2017 defines communal land ...... Read Full article on HadNews